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The Burglary
Watergate burglars, Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez, James McCord, Eugenio Martinez, and Frank Sturgis broke into the Democratic Party's nationals committee. -
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The scandal known as Watergate
The name Watergate refers to a presidential scandal involving the 37th President, Richard Nixon. -
GOP Security Aide is among the Watergate burglars
James McCord, a salaried security coordinator for Nixon was among the 5 men that attempted to bug the Democrat National committee headquarters. -
$25,000
A check from the Nixon campaign found it's way into the bank account of one of the Watergate burglars. -
FBI find NIxon Aides Sabotaged Democrats
It is pointed out now that those close to Nixon are involved in this scandal. People start becoming suspicious of Nixon despite his denial of any knowledge of the spying. -
Nixon wins by a landslide!
Nixon dominated the election in 1972 with winning the votes of 47 states. The President made a statement saying “huge landslide margin means nothing” unless “all of us can work together to achieve our common goals of. . . peace for all nations. . . and that new progress and prosperity that all Americans deserve.” -
The Trial
The trial for the Watergate burglars and associated members begins. -
Hunt pleads guilty
Watergate consirator Howard Hunt pleads guilt of his involvment in the Watergate scandal. -
More plead guilty
Watergate consirators/burglars, Barker, Gonzalez, Martinez and Sturgis, plead guilt of their involvment in the Watergate scandal. -
Two former Nixon officials are convicted of conspiracy
After a 16 day trial, over 60 witnesses and more than 100 pieces of evidence, G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord, Jr. were convicted of conspiracy, burglary and bugging the Democratic Party’s Watergate headquarters. -
The Investigation
Investigation of the scandal began after the Senate established a committee to investigate the Watergate scandal. Senator and former Supreme court Justice Sam Evin, was the head of the investigation. -
Nixon's first speech addressing the Watergate scandal.
Nixon reassured the people tha the was unaware of the wrong doings and the break in. He said tha the was taking an active roll in the investigation and he spoke about the resignation of associates Bob Haldeman and John Ehrlichman stating that he meant "to leave no implication whatever of personal wrongdoing on their part, and I leave no implication tonight of implication on the part of others who have been charged in this matter." -
Haldeman and Ehrlichman resign
"President Nixon, after accepting the resignations of four of his closest aides, told the American people last night that he accepted full responsibility for the actions of his subordinates in the Watergate scandal. He also announced that he had fired his counsel, John W. Dean III, who was by the ironies of the political process a casualty of the very scandal the President had charged him to investigate." -
Cox will be prosecutor
Former Solicitor General Archibald Cox has been chosen as the DOE's prosecutor in the Watergate scandal trial. -
John Dean alleges Nixon new about the cover-up
Former presidential counsel member John Dean tells Senate investigators and prosecutors that the Watergate cover-up had been discussed with or in the presences of Nixon at least 35 times. Nixon still denies prior knowledge. -
Memo sent to Ehrlichman
Prosecutors aquire a memo sent to former White House domestic affairs adivsor John Ehrlichman from former White House aides David Young and Egil Krogh describing a detailed plan to burglarize pyschiatrist Daniel Ellsberg, Pentagon papers defendant. -
Nixon recorded calls and conversations
Alexander Butterfield revealed that Nixon recorded all conversations and all phone calls in his offices. The recordings began in 1971. According to Nixon the recordings were intended for prosterity, for the Nixon library. -
Recordings stopped
After Butterfield's testimony, Nixon reportedly orders the taping system to be disconnected. -
Nixon refuses to turn over the tapes
Prosecutor Archibald Cox issues a subpoena for presidential tapes. -
John Ehrlichman appears before the Senate Watergate Committee.
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The Watergate Committee subpoenas several White House tapes.
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Nixon's Second Watergate Speech
Nixon takes responsibility for the Watergate Scandal, but continutes to deny any prior knowledge of the break ins. -
Nixon has to give tapes up
Judge Sirica orders Nixon to hand over the tapes. -
VP Spiro Agnew resigns
Agnew resigns after pleading to contest to a charge of tax evasion. -
Nixon nominates Gerald Ford as VP
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Saturday Night Massacre
"Nixon fires Archibald Cox and abolishes the office of the special prosecutor. Attorney General Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus resign. Pressure for impeachment mounts in Congress" -
Nixon agrees to hand over some of the tapes
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"I am not a crook"
In a televised Q & A with the 400 Associated Press Nixon says, “People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.” -
Faulty tapes
Another faulty tape was discovered with 18 minutes of recorded conversation missing. Judge Sirica gives Nixion only a few days to produce the entire tape or to release the contents of the tape or he would issue another subpoena for the full contents of all recordings. -
Nixon hands over the transcripts
The Watergate papers have been made public. The transcripts of over 200,000 words reveals the President's role in the Watergate Scandal. The committee is not happy with the transcripts, they want the actual tapes. -
Nixon must hand over the tapes
The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must hand over all the tapes. Nixon said that he is disappointed in this decision, but he will comply. -
"House Judiciary Committee passes the first of three articles of impeachment, charging obstruction of justice."
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Nixon resigns
Richard Nixon was the first president to resign. Gerald Ford takes over as President. Nixon said that he is doing this for the good of our country.
