The Watergate Scandal
Politics are considered by many to be corrupt. Many believe this
out of cynicism but other more trusting observers will only believe this if
they have proof. Many of these trusting observers finally received the
proof they needed to be convinced that politics are corrupt. On June 17,
1972 during the presidential campaign, Washington, D.C. police arrested
seven burglars at the Watergate Hotel who were involved in a political
scandal which would dramatically influence politics for years to come. The
Watergate Scandal has caused a cloud of distrust to hover over politics and
has been the direct cause of several political reforms which were
consequences resulting from violations of certain ...
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National Committee's
headquarters six times between August 21, 1971 and June 17, 1972. During
their sixth break-in on June 17, they were caught. (Secret Agenda) At
approximately 2:30 in the morning on this date, they were caught by police
in the Watergate Hotel. Police seized a walkie talkie, 40 rolls of
unexposed film, two 35 millimeter cameras, lock picks, pen-sized tear gas
guns, and bugging devices. (Gold 75). The burglars and two of their
accomplices, G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt, were indicted in September
of 1972. They were charged with burglary, wire-tapping, and conspiracy.
They were subsequently convicted of these charges four months later.
(Watergate 1). Judge John Sirica, who convicted these men, was lenient on
their sentencing because he felt there was not enough hard evidence and
details. He did not feel that the evidence revealed were pertinent enough
to the specific charges. Judge Sirica proffered the leniency in an effort
to extract more information ...
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Later, a former White House staff member,
Alexander Butterfield, claimed that Nixon had secretly tape-recorded all of
the conversations that occurred in his executive offices. Once Special
Prosecutor Cox discovered this, he and the Ervin Committee tried to
relinquish these tapes from the control of President Nixon. Nixon cited
Executive Privilege and refused to hand over the tapes. Nixon then ordered
the Attorney General to fire Cox even though the President himself had
appointed him. Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson refused. The Attorney
General stated that he knew it was illegal for the President to remove a
properly appointed Special Prosecutor during the course of an ...
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The Watergate Scandal. (2008, June 29). Retrieved November 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Watergate-Scandal/86013
"The Watergate Scandal." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 29 Jun. 2008. Web. 23 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Watergate-Scandal/86013>
"The Watergate Scandal." Essayworld.com. June 29, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Watergate-Scandal/86013.
"The Watergate Scandal." Essayworld.com. June 29, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Watergate-Scandal/86013.
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