who was the attorney general that brought nixon down

Who was the Attorney General under Nixon?

The role of attorney general then fell to Solicitor General Robert Bork, who reluctantly complied with Nixon’s request and dismissed Cox. Less than a half hour later, the White House dispatched FBI agents to close off the offices of the Special Prosecutor, Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General.

Who took down Nixon from inside the FBI?

Updated: Sep 27, 2018 Original: May 10, 2018 How ‘Deep Throat’ Took Down Nixon From Inside the FBI Former FBI deputy director William Mark Felt broke his 30-year silence and confirmed in 2005 that he was “Deep Throat,” the anonymous government source who helped take down President Nixon in the Watergate scandal. Annette McDermott.

Who was Richard Nixon’s White House Counsel?

Dean was Nixon’s White House counsel on June 17, 1972, the night burglars broke into Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. He had no prior knowledge of the break-in or the White House’s involvement.

What happened to Nixon's defenders in Congress?

His most loyal defenders in Congress announced they would vote to impeach and convict Nixon for obstructing justice. Republican congressional leaders met with Nixon and told him that his impeachment and removal were all but certain.

Who was the prosecutor for Nixon impeachment?

The impeachment process against Nixon began ten days later, on October 30, 1973. Leon Jaworski was appointed as the new special prosecutor on November 1, 1973, and on November 14, 1973, United States District Judge Gerhard Gesell ruled that the dismissal had been illegal.

What caused Nixon to resign?

The House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment against Nixon for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. With his complicity in the cover-up made public and his political support completely eroded, Nixon resigned from office on August 9, 1974.

What did John Ehrlichman do for Nixon?

John Daniel Ehrlichman (/ˈɜːrlɪkmən/; March 20, 1925 – February 14, 1999) was Counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon. Ehrlichman was an important influence on Nixon's domestic policy, coaching him on issues and enlisting his support for environmental initiatives.

Who was the only president to ever resign?

After successfully ending American fighting in Vietnam and improving international relations with the U.S.S.R. and China, he became the only President to ever resign the office, as a result of the Watergate scandal. Reconciliation was the first goal set by President Richard M. Nixon.

Who was Martha Mitchell Watergate?

Martha Elizabeth Beall Mitchell (September 2, 1918 – May 31, 1976) was the wife of John N. Mitchell, United States Attorney General under President Richard Nixon. She became an embarrassment to Richard M. Nixon because of her comments to the media about the government at the time of the Watergate scandal.

Who was Nixon's right hand man?

Charles ColsonChuck ColsonPresidentRichard NixonPreceded byJohn EhrlichmanSucceeded byJohn DeanPersonal details17 more rows

Who is Haldeman Watergate?

Harry Robbins "Bob" Haldeman (October 27, 1926 – November 12, 1993) was an American political aide and businessman, best known for his service as White House Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon and his consequent involvement in the Watergate scandal.

Who were Nixon's advisors?

Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman and adviser John Ehrlichman emerged as his two most influential staffers regarding domestic affairs, and much of Nixon's interaction with other staff members was conducted through Haldeman. Early in Nixon's tenure, conservative economist Arthur F.

Why did Nixon call Dean into his office?

Before Dean testified before Congress in the Watergate hearings, Nixon called Dean into his office in the Executive Office Building to try and make sure that Dean didn’t implicate him in his testimony. However, his bizarre behavior helped precipitate his downfall.

When did Nixon hand over tapes to Congress?

After the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to hand over the tapes to Congress in the summer of 1974, prosecutors found they corroborated Dean’s testimony and implicated the president in the cover-up. “ [Dean] was first and one of the only, actually, in the higher echelons to give honest testimony,” Robenalt says.

Why did Richard Nixon resign?

Nixon—the center of the whole scandal—received no punishment at all. He resigned on August 8, 1974 to evade impeachment. One month later, his former vice president, Gerald Ford, pardoned Nixon so that he’d never have to stand trial for his crimes, which were supported by evidence Nixon recorded himself.

Did Nixon know about the Watergate cover up?

In June 1973, Dean testified before Congress that Nixon knew about the Watergate cover-up . Not only that, Dean said he suspected there was taped evidence— and he was he right. “There are few times in American history where the entire country is focused on one television event,” says James D.

Who was the senator who testified before the Senate Watergate Committee?

John Dean testifying for the second day before the Senate Watergate Committee. He said he was sure that President Nixon not only knew about the Watergate cover-up but also helped try to keep the scandal quiet.

Where did Nixon record his phone calls?

Nixon had microphones in the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, his Executive Office Building office and the Aspen Lodge at Camp David, and also recorded phone calls in the Lincoln Sitting Room. After the Supreme Court ordered Nixon to hand over the tapes to Congress in the summer of 1974, ...

Did Nixon get a punishment for Watergate?

Still, some of the higher-level Watergate conspirators didn’t actually get a much harsher punishments than Dean. Former Attorney General John Mitchell and former Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman each served a year and a half in jail for their involvement. Nixon—the center of the whole scandal—received no punishment at all.

What was the Watergate scandal?

The Watergate scandal began with the June 17, 1972, break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office Building in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration 's attempted cover-up of its involvement. In January 1973, the same month in which President Nixon began his second term, the burglars each went on trial separately before U.S. District Judge John Sirica; all pleaded or were found guilty. That February, the United States Senate voted to create a special investigative committee to look into the scandal. The resultant Senate Watergate hearings, led by Sam Ervin, commenced in May 1973. Broadcast "gavel-to-gavel" nationwide by PBS and (alternately) by the three U.S. commercial networks — ABC, CBS and NBC, the hearings aroused and held great public interest through that summer. Senators heard testimony that the president had approved plans to cover up administration involvement with the Watergate break-in, and learned of the existence of a voice-activated taping system in the Oval Office.

Why was Nixon's stonewalling an impeachable offence?

Proponents argued that Nixon's consistent "stonewalling" constituted an impeachable offence as it threatened to diminish the House's constitutional impeachment power. McClory argued that the claim of executive privilege "has no place in an impeachment inquiry.".

What was the Nixon smoking gun tape?

On August 5, 1974, Nixon released a transcript of one of the additional conversations to the public, known as the "smoking gun" tape, which made clear his complicity in the Watergate cover-up. This disclosure destroyed Nixon politically.

How many pages were there in the Nixon tapes?

This was followed three days later by the committee's release of its accumulated evidence, which ran to 4,133 pages in all—3,891 pages assemble d by the impeachment inquiry staff, as well as a 242-page rebuttal by James St. Clair, but contained neither commentary nor conclusions from the committee. Afterward St. Clair acknowledged for the first time publicly that a committee vote in favor of impeachment was likely, but White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler said the president remained confident that the full House would not impeach.

How many articles of impeachment did the Judiciary Committee agree to?

The Judiciary Committee agreed to three articles of impeachment against President Nixon. Together they were a sharp rebuke of his conduct in office, as each one concluded with the same declaration, that:

When did Nixon get impeached?

Nixon. The impeachment process against Richard Nixon began in the United States House of Representatives on October 30, 1973, following the series of high-level resignations and firings widely called the " Saturday Night Massacre " during the course of the Watergate scandal .

How many telegrams did Nixon send?

The White House and congressional offices were deluged with a record shattering 450,000 telegrams, most demanding Nixon's impeachment; hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the White House, loudly demanding the same. Nixon's firing of Archibald Cox triggered an uproar in Congress as well.

What is the name of the movie that was filmed in 1972?

The moniker “Deep Throat” referred to a controversial but widely viewed pornographic film of the same name that was released in 1972. VIDEO: Richard Nixon’s Paranoia Leads to Watergate Scandal Richard Nixon’s personality and character issues may have led to his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

When did Nixon start Watergate?

Watergate began in June 1972 when five robbers linked to Nixon’s re-election campaign were caught red-handed wiretapping phones and stealing documents inside the Democratic National Committee’s office in Washington, D.C.’s Watergate office complex. Nixon – who denied involvement or knowledge of the incident – then participated in an extensive ...

When did Nixon order Cox to turn over tapes?

Nixon ordered Cox fired but eventually surrendered some of the tapes. In July 1973, a court order forced him to turn over the remaining recordings. Knowing they would directly tie him to Watergate – and with impeachment imminent – Nixon resigned the presidency on August 8.

Was Woodward a deep throat?

Once Felt came forward, Woodward and Bernstein confirmed he was Deep Throat. The pair also cautioned people to remember that Deep Throat was just one factor of a mammoth investigation which included other sources, Senate hearings and the infamous Nixon Oval Office recordings, among other things.

Who kept pressure on Nixon?

Woodward and Bernstein kept the pressure on as Nixon’s White House fought back and claimed their ambitious reporting was nothing more than “a witch hunt.”. The White House’s tactics seemed to work, though, and Nixon was re-elected by a landslide in November. Still, much to Nixon’s dismay, the Watergate investigation—with Woodward, ...

Who took down Nixon?

How ‘Deep Throat’ Took Down Nixon From Inside the FBI. Former FBI deputy director William Mark Felt broke his 30-year silence and confirmed in 2005 that he was “Deep Throat,” the anonymous government source who helped take down President Nixon in the Watergate scandal. Former FBI deputy director William Mark Felt, Sr., age 91, ...

Was Watergate a witch hunt?

Nixon claimed it was just a ‘witch hunt.’. In October of that year, Watergate was finally linked to Nixon when the FBI determined the operation was a massive setup of spying and sabotage by Nixon’s aides to support his re-election.

How did the White House interfere with the investigation?

It's impossible to list all the varied ways the White House attempted to impair investigations from the grand jury, from the special Senate committee eventually formed to deal with the scandal, and from the independent counsel appointed to investigate the affair. But here are a few: 1 Within days of the break-in, Nixon decided to ask the CIA to disrupt the FBI's investigation of the incident, on the grounds that it concerned matters of national security; the CIA, however, resisted the order. 2 Throughout the FBI's early investigation, White House counsel Dean sat in on interviews with witnesses and got regular updates from Gray. 3 The White House paid hush money to co-conspirators, including $75,000 to Hunt personally; Nixon was caught on tape discussing the arrangements with Dean. 4 Nixon tried, to no avail, to have aides manufacture dictatape evidence to give to Judge Sirica. 5 Nixon implied to Ehrlichman that they should prevent Dean from continuing to cooperate with investigators by offering him clemency in exchange for keeping his mouth shut. 6 Ehrlichman ordered Colson to offer clemency to Hunt in exchange for silence.

Why did Nixon ask the CIA to disrupt the FBI investigation?

Within days of the break-in, Nixon decided to ask the CIA to disrupt the FBI's investigation of the incident, on the grounds that it concerned matters of national security; the CIA, however, resisted the order.

What was the smoking gun tape?

They contained what became known as the "smoking gun" recording, in which Haldeman and Nixon, days after the break-in, discuss using the CIA to hamper the FBI's investigative efforts. Within days of the public learning of the smoking gun tape, Nixon resigned from the presidency.

What did the Nixon investigation reveal?

But it's not really the break-in itself that ended Richard Nixon's presidency so much as the fact that the ensuing investigation revealed a tangled web of wrongdoing of almost unfathomable scale and complexity, implicating the highest levels of the White House up to and including the president.

When was the 3rd article of the Nixon impeachment?

The first article was approved on July 27, 1974, very shortly before Nixon resigned, which rendered the impeachment process moot.

Did Nixon order the break in?

There is no smoking gun indicating that Nixon ordered the break-in personally. As Rutgers professor and Nixon expert David Greenberg notes, CRP staff member and Watergate co-conspirator Jeb Magruder claimed to have heard Nixon authorize the break-in, but no hard evidence has turned up to confirm that allegation.

Who was the FBI agent who became a Republican?

Liddy was a former FBI agent turned aspiring Republican politician, who became close with the Nixon election team after a failed 1968 congressional run. Both were members of the team known as the White House plumbers — but more on that in a minute.

How much of the popular vote did Nixon get?

At the time, however,Nixon was able to convince the public of his innocence and he won the election with 60.7 per cent of the popular vote. The day’s papers signal Nixon’s imminent resignation. (Image by Getty Images)

Where were the burglars in the Watergate Hotel?

At 2.30am on 17 June 1972, five burglars were discovered in the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters in the Watergate Hotel, about a mile from the White House.

Who were the Watergate Seven?

By the following January, seven men (‘the Watergate Seven’) went on trial for their involvement: five pleaded guilty, with the other two – former Nixon aides G Gordon Liddy and James W McCord – convicted of conspiracy, burglary and wiretapping.

When did Nixon say "when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal"?

Nixon continued to proclaim his innocence, declaring in 1977: “when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal”. He was eventually pardoned by President Ford, therefore escaping impeachment and prosecution. This article was first published in BBC History Revealed in 2016.

Did Nixon cover up the burglars?

Keen to distance himself from the scandal, Nixon declared no-one in the White House had been involved, but behind the scenes, he was involved in a massive cover-up. His campaign paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the burglars to buy their silence.

Who is Deep Throat?

Who was ‘Deep Throat’? Woodward and Bernstein owe much of their success to a secret FBI source known as ‘Deep Throat’, who steered the pair in the right direction, allegedly urging them to “follow the money”. Deep Throat remained anonymous until 2005, when he was revealed as FBI number two, Mark Felt.

Who broke the story of the President's affair?

Its reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein broke the most significant stories of the affair, and their investigation is credited with bringing down the President. Their story is portrayed in the 1974 book All the President’s Men, later a film.

Why did Nixon resign?

Nixon's presidency succumbed to mounting pressure resulting from the Watergate scandal and its cover-up. Faced with almost certain impeachment and conviction, Nixon resigned. In his posthumously published memoirs, Bork said Nixon promised him the next seat on the Supreme Court following Bork's role in firing Cox.

What was Nixon's compromise?

On Friday, October 19, 1973, Nixon offered what was later known as the Stennis Compromise – asking the infamously hard-of-hearing Senator John C. Stennis of Mississippi to review and summarize the tapes for the special prosecutor's office.

What happened on October 20, 1973?

Saturday Night Massacre. United States v. Nixon. The Saturday Night Massacre was a series of events that took place in the United States on the evening of Saturday, October 20, 1973, during the Watergate scandal. U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox;

What movie was the Saturday Night Massacre?

The Final Days (book, film) Dick (1999 film) Mark Felt: The Man who Brought. Down the White House (2017 film) Slow Burn (2020 series) v. t. e. The Saturday Night Massacre was a series of events that took place in the United States on the evening of Saturday, October 20, 1973, during the Watergate scandal.

How many people supported Nixon's impeachment?

citizens supported impeaching Nixon, with 44% in favor, 43% opposed, and 13% undecided, with a sampling error of 2 to 3 per cent.

Did Nixon fire Ruckelshaus?

Initially, the Nixon White House claimed to have fired Ruckelshaus, but as an article published the next day by The Washington Post pointed out, "The letter from the President to Bork also said Ruckelshaus resigned", catching Nixon lying.

Who was the special prosecutor in the Watergate scandal?

Leon Jaworski was appointed as the new special prosecutor on November 1, 1973, and on November 14, 1973, United States District Judge Gerhard Gesell ruled that the dismissal had been illegal. The Saturday Night Massacre marked the turning point of the Watergate scandal as the public, while increasingly uncertain about Nixon's actions in Watergate, ...

What was the Watergate tapes?

In July, the existence of what were to be called the Watergate tapes–official recordings of White House conversations between Nixon and his staff–was revealed during the Senate hearings. Cox subpoenaed these tapes, and after three months of delay President Nixon agreed to send summaries of the recordings. Cox rejected the summaries, and Nixon fired ...

What happened at Watergate?

Just before noon the next day, Nixon officially ended his term as the 37th president of the United States. Before departing with his family in a helicopter from the White House lawn, he smiled farewell and enigmatically raised his arms in a victory or peace salute.

When did Nixon release the Watergate tapes?

On July 30, under coercion from the Supreme Court, Nixon finally released the Watergate tapes. On August 5, transcripts of the recordings were released, including a segment in which the president was heard instructing Haldeman to order the FBI to halt the Watergate investigation.

What were the three articles of impeachment against Nixon?

Public confidence in the president rapidly waned, and by the end of July 1974 the House Judiciary Committee had adopted three articles of impeachment against President Nixon: obstruction of justice, abuse of presidential powers, and hindrance of the impeachment process.

When did Nixon resign?

Nixon resigns. In an evening televised address on August 8, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon announces his intention to become the first president in American history to resign. With impeachment proceedings underway against him for his involvement in the Watergate affair, Nixon was finally bowing to pressure from the public ...

Who was the 38th president of the United States?

Minutes later, Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States in the East Room of the White House. After taking the oath of office, President Ford spoke to the nation in a television address, declaring, “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.”. He later pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may ...