Richard Nixon 1913-1994
Richard Nixon was a republican who was known for being had against communism. Nixon had decent success in his early years of politics. Nixon crushed McGovern that November, winning 61 percent of the popular vote and all but 17 votes in the Electoral College. Richard Nixon won the 1968 presidential election over Hubert Humphrey easily. (32) "The 37th president of the United States resigned in disgrace on Aug. 9, 1974, because of public and political pressures created by the Watergate scandal." (33) Nixon had addressed the American people that, "he accepted full responsibility for the actions of his subordinates in the Watergate scandal." (34) If Nixon had not resigned, he would of been impeached by the House of Representatives, and convicted by the senate.
The Burglars
To help break into the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel, E. Howard Hunt got the help of four Cubans. Bernard L. Barker had worked with Hunt at the CIA. Eugenio Martinez and Frank A. Sturgis were associates of Barker, each with CIA relations. The fourth and final Cuban, Virgilio R. Gonzales, was a locksmith. The final burglar, James W. McCord, was a former CIA agent and had worked with the FBI. (35)
John Ehrlichman (1923 - 1999)
John Ehrlichman was one of Nixon's closest aides. "President Nixon's assistant for domestic affairs, John D. Ehrlichman, directed the White House "plumbers" unit. He also approved the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the defense analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers to the press. Ehrlichman resigned from his White House post in 1973; he was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice and perjury in the Watergate case and of conspiracy in the Ellsberg case." (36)
H.R. (Bob) Haldeman (1926 - 1993)
H.R Haldeman was the White House chief if staff under Nixon. He "spent 18 months in prison for his role in Watergate. A former advertising executive, Haldeman had a stern reputation as Nixon's gatekeeper and once called himself "the president's son-of-a-bitch."" (37) Haldeman later wrote a book called "The Ends of Power".
John J. Sirica (1904 - 1992)
John Sirica was the son of Italian immigrants who moved to Washington, D. C. Sirica worked with the U. S. Attorney’s office during the Hoover administration. Sirica increasingly became active in Republican politics and was appointed to the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 1957. (38)
In 1973 he presided over the Watergate trials. Sirica started using the controversial tactic of questioning the defendents himself. (39)
In 1973 he presided over the Watergate trials. Sirica started using the controversial tactic of questioning the defendents himself. (39)
E. (Everette) Howard Hunt, Jr. (1918 - 2007)
Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy planned the Watergate break-in. After the burglars were arrested, one had Hunt’s name and the White House phone number. On March 21, 1973, Dean reported to the president, “The blackmail is continuing…. Hunt now is demanding another $72,000 for his own personal expenses; $50,000 to pay his attorney’s fees – a hundred and twenty some thousand dollars.” Others among the burglars also needed money. “How much money do you need?” (40) the president asked. Dean thought it could be handled with $1,000,000. “We could get that…,” Nixon replied. Nixon buying Hunts silence showed he was guilty. Hunt pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, burglary, and wiretapping, and was inprisoned for 33 months. (41)
G. Gordon Liddy (1930 - )
A former Treasury and FBI agent, Liddy was part of the group know as the Plumbers. Along with Hunt, he helped to plan the break in of the Watergate buildings. Howard Hunt oversaw the operation and was arrested along with those who actually broke into the office. Further, he ended up spending the most time in prison, with a sentence of 4 and a half years. (42)
Sam Ervin (1896 - 1985)
Ervin was a Harvard graduate and well distinguished before the Watergate. He was stern Liberal while in senate and was for preserving the constitution. He was chosen to sit on the Watergate board, making him a household name. He was beloved by the American people and in an article written by the Washington post after his death is stated, “At a time when Americans were buffeted by the Vietnam War and Watergate and increasingly distrustful of their leaders, Ervin came across as a stern father figure who wasn’t confused about what was right and wrong, moral and evil, and who took for granted the moral courage to stand up for what was right.” (43) Ervin was upset when Nixon would not his aides to testify, stating, "Divine Right of kings went out with the American Revolution and doesn’t belong to White House aides. I don’t think we have any such thing as royalty or nobility that exempts them…. That is not executive privilege. That is executive poppycock!” (44)
Archibald Cox (1912 -2004 )
Cox was the Watergate Special Prosecutor. Cox learned of the secret tapes that Nixon had about Watergate. Cox demanded these tapes anf fought Nixon over these tapes. Nixon refused to give him these tapes even with the compromise Cox made allowing Nixon to remove any part of the tape he deemed admisable. The court ended up forcing Nixon to release these tapes. Nixon then, in anger, fired the special prosector. In doing so, he lost other memebers of the court case. Cox famously stated, “Whether ours shall continue to be a government of laws and not of men is now
before Congress and ultimately the American people.” (45)
before Congress and ultimately the American people.” (45)
Gerald Ford (1913 - 2006)
Ford has servered on congress since 1949. He was the leader of the Republican party in the U.S house of representitives. Once the Watergate scandal came to light, Ford stated, “Nixon ought to get to the bottom of this and get rid of anybody who’s involved in it.” (46) That same afternoon, he asked Nixon’s campaign manager, John Mitchell, whether anyone at the White House was implicated. “Absolutely not,” Mitchell told him. (47) Ford was appointed vice president after former vice president, Spiro Agnew resigned. On December 6, 1973, in the House chamber, Ford took the oath of office and became Vice President. By August 8, Nixon’s remaining support had turned to nothing. Nixon told his Vice President of his intention to resign. “It’s in the best interest of the country. I won’t go into the details pro or con. I have made my decision Jerry, I know you’ll do a good job.” (48)
John Mitchell (1913 - 1988)
John Mitchell was the head of Nixon's campaign. Further, in 1972, he headed the party to re elect the president. Mitchell was told about the Watergate break in, and approved it. He resigned in 1972. Mitchell was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 1973 and was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice, perjury, and obstruction of justice. He served 19 months in federal prison.
John W. Dean III (1938 - )
John Dean was a former White House counsel. "John W. Dean III was charged with obstruction of justice and spent four months in prison for his role in the Watergate cover-up." (49) Dean is the author of Watergate memoirs and also wrote a book on Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Dean came to the White House as a presidential aide and eventually became Nixon’s legal counsel. Dean took part in Watergate and was deeply involved. Prior to the 1972 election he had discussed with John Mitchell the need to gather political intelligence. Nixon had Dean write an account about all of the events of Watergate. Dean then hired an attorney because he believed that the White house was trying to make him the fall guy. Nixon fired Dean on April 30. Dean later testified that Nixon gave gave money to keep Hunt and others quiet. (50)