3.1 - Crisis of political leadership Flashcards
(3 cards)
What was the Watergate scandal?
Nixon’s Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP) hoped to gain electoral advantage through acquiring DP secrets therefore they organised two illegal break-ins into the DNC HQ in Watergate to install electronic surveillance devices. First burglars apprehended within the Democrat offices on 17 June 1972 & arrested.
Nixon’s initial reactions were mixed. On the one hand seeming unconcerned and complained to aides that the Democrats had long bugged Republicans but were never found out, even considering planting a bug and finding it themselves. On the other hand, he quickly moved to try to cover up the administration’s involvement in the break-in and it is uncertain if he knew of it but he was involved in the attempted cover-up.
Within days of the discovery of the second break-in, Nixon and his aides discussed using the CIA to stop FBI investigating the CREEP’s financing of the break-in which was a clear attempt to obstruct justice. When CIA refused to co-operate Nixon tried to pay the burglars to keep quiet (further) yet the burglars were still convicted in Jan (73). When senate began investigating into the affair in Feb, public opinion of Nixon turned for the worse and his approval rating sank to 17%. VP Spiro Agnew was forced to resign over tax evasion and accepting bribes and Nixon’s own finances investigated.
What did Nixon do that was seen as impeachable? What were the charges?
Revealed in the released tapes of the conversations in the white house, Nixon orded the cover-up of Watergate which caused the HoR to move to impeach him. The charges were:
* Obstruction of Justice (through participation in the cover-up)
* Abuse of power (by using government agencies such as the FBI, the CIA, and the IRS against his political enemies’
He did avoid impeachment by resigning in August 1974 and VP Gerald Ford became president (who eventually pardoned him)
How significant was the Watergate scandal?
The Watergate scandal impacted upon US politics in a number of ways. first had an important impact on the Republican Party Nixon was a moderate republican but he and his politics were discredited by Watergate. following nixons resignation more right wing Republicans such as Ronald Reagan dominated the party.
Second nixons presidency adversely affected the prestige and power of the presidency. Long concerned by the increasing power of the president during the 20th century Congress enacted several laws to limit presidential power to avoid another Watergate:
* War powers act (73): designed to limit presidential power to take the nation into war
* The ethics in government act (78): made it easier for a special prosecutor to investigate alleged presidential wrongdoings.
These measures demonstrated that Congress was jealously guarding against any further increase in the power of what Democrats called the ‘Imperial Presidency’
Revulsion generated by Nixon and Watergate prompted Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter to try to differentiate and distance themselves from Nixon with a new style
