The Watergate Scandal
Lillie Smith
Facts
- June 17, 1972 many burglars were arrested inside the office of Democratic National Committee.
- The prowlers were connected to President Nixon's reelection Campaign.
- Burglars were caught while trying to wiretap phones and steal secret documents.
- Historians say Nixon covered it up by giving the burglars "hush money".
- Nixon tried to stop FBI from investigating the crime by destroying evidence and firing uncooperative staff members.
Picture above is Map of Watergate Hotel
To sum up the break-in, burglars broke into Democratic National Committee and wiretapped phones and stealing secret documents and bugged the office's phone. The wiretaps failed to work properly. When the burglars were just about to break in with new microphones the security guard noticed that the buildings locks had been taped. Security called police. Police caught the spies.
After the spies were caught it later came that Nixon was not being so truthful after all. Nixon so call gave the burglars "hush money". This was a very serious crime. Seven conspirators were indicated on charges related to the Watergate affair. Nixon struggled to protect his tapes during summer and fall of 1973. Nixon agreed to surrender some but not all of the tapes.
March 1, a grand jury called Nixon an "unindicted co-conspirator". House of Representatives voted to impeach him for several different reasons.
Connections
- General Ford became new President after Richard Nixon was impeached. He pardoned Nixon for any crimes he committed while in office.
- Bob Woodward uncovered the details of the scandal. His reporting won him a Pulitzer Prize.