Cover-up and its unraveling Watergate scandal

1 cover-up , unraveling

1.1 initial cover-up
1.2 money trail
1.3 role of media
1.4 scandal escalates
1.5 senate watergate hearings , revelation of watergate tapes
1.6 “saturday night massacre”
1.7 legal action against nixon administration members
1.8 release of transcripts
1.9 supreme court
1.10 release of tapes

cover-up , unraveling
initial cover-up

address book of watergate burglar bernard barker, discovered in room @ watergate hotel, june 18, 1972

within hours of burglars arrest, fbi discovered name of e. howard hunt in address books of barker , martínez. nixon administration officials concerned because hunt , liddy involved in separate secret activity known white house plumbers, set stop security leaks , investigate other sensitive security matters. dean later testify ordered top nixon aide john ehrlichman deep 6 contents of howard hunt s white house safe. ehrlichman subsequently denied that. in end, evidence hunt s safe destroyed (in separate operations) dean , fbi s acting director, l. patrick gray.

nixon s own reaction break-in, @ least initially, 1 of skepticism. watergate prosecutor james neal sure nixon had not known in advance of break-in. evidence, cited june 23 taped conversation between president , chief of staff, h. r. haldeman, in nixon asked, asshole ordered it? nixon subsequently ordered haldeman have cia block fbi s investigation source of funding burglary.

a few days later, nixon s press secretary, ron ziegler, described event “a third-rate burglary attempt.” on august 29, @ news conference, nixon stated dean had conducted thorough investigation of matter, when in fact dean had not conducted investigation @ all. nixon said, “i can categorically ... no 1 in white house staff, no 1 in administration, presently employed, involved in bizarre incident.” on september 15, nixon congratulated dean, saying, “the way ve handled it, seems me, has been skillful, because you—putting fingers in dikes every time leaks have sprung here , sprung there.”

money trail

on june 19, 1972, press reported 1 of watergate burglars republican party security aide. former attorney general john mitchell, @ time head of crp, denied involvement watergate break-in or knowledge of 5 burglars. on august 1, $25,000 cashier’s check earmarked nixon re-election campaign found in bank account of 1 of watergate burglars. further investigation fbi reveal team had thousands of dollars more support travel , expenses in months leading arrests. examination of funds showed link finance committee of crp.

several donations (totaling $86,000) made individuals thought making private donations certified , cashier s checks president s re-election. investigators examination of bank records of miami company run watergate burglar barker revealed account controlled him had deposited check , transferred (through federal reserve check clearing system).

the banks had originated checks keen ensure depository institution used barker had acted in ensuring checks had been received , endorsed check s payee, before acceptance deposit in bernard barker s account. in way issuing banks not held liable unauthorized , improper release of funds customers accounts.

the investigation fbi, cleared barker s bank of fiduciary malfeasance, led direct implication of members of crp, whom checks had been delivered. individuals committee bookkeeper , treasurer, hugh sloan.

as private organization, committee followed normal business practice in allowing duly authorized individual(s) accept , endorse checks on behalf of committee. no financial institution accept or process check on behalf of committee unless duly authorized individual endorsed it. checks deposited barker s bank account endorsed committee treasurer hugh sloan, authorized finance committee. however, once sloan had endorsed check made payable committee, had legal , fiduciary responsibility see check deposited accounts named on check. sloan failed that. when confronted potential charge of federal bank fraud, revealed committee deputy director jeb magruder , finance director maurice stans had directed him give money g. gordon liddy.

liddy, in turn, gave money barker, , attempted hide origin. barker tried disguise funds depositing them accounts in banks outside of united states. barker, liddy, , sloan did not know complete record of such transactions held 6 months. barker s use of foreign banks in april , may 1972, deposit checks , withdraw funds via cashier s checks , money orders, resulted in banks keeping entire transaction records until october , november 1972.

all 5 watergate burglars directly or indirectly tied 1972 crp, causing judge sirica suspect conspiracy involving higher-echelon government officials.

on september 29, 1972, press reported john mitchell, while serving attorney general, controlled secret republican fund used finance intelligence-gathering against democrats. on october 10, fbi reported watergate break-in part of massive campaign of political spying , sabotage on behalf of nixon re-election committee. despite these revelations, nixon s campaign never jeopardized; on november 7, president re-elected in 1 of biggest landslides in american political history.

role of media

the connection between break-in , re-election committee highlighted media coverage—in particular, investigative coverage washington post, time, , new york times. coverage dramatically increased publicity , consequent political repercussions. relying heavily upon anonymous sources, post reporters bob woodward , carl bernstein uncovered information suggesting knowledge of break-in, , attempts cover up, led upper reaches of justice department, fbi, cia, , white house. woodward , bernstein interviewed judy hoback miller, bookkeeper nixon, revealed them information mishandling of funds , records being destroyed.

chief among post s anonymous sources individual whom woodward , bernstein had nicknamed deep throat; 33 years later, in 2005, informant identified william mark felt, sr., deputy director of fbi during period of 1970s, woodward later confirmed. felt met secretly woodward several times, telling him of howard hunt s involvement watergate break-in, , white house staff regarded stakes in watergate extremely high. felt warned woodward fbi wanted know , other reporters getting information, uncovering wider web of crimes fbi first disclosed. of secret meetings between woodward , felt took place @ underground parking garage somewhere in rosslyn on period june 1972 january 1973. prior resigning fbi on june 22, 1973, felt anonymously planted leaks watergate time magazine, washington daily news , other publications.

during period, of media failed grasp full implications of scandal, , concentrated reporting on other topics related 1972 presidential election. outlets ignored or downplayed woodward , bernstein s scoops; crosstown washington star-news , los angeles times ran stories incorrectly discrediting post s articles. after post revealed h.r. haldeman made payments secret fund, newspapers chicago tribune , philadelphia inquirer failed publish information, did publish white house s denial of story following day. white house sought isolate post s coverage tirelessly attacking newspaper while declining criticize other damaging stories scandal new york times , time magazine.

after learned 1 of convicted burglars wrote judge sirica alleging high-level cover-up, media shifted focus. time magazine described nixon undergoing “daily hell , little trust.” distrust between press , nixon administration mutual , greater usual due lingering dissatisfaction events vietnam war. @ same time, public distrust of media polled @ more 40%.

nixon , top administration officials discussed using government agencies “get” (or retaliate against) perceived hostile media organizations. discussions had precedent. @ request of nixon s white house in 1969, fbi tapped phones of 5 reporters. in 1971, white house requested audit of tax return of editor of newsday, after wrote series of articles financial dealings of charles “bebe” rebozo, friend of nixon.

the administration , supporters accused media of making wild accusations , putting emphasis on story, , of having liberal bias against administration. nixon said in may 1974 interview supporter baruch korff if had followed liberal policies thought media preferred, “watergate have been blip.” media noted of reporting turned out accurate; competitive nature of media guaranteed widespread coverage of far-reaching political scandal. applications journalism schools reached all-time high in 1974.

scandal escalates

rather ending conviction , sentencing prison of 5 watergate burglars on january 30, 1973, investigation break-in , nixon administration s involvement grew broader. nixon s conversations in late march , of april 1973 revealed not did know needed remove haldeman, ehrlichman, , dean gain distance them, had in way least incriminate him , presidency. nixon created new conspiracy—to effect cover-up of cover-up—which began in late march 1973 , became formed in may , june 1973, operating until presidency ended on august 9, 1974. on march 23, 1973, judge sirica read court letter watergate burglar james mccord, alleged perjury had been committed in watergate trial, , defendants had been pressured remain silent. trying make them talk, sirica gave hunt , 2 burglars provisional sentences of 40 years.

on march 28, on nixon’s orders, aide john ehrlichman told attorney general richard kleindienst nobody in white house had prior knowledge of burglary. on april 13, magruder told u.s. attorneys had perjured himself during burglars’ trial, , implicated john dean , john mitchell.

john dean believed he, mitchell, ehrlichman, , haldeman go prosecutors, tell truth, , save presidency. dean wanted protect president , have 4 closest men take fall telling truth. during critical meeting between dean , nixon on april 15, 1973, dean totally unaware of president’s depth of knowledge , involvement in watergate cover-up. during meeting dean felt being recorded. wondered if due way nixon speaking, if trying prod attendees’ recollections of earlier conversations fundraising. dean mentioned observation while testifying senate committee on watergate, exposing thread of taped conversations unravel fabric of conspiracy.

two days later, dean told nixon had been cooperating u.s. attorneys. on same day, u.s. attorneys told nixon haldeman, ehrlichman, dean, , other white house officials implicated in cover-up.

on april 30, nixon asked resignation of haldeman , ehrlichman, 2 of influential aides. later both indicted, convicted, , sentenced prison. asked resignation of attorney general kleindienst, ensure no 1 claim innocent friendship haldeman , ehrlichman construed conflict. fired white house counsel john dean, went on testify before senate watergate committee , said believed , suspected conversations in oval office being taped. information became bombshell helped force richard nixon resign rather impeached.

writing prison new west , new york magazines in 1977, ehrlichman claimed nixon had offered him large sum of money, declined.

the president announced resignations in address american people:

in 1 of difficult decisions of presidency, accepted resignations of 2 of closest associates in white house, bob haldeman, john ehrlichman, 2 of finest public servants has been privilege know. because attorney general kleindienst, though distinguished public servant, personal friend 20 years, no personal involvement whatsoever in matter has been close personal , professional associate of of involved in case, , both felt necessary name new attorney general. counsel president, john dean, has resigned.

on same day, nixon appointed new attorney general, elliot richardson, , gave him authority designate special counsel watergate investigation independent of regular justice department hierarchy. in may 1973, richardson named archibald cox position.

senate watergate hearings , revelation of watergate tapes

from left right: minority counsel fred thompson, ranking member howard baker, , chair sam ervin of senate watergate committee in 1973.

on february 7, 1973, united states senate voted 77-to-0 approve senate resolution s.res. 60 , establish select committee investigate watergate, sam ervin named chairman next day. hearings held senate committee, in dean , other former administration officials testified, broadcast may 17 august 7, 1973. 3 major networks of time agreed take turns covering hearings live, each network maintaining coverage of hearings every third day, starting abc on may 17 , ending nbc on august 7. estimated 85% of americans television sets tuned @ least 1 portion of hearings.

on friday, july 13, 1973, during preliminary interview, deputy minority counsel donald sanders asked white house assistant alexander butterfield if there type of recording system in white house. butterfield said reluctant answer, stated there new system in white house automatically recorded in oval office, cabinet room , others, nixon’s private office in old executive office building.

on monday, july 16, 1973, in front of live, televised audience, chief minority counsel fred thompson asked butterfield whether “aware of installation of listening devices in oval office of president.” butterfield’s revelation of taping system transformed watergate investigation. cox subpoenaed tapes, did senate, nixon refused release them, citing executive privilege president, , ordered cox drop subpoena. cox refused.

“saturday night massacre”

on october 20, 1973, after cox refused drop subpoena, nixon ordered attorney general elliot richardson fire special prosecutor. richardson resigned in protest rather carry out order. nixon ordered deputy attorney general william ruckelshaus fire cox, ruckelshaus resigned rather fire him. nixon’s search in justice department willing fire cox ended solicitor general robert bork. though bork said believed nixon’s order valid , appropriate, considered resigning avoid being “perceived man did president’s bidding save job.” bork carried out presidential order , dismissed special prosecutor.

these actions met considerable public criticism. responding allegations of possible wrongdoing, in front of 400 associated press managing editors @ disney s contemporary resort on november 17, 1973, nixon stated emphatically, “i’m not crook.” needed allow bork appoint new special prosecutor; bork chose leon jaworski continue investigation.

legal action against nixon administration members

on march 1, 1974, grand jury in washington, d.c., indicted several former aides of nixon, became known watergate 7 —haldeman, ehrlichman, mitchell, charles colson, gordon c. strachan, robert mardian, , kenneth parkinson—for conspiring hinder watergate investigation. grand jury secretly named nixon unindicted co-conspirator. special prosecutor dissuaded them indictment of nixon, arguing president can indicted after leaves office. john dean, jeb stuart magruder, , other figures had pleaded guilty. on april 5, 1974, dwight chapin, former nixon appointments secretary, convicted of lying grand jury. 2 days later, same grand jury indicted ed reinecke, republican lieutenant governor of california, on 3 charges of perjury before senate committee.

release of transcripts

president nixon giving televised address explaining release of edited transcripts of tapes on april 29, 1974

the nixon administration struggled decide materials release. parties involved agreed pertinent information should released. whether release unedited profanity , vulgarity divided advisers. legal team favored releasing tapes unedited, while press secretary ron ziegler preferred using edited version “expletive deleted” replace raw material. after several weeks of debate, decided release edited version. nixon announced release of transcripts in speech nation on april 29, 1974. nixon noted audio pertinent national security information redacted released tapes.

initially, nixon gained positive reaction speech. people read transcripts on next couple of weeks, however, former supporters among public, media , political community called nixon s resignation or impeachment. vice president gerald ford said, “while may easy delete characterization printed page, cannot delete characterization people s minds wave of hand.” senate republican leader hugh scott said transcripts revealed “deplorable, disgusting, shabby, , immoral” performance on part of president , former aides. house republican leader john jacob rhodes agreed scott, , rhodes recommended if nixon’s position continued deteriorate, “ought consider resigning possible option.”

the editors of chicago tribune, newspaper had supported nixon, wrote, “he humorless point of being inhumane. devious. vacillating. profane. willing led. displays dismaying gaps in knowledge. suspicious of staff. loyalty minimal.” providence journal wrote, “reading transcripts emetic experience; 1 comes away feeling unclean.” newspaper continued that, while transcripts may not have revealed indictable offense, showed nixon contemptuous of united states, institutions, , people. according time magazine, republican party leaders in western u.s. felt while there remained significant number of nixon loyalists in party, majority believed nixon should step down possible. disturbed bad language , coarse, vindictive tone of conversations in transcripts.

supreme court

the issue of access tapes went united states supreme court. on july 24, 1974, in united states v. nixon, court ruled unanimously (8 0) claims of executive privilege on tapes void. (then-justice william rehnquist—who had been appointed court nixon , served in nixon justice department assistant attorney general of office of legal counsel—recused himself case.) court ordered president release tapes special prosecutor. on july 30, 1974, nixon complied order , released subpoenaed tapes public.

release of tapes

the tapes revealed several crucial conversations took place between president , counsel, john dean, on march 21, 1973. in conversation, dean summarized many aspects of watergate case, , focused on subsequent cover-up, describing “cancer on presidency.” burglary team being paid hush money silence , dean stated: “that’s troublesome post-thing, because bob [haldeman] involved in that; john [ehrlichman] involved in that; involved in that; mitchell involved in that. , that’s obstruction of justice.” dean continued, saying howard hunt blackmailing white house demanding money immediately. nixon replied money should paid: “... just looking @ immediate problem, don’t have have—handle hunt’s financial situation damn soon? … you’ve got keep cap on bottle much, in order have options.”

at time of initial congressional proceedings, not known if nixon had known , approved of payments watergate defendants earlier conversation. nixon’s conversation haldeman on august 1, 1972, 1 of several establishes did. nixon said: “well ... have paid. that’s there that. have paid.” during congressional debate on impeachment, believed impeachment required criminally indictable offense. nixon s agreement make blackmail payments regarded affirmative act obstruct justice.

on december 7, 1973, investigators found 18½-minute portion of 1 recorded tape had been erased. rose mary woods, nixon’s longtime personal secretary, said had accidentally erased tape pushing wrong pedal on tape player when answering phone. press ran photos of set-up, showing unlikely woods answer phone while keeping foot on pedal. later forensic analysis in 2003 determined tape had been erased in several segments—at least five, , perhaps many nine.