1. • began 1 a.m. on June 17, 1972
• Security guard at Watergate found a strip of masking tape covering the lock
of a basement door, took it off, found it taped again. Called police, they found
two more taped locks and a jammed door leading into the offices of the
Democratic National Committee.
• Found 5 men carrying cameras and electronic eavesdropping equipment.
• Watergate started with Nixon’s obsession with secrecy and political
intelligence.
• Assembled a team of “plumbers” in ’71 consisting of former CIA operatives to
stop “leaks” of information into the press.
• “Plumbers” were the White Houses secret police force. Committed criminal
acts to get their jobs done: tapping phones and burglary, mostly against
those on their “enemies” list
• paid for by illegal campaign money
• CREEP, “committee to re-elect the president”, hired Donald Segretti to stage
“dirty tricks” against Democratic nominees
-mailed letters falsely accusing them of activities
-blackmail
-kidnap anti-Nixon racial leaders
-authorized $250,000 for intelligence gathering operations
• sent burglars in 4 times
• June 23, told his aids to block the FBI’s investigation of the White House’s
involvement, to lie under oath if necessary. Said it would endanger national
security
• Eventually grew to include: extending political favors to powerful business
groups in exchange for campaign contributions; misusing public funds;
deceiving Congress and the public about the secret bombing of Cambodia;
authorizing illegal domestic political surveillance and espionage
• July 24, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommended that the House
of Representatives impeach Nixon for obstruction of justice, abuse of power,
and refusal to relinquish the tapes
• Resigned August 8th, 1974: officially resigned on August 9th, 1974