Nixon Watergate Scandal

What was the watergate scandal all about?

 

    Watergate is a term used to describe the scandals that took place between 1972 and 1974.  Watergate is now used to describe the following:

-political burglary

-bribery

-extortion

-phonetapping

-conspiracy

-obstruction of justice

-destruction of evidence

-tax fraud

-illegal use of government agencies such as the CIA and the FBI

-illegal campaign contributions

-use of public money for private purposes.

 

 

Nixon's watergate scandal was about him ordering his team to go into the Democratic party's establishment and vandalized it.  His team went in and broke stuff, stole stuff and also tapped the place so that Nixon could know what they were talking about.  The scandals began with the arrest of five men for breaking and entering into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972.  Nixon and his staff conspired to cover up the break-in as early as six days after it occurred.  After two years of mounting evidence against the President and his staff, which included former staff members testifying against them in a Senate investigation, it was revealed that Nixon had a tape recording system in his offices and that he had recorded many conversations.  Nixon later resigned from his Presidency.