AMH 2020 001 page 1 April 21 2015 Richard Nixon Had severe mental problems His motto was do it to them before they could do it to you o Assumed that because he was cheating and doing crimes everyone else was Gets involved o Break in at Democratic HQ happens in June o Focused on Election victory in November o Had no idea break in was going to occur but began trying to do things in break in Tried to buy people s silence instead of apologizing Brought the issue into the white house because he couldn t leave it alone Every time he was on the pinnacle on something great something happened to him and it all went to hell Did accomplish a number of things Sunday June 18 Nixon found Miami Herald o Main headline was Vietnam and the mini headline was the democratic office break in June 23 Nixon met with Haldeman Chief of Staff President approved plan to deceive FBI into thinking it was CIA Nixon sealed his fate 6 days after the break in Early 1973 the scandal cover up was taking up most of the white house time Nixon and Dean were sensing trouble in Washington AMH 2020 001 page 2 Most immediate threat came from Howard Hunt o Demanded 120 00 dollars or he would reveal what he had done o Turning point for John Dean o White House could no longer keep up with Cover up Nixon let the cover up continue and authorized more money o Cover up burst wide open o James McCord implicated the white house in the scandal Nixon had asked John Dean to extricate the white house from the scandal Cover up was disintegrating and John Dean was worried about being implicated o Was warned that toothpaste can t easily go back in the tube once it s out John dean revealed burglary of psychiatry office o Nixon knew Dean had talked to lawyers Easter Sunday Nixon called Dean Nixon hoped that he could make a bargain with Dean o Dean has to protect the president Dean was struggling for immunity In April Hardeman and other close aides came under fire Nixon fired all of his closest aides May 17th Watergate break in and Nixon s re election was brought to court In first month Nixon evaded being spoken of by the initial witnesses Dean was first one to implicate the president in the Watergate cover up White House tried to spread rumors about Dean s credibility July 16th AMH 2020 001 page 3 Alexander Butterfield o Said that there were tapes of the conversations that Nixon had with his close advisors about the Watergate cover up Nixon was in hospital with viral pneumonia He knew that getting the tapes off the table would be his salvation o Said that the tapes were the president s personal property or official presidential property that he didn t need to disclose them Archibald Cocks Was given control of the paper evidence Requested confidential papers and was given them Took President to court when he refused to disclose 9 tapes o Nixon s refusal and Dean s testimony had badly damaged his popularity o Nixon tried to turn persistent questions in his favor Tried to say questions were affecting his ability to govern Tried to turn attention away from Watergate and to the people s concerns October 12 1973 Jerald Ford was a viable alternative to president but was brought in as VP On same day court ruled Nixon had to give tapes to Cocks o Nixon would give summaries of tapes but not actual tapes o Cocks refused to the terms Nixon presented Nixon ordered for Richardson to fire Cocks o Richardson refused because he was committed to the individuality of Cocks o Richardson said that he and the president had differences in the interests of the AMH 2020 001 page 4 nation Saturday night massacre o President fired Cocks and Richardson quit o Crisis that the President started by refusing to let Watergate break 21 resolutions calling for his impeachment were on the floor Nixon caved and gave them tapes 2 were gone 1 was missing a section President s council explained the situation to the press o Secretary had accidentally deleted it while transcribing it President s life was questioned o Nixon claimed that he welcomed the investigation o Claimed that he earned everything he got March 1974 Capitol Hill Nixon went to the grand ole opry in the south where he still had support Nixon was trying to save his political life Debated Nixon s impeachment Demanded more tapes by April 30 April 29 Nixon faced a contempt of congress and tried to bypass his opponents and talk to the public impeached o Nixon said he was releasing edited transcripts of conversations of tapes o Shabby disgusting and immoral Americans believed that president should be o Congress had deemed he had failed to comply and they and the independent AMH 2020 001 page 5 person wanted the tapes President moved case to Supreme Court Nixon traveled the world to try to gain support On Capitol Hill the Judiciary court began trying to vote Contempt of Congress Abuse of power and July 27th took first vote Most people saw Nixon as a liar and someone who undermined the constitution o He was recommended for impeachment as he was at the beach o 27 members voted aye 11 voted no Days before supreme court ruled in United States v Nixon that the president could not withhold evidence in a criminal trial Nixon was still trying to save himself June 23 1972 CIA o The tape that had Nixon saying that they should divert the FBI to think it was the The smoking gun was the transcript of the tape of the June 23 1972 conversation August 8 Nixon said he would address the public He resigned putting the interests of the American people first Aug 9 President said good bye to white house staff We ll see you again were some of parting words When my hearts dearest died the light in my heart died Ford gives Nixon a pardon People who followed Nixon s orders AMH 2020 001 page 6