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Defense Department's Secret History
The New York Times began publishing the Pentagon papers, which was the Defense Department's secret history of the Vietnam War. The Washington Post started publishing them a week later. -
"Plumbers"
President Nixon and his staff recruit a team of ex-FBI and CIA operatives, whom are later referred to as the "Plumbers," and send them to investigate the leaked publication of the Pentagon papers. On September 9th, the "plumbers" break into the office of Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist in an unsuccessful attempt to steal his file from the psychiatrist records to smear Daniel Ellsberg, the defense analyst who leaked the Pentagon papers to the press. -
Watergate Break-In
Liddy's team breaks into the Democratic National Committee Headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., for the first time, bugging the telephones of the staff. -
The Arrest
Five men are arrested at gunpoint after breaking into the Democratic National Committee Headquarters. The items found on the men were multiple bugging devices, thousands of dollars in cash, and rolls of film. A few days later, the White House denied any involvement to the break-in. -
The Money For President Nixon's Re-Election Campaign
An article published by The Washington Post reports that a check of $25,00 was deposited into the bank account of one of the men that was arrested for the Watergate break-in. The $25,000 came from the money that was supposed to be used for President Nixon's re-election campaign. Over the course of nearly 2 years, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein continue to file stories about the Watergate Scandal, relying on many sources. -
Guilty
President Nixon's former aide and ex-FBI agent G. Gordon Liddy and James McCord, an ex-CIA agent and former security director of the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP), are convicted for their roles in the break-in at the Watergate complex. They are found guilty of conspiracy, bugging DNC headquarters, and burglary. Four others, including E. Howard Hunt, had already plead guilty. Judge John J. Sirica threatens the convicted burglars with long prison sentences unless they talk. -
Confession Letter From One of The Watergate Burglars
One of the Watergate burglars, James McCord's letter confessing to the existence of a wider conspiracy, is read in an open court by Judge Sirica and then the Watergate cover-up starts to unravel. -
The Watergate Scandal Intensifies
The Watergate scandal intensifies as Nixon announces that White House aides John Ehrlichman and H.R. Haldeman have resigned. White House counsel John Dean is fired. (In October that year, Dean would plead guilty to obstruction of justice.) Attorney General Richard Kleindienst resigns. Later that night, Nixon delivers his first primetime address to the nation on Watergate, stressing his innocence. -
The Recordings
Alexander Butterfield, former presidential appointments secretary, meets with Senate investigators, where he reveals the existence of an extensive, secret taping system in the White House. On July 16, Butterfield testifies before the Senate Committee in a live broadcast, revealing that since 1971 Nixon had recorded all conversations and telephone calls in his office. -
Saturday Night Massacre
President Nixon orders the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox in what becomes known as the “Saturday Night Massacre.” Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus resign rather than carry out these orders. Solicitor General Robert Bork fires Cox. Several days later, Leon Jaworski is appointed as the second special prosecutor. -
The Articles For President Nixon's Impeachment
Three articles of impeachment are debated and approved by the House Judiciary Committee against Nixon—obstruction of justice, misuse of power and contempt of Congress. The impeachment was sent to the floor of the House for a full vote but the vote was never carried out. -
President Nixon Resigns Before an Impeachment Happens
President Nixon resigns. In a nationally televised speech, the president says, "I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as president, I must put the interest of America first...Therefore, I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow."