Watergate scandal

Watergate scandal
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia · Public domain · source
Name	Watergate scandal
Date	June 17, 1972 – August 9, 1974
Location	Washington, D.C.
Type	Political scandal
Perpetrators	Richard Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, Charles Colson
Outcome	Resignation of Richard Nixon

Contents

Watergate scandal. The Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. was the site of a major Democratic National Committee headquarters, which was burglarized on June 17, 1972, by members of Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President, including G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt. This event led to a wide-ranging investigation involving John Dean, John Mitchell, and H.R. Haldeman, and ultimately resulted in the resignation of Richard Nixon on August 9, 1974. The scandal also involved other notable figures, such as John Sirica, Archibald Cox, and Sam Ervin, and was widely covered by the media, including The Washington Post and The New York Times.

Background

The United States presidential election, 1972 was a significant event in the lead-up to the scandal, with Richard Nixon facing off against George McGovern. Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President was led by John Mitchell, who had previously served as United States Attorney General under Nixon. The committee was involved in various dirty tricks and espionage activities, including the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters, which was located at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C.. Other notable figures involved in the scandal included Henry Kissinger, Nelson Rockefeller, and Gerald Ford, who would later become President of the United States.

The break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters was carried out by a group of men led by G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt, who were connected to Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President. The men were caught and arrested by Washington, D.C. police, and the incident was initially reported by The Washington Post and other media outlets. The investigation into the break-in was led by John Sirica, a United States District Court judge, and involved FBI agents such as Mark Felt, who would later be revealed as the infamous Deep Throat. Other notable figures involved in the investigation included Archibald Cox, Sam Ervin, and Howard Baker, who served on the Church Committee and the Senate Watergate Committee.

As the investigation into the break-in continued, it became clear that the Nixon administration was involved in a wide-ranging cover-up. Richard Nixon himself was implicated, along with other high-ranking officials such as H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman, and Charles Colson. The administration's involvement in the scandal was revealed through a series of secret recordings made by Nixon in the Oval Office, which were subpoenaed by Archibald Cox and later released to the public. Other notable figures involved in the administration's response to the scandal included Ronald Ziegler, Pat Buchanan, and Alexander Haig, who served as White House Chief of Staff.

The aftermath of the scandal saw a significant decline in public support for Richard Nixon and the Nixon administration. The House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach Nixon on charges of obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. Faced with almost certain impeachment and removal from office, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, and was succeeded by Gerald Ford. Other notable figures involved in the aftermath of the scandal included Nelson Rockefeller, who was appointed as Vice President of the United States by Ford, and Henry Kissinger, who continued to serve as Secretary of State.

In the years following the scandal, many of those involved were tried and imprisoned for their roles. G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt were convicted of burglary and other charges, and served time in prison. John Dean and John Mitchell also served prison sentences, as did H.R. Haldeman and Charles Colson. Richard Nixon himself was pardoned by Gerald Ford for any crimes he may have committed while in office, but his reputation was irreparably damaged by the scandal. Other notable figures involved in the trials and imprisonment included Leon Jaworski, who served as Special Prosecutor, and John Sirica, who presided over many of the trials. Category:United States political scandals