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The "Watergate" scandal is general term used to refer to a series of complex political scandals orchestrated by
the Republican Party between 1972 and 1974. The word Watergate is specifically used in reference to the Watergate Hotel in
Washington D.C. where the pinnacle of the scandals took place. Since the incident, the term Watergate refers in comparison
to corruption and scandal within politics. Today former Senator Bob Dole resides at the prestigious Watergate motel and is
was the sanctuary for Monica Lewinski to lay low shortly after the Clinton adultery issue. This hotel has quite the history.
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The root of this fallacy in American history started several years before the actual Watergate incident. Tension was
rising from Vietnam in the 1960's and the publication of the Pentagon Papers in 1970 that certainly contributed to the overcast
that created the setting for Watergate. On June 13th 1971 the New York Times released The Pentagon Papers which revealed
the Defense Departments secretive history of the Vietnam War. The Washington Post followed the trend by releasing the same
forms later that week.
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The same year, the Plumbers Unit working for The White House, named for their tendencies to plug leaks coming from administration,
steals from a psychiatrist's office to get papers on Daniel Ellsberg, who was responsible for leaking the Pentagon Papers.
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Eventually bugging equipment was installed at the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate hotel and office. This
was used so that the Republican Party could survey the intent of the Democrats. On June 17th, 1972 five burglars were arrested
during a break in at the Watergate. These burglars consisted of Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez, Eugenio Martinez, James
W. McCord, and Frank Sturgis. They were brought to justice by the watchful eye of security guard Frank Willis.
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Still very much corruption followed the incident at the Watergate hotel. Interestingly enough, among the burglars James
McCord was the security director for the Re-election of Nixon. He later denies any link to the operation. A 25,000$ cashier's
check ended up in one of the burglars bank account within that week, according to the Washington post. This was originally
supposed to be used for the campaign, according to Nixon. Nixon later claims that White House counsel John Dean had conducted
an investigation into the White House and according to his results, no one from the White House had any involvement in the
Watergate burglary.
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The Washington Post reported that Attorney General John Mitchell issued and controlled a Republican fund to finance encompassing
information gathering against the Democratic Party and their intents.
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After a series of in depth investigations the FBI concluded that the Watergate incident stems from a massive campaign
of political sabotage and spying done by the Nixon re-election campaign. Yet after all this political turmoil Nixon still
wins by a landslide, taking more that 60 percent of the vote and toppling the Democratic nominee Senator George McGovern of
South Dakota.
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After the re-election of Nixon, on January 8th, 1973 the 5 burglars caught at the Watergate motel were prosecuted and
put to trial, Including Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy who were supposedly involved with the burglary. Gordon Liddy and
James McCord were convicted for conspiracy, burglary, and wire tapping. Others pleaded guilty. This very heated issue caused
the Senate to vote in (77-0) a Select committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, chaired by Senator Sam Ervin.
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James McCord wrote a letter to Judge John Sirica, who was watching the trail that claimed that the defendants had pleaded
guilty under political pressure and was advised to do so by White House counsel John Dean. This blew the whole Watergate
conviction out of the water. The allegations of a cover up and the obstruction of justice by highest officials made this
a lightning rod for news media. After the letter and the amount of attention directed to the Republican Party, John Dean
agrees to co-operate with the Watergate prosecutors.
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Nixon claimed he was undergoing a deep investigation on uncovering the truth, but many were not convinced that he wasn't
involved. The Watergate committee asked Nixon to release the tapes that he had of the wire tapping, which he refused to do
at first. He claimed that he had 'executive privileges' to the tapes. Nixon announced to the nation that Dean was dismissed
along with the Attorney General.
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The Washington Post later reported that former counsel John Dean told Watergate investigators that he had discussed the
Watergate cover-up with Nixon at least 35 times. The investigation continues to find a very important memo addressed to John
Ehrlichman, former Attorney General, describing in specific detail the plans to burglarize the office of the Pentagon Papers,
which were held by Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist.
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Dean later testified against Nixon that he was heavily involved in the Watergate cover-up. He details a program of political
espionage conducted by the White House in recent years. Nixon eventually handed over some of the wire tapping tapes, which
the courts created a subpoena for more, and Nixon finally complied with the subpoena and revealed a majority of the tapes.
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The tapes had highlighted his infraction of the law and gave Congress huge consideration for impeachment. TIME magazine
names Judge John Sirica Man of the Year. Nixon later gets accused of ordering the FBI to discontinue to investigation of
the break in. These tapes become known as The Smoking Gun because they reveal not only his involvement and knowledge of the
break in, but his ordering of the FBI to keep it under wraps. More White House tapes of the Nixon reign were released between
1996 -1997. Which were featured in The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, as well as a commentary by The Washington Post.
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At this point, the eleven Republicans that voted against impeachment agreed to change their votes. It would seem that
Nixon's avoidance of impeachment were gloomy at best. This eventually ensued Nixon's resignation of the White House and his
Presidency.
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Ironically, Nixon's speech writer Ray Price had a written speech prepared in case Nixon decided to stay in office and
face trial by the Senate. In this speech, Nixon would claim that it would be unconstitutional for a President to resign so
easily and it is important for him to face trial as a citizen. Otherwise it may start a trend for future Presidents to dabble
in corruption then quickly resign before they had to face prosecution.
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This interesting incident in American history shown many checks and balances the U.S. displays. This portrayed how Supreme
Justice can call for incriminating evidence that would put and infraction on the President. This also showed how Congress
can collectively overthrow the Executive. The inquiries that came from the Senate Watergate committee of 1974 secured the
resignation of Nixon.
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The Aftermath of the Watergate scandal was severe. It started a much more restrictive campaign finance reform as well
as a more aggressive attitude from the media. This was when the 'Watchdog' aspect of the media began to launch in full bloom.
Watergates influence was radiant and continues to effect politics of today. It was felt in the Clinton Impeachment of 98-99.
Commentators would compare a cynical outlook on certain politics to the Watergate affair, even to go so far as to adding the
suffix '---gate' to a given scandal in politics. This started a new wave of Democratic partisan that was elected into congress
in 1976, which caused a dramatic wave in change for committee chairmanships.
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The successor of Nixon, Gerald Ford, actually gave a pardon to his predecessor. He proclaimed that our nation would
have to give Nixon a fair and impartial jury to watch the trial. Because he it is a heavily partisan issue we would have
to wait a year to have a fair jury due to political bias. If in fact we should wait a year, the country would have to bear
the shame of placing an indictment upon a former President of the United States, after he already give up his position as
the highest Commander and Chief. So Nixon avoided prosecution yet his top associates Haldeman, Ehrlichman, and Mitchell were
convicted for conspiracy.
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The Watergate affair was also a major factor in how other political process would follow in later years. It became
a key factor in the passage of amendments to the Freedom of Information Act of 1986. There were new requirements by law for
new financial disclosures by government officials as well.
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The 'gate'suffix was used in reference to 'Koreagate', where Koreans tried to maintain influence in congress during
the Nixon era, or 'Contragate',where members of the Reagan administration allegedly sold arms to Iran and used the sales to
fund the Contras, a right wing guerilla group in Nicaragua. Iran was supposedly a vowed enemy at the time.
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On May 31st, 2005 the former deputy director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, W. Mark Felt was identified as
Deep Throat. 'Deep Throat' was the informant that tipped the given information for the Watergate investigations. This was
started by the reporting team Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein who worked for The Washington Post at the time. They continue
to follow several examples of sabotage and espionage within the Nixon administration at the time.
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Overall this incident affected the ever growing triangle between the public representative, the media, and the public
greatly. There is a much more abrasive and inquisitive media when it comes to controversial issues within the public or the
government that keeps each other aware. Sometimes it can falsely display one of these two that will directly affect the other's
outlook. They are much more acute to the activities of politicians. For example Wilbur Millis, a powerful congressman was
involved in a drunken driving accident. The media reported it, and eventually he had to resign due to the exposure.
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Since Nixon and several other officials involved in Watergate were lawyers, some believe it has blemished the American
judicial system. It shows that through a series of loopholes much corruption can be accomplished. It even created a public
demand for federal regulation of lawyers in 1983, when the Model Rules of Professional Conduct reform was introduced. The
public became much more cynical and conscious of the activities and intent of their politicians.
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On the 25th anniversary of the Watergate affair, a very different point of view was published by the conservative Republican,
Pat Buchanan. It tries to project Nixon as a victim in the whole issue and that the actions taken by the Supreme Court and
the media were conceded and driven by hatred.
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The entire Watergate collective complex is a pinpoint in American history. It did display the possible corruption of
government's top authority. Yet it also showed the tenacity and perseverance of the public and its representatives to keep
this a fair and free nation exercising its right to highlight scandal in insure proper justice. This incident will always
be a beacon for recollection of what can happen, and what we can avoid.
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Cited Works
The Washington Post
(www.washingtonpost.com)
Watergate Affair
(www.infoplease.com)
Watergate Scandal
(www.watergate.info.com)
Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia
(www.wikipedia.org)
Essortment – information and advice you need to know
(ar.essortment.com)
All Politics
(www.cnn.com/allpolitics)
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