who was the president's attorney who turned states evidence at the senate watergate hearing?

by Braeden Baumbach 3 min read

What was the most famous moment from the Watergate hearings?

Many of Watergate's most famous moments happened during the hearings. During former White House counsel John Dean 's four days before the committee, he testified about the cover-up, who was involved including himself and events related to it, including him telling Nixon on March 21 that there was a "cancer on the Presidency") .

What was the Senate Watergate Committee Quizlet?

May 30, 2017 · Attorney General Elliot Richardson appoints Archibald Cox as special prosecutor to lead the investigation into Nixon’s reelection campaign and Watergate. Cox was a respected attorney and law ...

Who was the Attorney General during the Watergate scandal?

Feb 07, 1973 · Relying on evidence uncovered by The Senate Watergate Committee, the House Judiciary Committee votes by 27 to 11, on July 27, 29 and 30, three articles of impeachment. August 9 President Nixon, facing possible impeachment and …

Who gavels the Senate hearings open?

John Dean, the former Nixon counsel whose Senate testimony implicated the president in the Watergate cover-up, pleads guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice for his role in the cover-up. Dean agrees to testify for the prosecution at …

Who was the lawyer in Watergate?

Archibald CoxBornMay 17, 1912 Plainfield, New Jersey, U.S.DiedMay 29, 2004 (aged 92) Brooksville, Maine, U.S.Political partyDemocraticSpouse(s)Phyllis Ames ​ ( m. 1937)​18 more rows

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 was John Dean's role in Watergate?

Dean pled guilty to obstruction of justice before Watergate trial judge John Sirica on October 19, 1973. He admitted supervising payments of "hush money" to the Watergate burglars, notably E. Howard Hunt, and revealed the existence of Nixon's enemies list.

Who presided over the Watergate hearings?

When news of the Watergate scandal broke in 1973, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield chose Ervin to chair the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, known as the Watergate Committee. Millions of Americans watched the televised hearings, and Chairman Sam Ervin became a kind of folk hero.

Who was Richard Nixon's attorney general?

John N. MitchellIn office January 21, 1969 – March 1, 1972PresidentRichard NixonPreceded byRamsey ClarkSucceeded byRichard Kleindienst18 more rows

What did Nixon order Elliot Richardson?

In October 1973, after Richardson had served 5 months as Attorney General, President Nixon ordered him to fire the top lawyer investigating the Watergate scandal, Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox.

Who is John Deans wife?

Maureen Deanm. 1972Karla Henningsm. 1962–1970John Dean/Wife

Who was the whistleblower in Watergate?

William Mark Felt Sr. (August 17, 1913 – December 18, 2008) was an American law enforcement officer who worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1942 to 1973 and was known for his role in the Watergate scandal.

Who revealed the Nixon tapes?

Alexander ButterfieldBornAlexander Porter Butterfield April 6, 1926 Pensacola, FloridaAlma materUniversity of Maryland, College Park (BS) George Washington University (MS) University of California, San Diego (MA)AwardsDistinguished Flying CrossMilitary service13 more rows

Who was Sam Irving?

Samuel James Ervin Jr. (September 27, 1896 – April 23, 1985) was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina from 1954 to 1974. A native of Morganton, he liked to call himself a "country lawyer", and often told humorous stories in his Southern drawl.

Where did the Watergate burglary take place?

On June 17, 1972, police arrested burglars in the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. Evidence linked the break-in to President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign.

When did Spiro Agnew resign?

Berlin, Maryland, U.S. Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973.

What is the Senate Watergate Committee?

e. The Senate Watergate Committee, known officially as the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, was a special committee established by the United States Senate, S.Res. 60, in 1973, to investigate the Watergate scandal, with the power to investigate the break-in at the Democratic National Committee ...

When did Nixon resign?

Watergate led to Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974.

What was the first break in at Watergate?

THE EARLIEST BREAK-IN. Watergate actually was the culmination of a chain of events that began months before the failed break-in at the Democratic Party offices. In March 1971, presidential assistant Charles Colson helped create a $250,000 fund for “intelligence gathering” of Democratic Party leaders.

When did the ABA adopt the Model Rules of Professional Conduct?

In 1977, the ABA created the Commission on Evaluation of Professional Standards, whose work led to the adoption of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct by the association’s policymaking House of Delegates in August 1983 .

What changed after Watergate?

Legal ethics and professionalism played almost no role in any lawyer’s mind, including mine. Watergate changed that—for me and every other lawyer.”. After Watergate, schools began to make legal ethics a required class. Bar examinations added an extra section on ethics.

How many programs did Krogh and Dean do in 2012?

Today, Krogh and Dean travel around the country speaking to bar associations, law firms and law schools about legal ethics. Each has been booked for about 20 programs in 2012.

Who created the enemy list?

By the summer of 1971, John Ehrlichman had authorized the creation of a special investigations unit, known simply as the Plumbers.

Who was the head of the Plumbers?

Heading up the Plumbers was Egil “Bud” Krogh Jr. , a deputy assistant to the president. Among his recruits were G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt, who organized the Watergate break-in while working for the Committee for the Re-election of the President, aka CREEP.

What happened on June 17, 1972?

June 17, 1972. Five men are arrested while trying to bug the Democratic National Committee’s headquarters at the Watergate, a hotel and office building in Washington, D.C. A day later, White House press secretary Ronald Ziegler famously called the Watergate break-in a “third-rate burglary.”.

When did Nixon say goodbye?

Left: President Richard Nixon says goodbye to family and staff in the White House East Room on August 9, 1974. File photo.

Who is calling for impeachment?

Amid the controversy over James Comey’s firing and the Russia investigations, President Donald Trump’s critics — most notably Rep. Al Green, D-Texas — have already begun calling for his impeachment. But it could take months, if not longer, for Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller to finish their investigations into Russia’s meddling in ...

What was the $25,000 check intended for Nixon's 1972 reelection campaign?

The Washington Post reported that a $25,000 check intended for Nixon’s 1972 reelection campaign was deposited in the bank account of one of the Watergate burglars. It was one of the first developments linking the DNC break-in to Nixon’s campaign.

Who resigned from the White House after Watergate?

The scandal reaches the White House, as senior White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman resign over Watergate. Attorney General Richard Kleindienst also resigns, and John Dean, the White House counsel, gets fired.

What was the Watergate break in?

The Post reports the FBI had concluded the Watergate break-in was part of a broader spying effort connected to Nixon’s campaign. News of the FBI’s findings came two weeks after the Post reported that former Attorney General John Mitchell, who stepped down earlier that year, had controlled a secret fund that paid for spying on the Democratic Party.

Who was the special prosecutor for Nixon?

Attorney General Elliot Richardson appoints Archibald Cox as special prosecutor to lead the investigation into Nixon’s reelection campaign and Watergate. Cox was a respected attorney and law professor, and had served as the United States solicitor general under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.

What was the CRP office?

The office of the Committee to Re-elect the President (CRP) opened to raise funds for Nixon’s reelection. Investigations later revealed CRP operated a slush fund, engaged in money laundering and was actively involved in the Watergate scandal.

Who wrote the memo to the White House?

John Dean, White House Counsel, testified in Committee hearings that he received the memorandum written by George T. Bell. The same day, the White House “Plumbers unit,” named for their orders to plug leaks in the administration, burglarizes the office of the psychiatrist treating Daniel Ellsberg to find files on Ellsberg.

Did Nixon know about the Watergate scandal?

Nixon announces that his staff will appear before the Senate Committee and the White House issues an official statement claiming the president had no prior knowledge of the Watergate affair.

What did Nixon order Dean to do?

Nixon orders Dean to prepare a report on what he knows about Watergate. Concluding he was to become the “scapegoat,” as he would be implicating himself, he did not complete the report.

Who was arrested for burglarizing the DNC?

Five persons are arrested burglarizing the DNC offices. Among them is a former CIA employee, James McCord, giving his name as Edward Martin. The police recover burglary tools and $2,300.00 in cash, mostly in sequenced 100 dollar bills. Later, with search warrants and a search of two hotel rooms rented at the Watergate Complex, an additional $4,200.00 in sequenced 100 bills is recovered.

What is House Resolution 803?

One year after Senate Resolution 60 established the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities to investigate campaign activities during the 1972 election, The House of Representatives passes House Resolution 803 authorizing its Judiciary Committee to investigate whether there is sufficient evidence to impeach President Nixon for high crimes and misdemeanors primarily related to the Watergate Affair.

What was the final report of the Watergate investigation?

The Senate Watergate Committee issued its Final Report which included exhaustive accounts of the various investigations, full of documents from the Nixon White House and 35 recommendations for legislative change, including independent public attorney to investigate and prosecute wrongdoing in the executive branch.

Who was the first witness in the Watergate case?

The Senate Select Committee opens its hearings on the Watergate case on May 17, chaired by North Carolina Democrat Sam J. Ervin Jr. The first witness is Robert Odle, who testifies that shortly after the break-in was foiled, members of Nixon’s re-election committee destroyed documents.

Who was Nixon's closest political adviser?

Former Attorney General John Mitchell, once Nixon’s closest political adviser, appears before the Senate investigating committee and claims that he never warned the president of the Watergate scandal because he wanted to “keep the lid on through the election,” and later because the knowledge “would affect his presidency.”

Who was the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration?

As a surprise witness before the Senate Watergate Committee, Alexander Butterfield, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and former aide to H.R. Haldeman, drops a bombshell: Beginning in the spring of 1971, devices were installed in the president’s White House and Executive Office Building offices which automatically taped converations between Nixon and administration officials.

Who did Nixon refuse to give the White House conversations to?

Nixon refuses to give the tapes of White House conversations to either the Senate investigating committee or the Watergate special prosecutor, setting up a standoff that seems resolvable only in the Supreme Court. Both the committee and special prosecutor respond with subpoenas for the tapes.

Who is the former White House chief of staff?

Former White House chief of staff H.R. Haldeman adds his testimony before the Senate Watergate Committee to those of inside men who flatly defend the president. He claims he has listened to parts of the recorded White House conversations and that they will exonerate Nixon as ignorant of the cover-up, and he denies his own role.

Who was the FBI director who lied to Nixon about the Watergate probe?

Patrick Gray wraps up his testimony before the Senate investigating committee and says that in July 1972 he hinted to Nixon that White House staff members were using the FBI and CIA to “confuse” the Watergate probe, and Nixon asked him no questions about it.

Who was the lawyer hired by Nixon to sabotage Democratic presidential candidates in 1972?

Prior to testifying before the Senate Watergate Committee, Donald Segretti, the California lawyer allegedly hired by Nixon aides to sabotage Democratic presidential candidates in 1972, pleads guilty to three misdemeanor charges for his actions in the 1972 Florida Democratic primary and is given limited immunity from prosecution for testimony before the Watergate federal grand jury and the Senate committee.

Was Senator Ervin undercover?

[A] Well, you know, Senator Ervin, at that time there was no intimation that this was undercover work. What I understood Mr. Hunt had told General Cushman was that he wanted to conduct an interview, and there was no intimation that this was undercover work.

How the emotional state or the psychological state of a patient, even if that patient was Ellsberg, could

[Q] How the emotional state or the psychological state of a patient, even if that patient was Ellsberg, could have any relation to national defense or relations to a foreign country is something which eludes the imagination of this country lawyer. Now, Mr. Ehrlichman, I’d like to ask you one question: Why, if the President has this much power, wouldn’t he have had the inherent power to have sent somebody out there with a pistol and have it pointed at the psychiatrist and said, “I’m not gonna commit burglary, I’m just gonna rob you of these records”? Wouldn’t he have had that prerogative, under your theory?

Who said "I have always found that my heart is attuned to the eloquence of

I have always found that my heart is attuned to the eloquence of one of the greatest statesmen of England, William Pitt. In a speech in the House of Commons on November 18th, 1783, William Pitt had this to say in respect to an argument that something should be done because it was necessary:

Was it illegal to ask Senator Talmadge about his political activities?

Mitchell, when Senator Talmadge asked you concerning your political activities in respect to the Committee to Re-Elect the President while you were still serving as Attorney General, you pointed out that it was not illegal for you to do that.

Who brought the battle to the Supreme Court?

They set up a military commission and they tried this man, a civilian, in a military court and sentenced him to death. One of the greatest lawyers this country ever produced, Jeremiah Black, brought the battle to the Supreme Court. And he told them in his argument, which was one of the greatest arguments of all time, how the Constitution of the United States came into being.

The Watergate Coverage

The American Archive of Public Broadcasting holds the full run of NPACT's coverage of the Senate Watergate hearings. Each day is divided into 2-7 parts that can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlinked numbers. To watch a specific person testify, click on their name.

Additional Resources

Brownell, K. (2020). Watergate, the Bipartisan Struggle for Media Access, and the Growth of Cable Television. Modern American History, 3 (2-3), 175-198.

The Earliest Break-In

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Watergate actually was the culmination of a chain of events that began months before the failed break-in at the Democratic Party offices. In March 1971, presidential assistant Charles Colson helped create a $250,000 fund for “intelligence gathering” of Democratic Party leaders. A few months later, Colson d…
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Epiphany and Confession

  • Unbeknownst to each other, Dean and Krogh had epiphanies that changed their lives and the course of American history. For Dean, the realization came two days after the Watergate break-in, when Ehrlichman told him to meet with Liddy. “Gordon not only confessed the Watergate break-in was his operation at the request of the president’s re-election committee, but that he, Howard H…
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Impact on Ethics

  • Within weeks, Krogh was sentenced to two to six years in federal prison, though he served less than five months. “I quickly discovered that I was one of the few guilty people in prison,” he says wryly. An overarching question about Watergate is why at least one of the lawyers working for the president didn’t try to stop it. But it never seemed to occur to them, or they felt their loyalties wer…
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Teaching by Example

  • Today, Krogh and Dean travel around the country speaking to bar associations, law firms and law schools about legal ethics. Each has been booked for about 20 programs in 2012. “Today’s rules would have had a dramatic impact on my decision-making back in 1972,” says Dean, who started presenting ethics programs when the Chicago office of global law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Me…
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