On Wednesday, we discussed how the Watergate Scandal led to the resignation of President Nixon—the politician who won over 96% of the Electoral College in his re-election campaign. The 1972 break-in at the Watergate office complex in Washington D.C. would likely have been swept under the rug if it weren't for the persistence of the media—a movie was made about this called All the President's Men (1976). After Nixon and his administration were implicated in the burglary, the Senate launched some hearings in which Nixon was accused in the planning and cover-up of the break-in. During these hearings, it was revealed that Nixon had bugged his own office. The Senate Committee asks Nixon to hand over the tapes, but he declines, citing Executive Privilege—a very just argument because the release of the tapes could pose a threat to national security. The Supreme Court becomes involved and it is ruled that because the President is suspected of a crime, Executive Privilege doesn't apply. On August 8, 1974, Nixon announces his resignation. Nixon's former vice-president had just recently resigned for a completely unrelated tax scandal of his own, after which Nixon was forced to appoint a new one. Nixon's resignation leads Gerald Ford, despite not being elected, becoming the 38th President of the United States.
It is also interesting to note that in an effort to save himself, he ordered the Attorney General to fire the special prosecutor, but when he wouldn't, Nixon fired the Attorney General and Junior Attorney General when he wouldn't either. It was only the new Attorney General that fired the special prosecutor, but by then it was too late since the existence of the tapes were already known.
ReplyDeleteA political purge from the top ranks of the Department of Justice took place on Oct. 20, 1973. It was deemed the "Saturday Night Massacre." Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox. Richardson refused and resigned. The second-highest-ranking official in the Department of Justice is called the deputy attorney general. Nixon turned to him, who also refused and resigned. Nixon then ordered the next in line, the solicitor general, who conceded and fired Cox. There was a massive public outcry over the incident. Archibald Cox had said before he was fired, "Whether ours shall be a government of laws and not of men is now for Congress and ultimately the American people." Three days later, multiple resolutions calling for Nixon's impeachment were introduced. I don't think Nixon ordered Archibald Cox fired because he feared of people knowing about the tapes. I think he was just taking the next step to hide his involvement in the Watergate burglary. Nixon's refusal to surrender the tapes to the Senate Watergate Committee in July 1973 was successful in further delaying their release for an entire year. It wasn't until July 24, 1974, when the Supreme Court ordered the release of the tapes in the case of U.S. v. Nixon. And they weren't even released until almost two weeks later on August 5th. I don't believe the order to discharge Cox was too late because there was knowledge of the tapes' existence. I think it was an attempt to delay the investigation to cover up his cover-up.
DeleteI think Nixon really dug a hole for himself with the shady behavior. In my opinion, it would have been best to separate himself from his advisors and open an official investigation. Instead, he immediately began working on a coverup which eventually bubbled out of proportion.
ReplyDeleteAdding on to what Dan mentioned, I think that Nixon should have just opened up to his flaws regarding Watergate, instead of trying so hard to cover it up. In his efforts to cover it, he instead made himself look much worse.
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