Behind the Watergate Scandal

On June 17, 1972, five burglars broke into the offices of the Democratic National Committee located inside the Watergate Hotel in Washington. Frank Wills, a night security guard, discovered that the break-in was occurring. “Several office doorknob cylinders were covered with masking tape to hold the doors open”(McConnell 11). As soon as Wills made this discovery, he telephoned the police. The five burglars, carrying electronic gear and photographic equipment, were arrested on site at 2:30 A.M. They were suspected of illegal wire tapping. This series of arrests sparked the beginning of what came to be known as the Watergate Scandal. The Watergate Scandal caused several events to occur such as a huge investigation, Nixon winning the reelection, and the first and only U.S. president to resign.

At 3:30 P.M. on June 17, 1972, the five suspects were led into the courtroom to begin their case. The burglars were Bernald L. Baker, Virgilio R. Gonzales, Eugenio R. Martinez, James W. McCord, Jr., and Frank A. Sturgis. “The tallest of the suspects, who had given his name as James W. McCord, Jr. was asked to step forward”(Bernstein 18). The judge asked him what his occupation was. McCord said that he was a security consultant that had recently retired from the CIA; however, he was actually the security coordinator of the Committee to Reelect the President (CRP). John Mitchell, director of the Committee to Reelect the President, provided a statement saying that McCord and the other suspects were not operating on either the CPR’s behalf or with their consent.

The Democratic National Committee requested the Federal Bureau of Investigation to open an investigation on the break-in, which led to the indictment of Richard Nixon’s White House aide...

... middle of paper ...

...,026 days as the 37th President of the United States”(The History 4). He had two-and-a-half years left of his second term remaining.

The Watergate was a major scandal that caused a huge investigation. Nixon using dirty tactics to win reelection was a part of the scandal. Nixon resigned basically due to the fact that he failed to cover up the scandal. Major government reforms were made after Watergate happened. Public confidence in the moral and ethical character of elected officials and in the government’s ability to solve problems were ruined because of the scandal.

Works Cited

Bernstein, Carl and Bob Woodward. All the President’s Men. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1974. Print.

McConnell, William S., ed. Watergate. New York: Thomson Gale, 2006. Print.

“The History Place – Impeachment: Richard Nixon.” The History Place. The History Place, n.d. Web. 21 March 2014.