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"Dirty Tricks"
These were the attempts to sabotage Nixon’s political opponents. These efforts were sending hecklers to disrupt Democratic campaign meetings and assigning spies to join the campaigns of opposing candidates. -
Watergate Scandal
A group within the Committee to reelect the President made plans to wiretap the phones at the Democratic National Committee Headquarters at the Watergate apartment complex in Washington, D.C. The money they carried was traced back to Nixon’s reelection campaign. -
The Watergate Trial
At the trial, all the defendants werefound guilty. But the judge was not convinced that the full story had been revealed yet. They were sentenced to long prison terms, but their terms could be reduced if they cooperated in the upcoming hearings. -
A Secret Taping System
Alexander Butterfield a former presidential assistant, revealed the existence of a secret taping system in the President’s office. It could show whether Nixon was involved in the Watergate coverup. -
The Saturday Night Massacre
Nixon was trying to prove he was being honest, so he agreed to appoint a special prosecutor. The prosecutor, Archibald Cox, insisted that the tapes were released, and Nixon immediately fired him. This began a series of resignations and firings. -
Problems in the Administration
Nixon’s replacement for the prosecutor also suggested releasing the tapes. Nixon gave them edited transcripts instead. People became very angered from this. The Vice President then resigned. -
President Nixon's Resigns
On August 5, 1974 Nixon resigned as President of the United States. -
Impeachment
After all of this, the Congress was trying to decide whether they should impeach the President, or charge him with misconduct in office. The House of Judiciary voted to impeach him. On August 5, 1974 Nixon released the tapes, showing he was involved in the Watergate coverup.
