Nixon's Resignation

On Aug. 5, Nixon made public the transcripts of three recorded conversations that were among those to be given to Jaworski. At the same time he admitted that he had been aware of the Watergate coverup shortly after the break-in occurred and that he had tried to halt the Federal Bureau of Investigation's inquiry into the break-in. Several days later (Aug. 9) Nixon resigned and was succeeded by Gerald R. Ford. President Ford issued a pardon to Nixon for any and all crimes that he might have committed while President. However, Nixon's chief associates, Haldeman, Ehrlichman, and Mitchell, were among those convicted (Jan. 1, 1975) for their role in the affair. In addition to the governmental upheaval that resulted from the Watergate affair, the scandal provoked widespread loss of confidence in public officials and tended to foster a general suspicion of government agencies(Schudson, Pp 42).

On June 17, 1972, police apprehended five men attempting to break into and wiretap Democratic party offices. With two other accomplices they were tried and convicted in Jan., 1973. All seven men were either directly or indirectly employees of President Nixon's reelection committee, and many persons, including the trial judge, John J. Sirica, suspected a conspiracy involving higher-echelon government officials. In March, James McCord, one of the convicted burglars, wrote a letter to Sirica charging a massive coverup of the burglary. His letter transformed the affair into a political scandal of unprecedented magnitude.

The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the presidency of Richard Nixon that resulted in the indictment and conviction of several of Nixon's closest advisors, and ultimately his resignation on August 9, 1974. The scandal Began With The arrest of five men for breaking and Entering Into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office complex in Washington, DC on June 17, 1972. The scandal began with the arrest of five men for burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex Office in Washington, DC on June 17, 1972. Investigations Conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and later by the Senate Watergate Committee, House Judiciary Committee and the press this burglary Revealed That WAS one of many illegal and Activities Carried out by Authorized Nixon's staff. Research by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and later by the Senate Watergate Committee, House Judiciary Committee and the press revealed that this burglary was one of the many illegal activities authorized and carried out by Nixon's staff(Woodward, Pp 94) .

They Also Revealed the immense scope of Crimes and abuses, Which included campaign fraud, espionage and sabotage Political, illegal break-ins, improper tax audits, illegal wiretapping on a massive scale, and a secret slush fund to pay in Mexico launderer Those Who Conducted These Operations. This secret fund hush WAS Also Used as money to buy the silence of the Seven Men Who Were indict for the June 17 break-in (White, Pp 80) also revealed the immense scope of crimes and abuses, including the campaign against fraud, political espionage and ...