The Watergate hearings: investigating a President. (American History Play).In 1973, U.S. lawmakers were asking two big questions: What did the President know, and when did he know it? The answers would change the course of history. CHARACTERS Senator Sam Ervin Samuel James Ervin Jr. (September 27, 1896 – April 23, 1985) was a Democratic United States Senator from North Carolina from 1954 until 1974. He was a native of Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina. (Democrat, North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. ), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities Senator Howard Baker (Republican, Tennessee), vice chairman of the committee Senator Lowell Weicker (Republican, Connecticut), member of the committee Senator Daniel Inouye Daniel Ken Inouye (born September 7 1924) is a recipient of the Medal of Honor and currently serves as the senior United States Senator from Hawaii. He has been a senator for over forty years, since 1963, a distinction that few senators have achieved, and is currently the third (Democrat; Hawaii), member of the committee Fred Thompson, committee lawyer Senator Edward Gurney gurney /gur·ney/ (gur´ne) a wheeled cot used in hospitals. gur·ney n. pl. gur·neys A metal stretcher with wheeled legs, used for transporting patients. (Republican, Florida), member of the committee John Dean, former legal counsel to President Richard Nixon Alexander Butterfield Alexander Porter Butterfield (born April 6, 1926) was the deputy assistant to Richard Nixon from 1969 until 1973. He was a key figure in the Watergate scandal. Flying career Butterfield was born in Pensacola, Florida where his father, Horace B. , former White House aide Narrators A-D A-D Advance-Decline, or measurement of the number of issues trading above their previous closing prices less the number trading below their previous closing prices over a particular period. * Names in red are leading roles. On June 17, 1972, five men broke into Party headquarters the Democratic in the Watergate complex The Watergate complex is an office-apartment-hotel complex built in 1967 in northwest Washington, D.C., best known for being the site of burglaries that led to the Watergate scandal and the resignation of President Richard Nixon. in Washington, D.C. The burglars were attempting to install hidden microphones, or "bugs," in an effort to learn the party's strategy for the November presidential elections. A police investigation later revealed that key members of President Richard M. Nixon's staff had ordered and financed the burglary. Did President Nixon know about the break-in? Or, if he didn't know about it at first, did he order a cover-up of White House involvement? To find out, the U.S. Senate formed a special committee to investigate. SCENE 1 Washington, D.C., June 25, 1913 Narrator NARRATOR. A pleader who draws narrs serviens narrator, a sergeant at law. Fleta, 1. 2, c. 37. Obsolete. A: Millions of Americans turn on their TVs to watch the Senate hearings, which began on May 17. Several witnesses have claimed that the White House was involved in the Watergate scandal Watergate scandal (1972–74) Political scandal involving illegal activities by Pres. Richard Nixon's administration. In June 1972 five burglars were arrested after breaking into the Democratic Party's national headquarters at the Watergate Hotel complex in Washington, . But no one knows for sure if President Nixon had a part in the affair. Today, all eyes are on John Dean, former legal counsel to the President. John Dean: The break-in was planned and executed by some members of the White House staff. The burglars had been paid to keep quiet about White House involvement. The President asked how much more it would take, and I told him $1 million. That would be no problem, he said. Senator Howard Baker: Mr. Dean, what can you tell the committee about your--and the President's--involvement in the break-in? What did the President know, and when did he know it? Senator Lowell Weicker: Did the President understand the magnitude of the situation? Dean: I didn't think so at first. I told him that the White House's connection to that crime was like a cancer growing on the presidency. And I also warned that if the White House was not honest with the country, it could lead to big trouble. Narrator A: Dean is the first key administration official to say that the President was involved in a cover-up. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Dean, President Nixon obstructed justice [blocked a criminal investigation]. SCENE 2 June 28, 1973 Narrator B: Dean returns to the Senare for another day of questioning. Dean: Yes, sir. Senator Sam Ervin: Good day to you, Mr. Dean. Now, you already testified that the President not only knew about the plan to mislead investigators, but that he also ordered witnesses to lie? Ervin: As chief legal counsel to the President, wasn't it your duty to steer the White House away from anything illegal? Dean: Yes, Senator. At first, I assisted in the cover-up because I thought it was important for the President to be re-elected. Soon, I saw how wrong I was. But it was already clear that the White House was going to continue the cover-up. Weicker: These are serious allegations, Mr. Dean. Dean: Yes, I realize the gravity [importance] of my testimony. But all that I've said is truthful. I understand that it is my word against the President's. Ervin: Well, maybe it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a for us to hear from the President. Baker: We could ask him to answer the charges in writing. Ervin: Yes, but you can't cross-examine a sheet of paper. The President should appear before the committee. Weicker: That's unlikely. We've already received considerable pressure from the White House to halt these proceedings. Baker: Well, as we say in Tennessee, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Hopefully, we'll find the evidence to support or refute [prove wrong] Mr. Deans charges against the President. Narrator B: President Nixon refuses to testify. Moreover, the White House rejects the committee's requests to hand over any notes or records about the Watergate affair Watergate affair, in U.S. history, series of scandals involving the administration of President Richard M. Nixon; more specifically, the burglarizing of the Democratic party national headquarters in the Watergate apartment complex in Washington, D.C. . SCENE 3 July 16, 1973 Narrator C: The hearings continue through the hot Washington summer. Several Witnesses offer conflicting testimony about President Nixon's involvement in the cover-up. Finally, the committee gets a break. Fred Thompson: Mr. Butterfield, as a former White House employee, what task was assigned to you in 1971? Alexander Butterfield: I supervised the installation of a hidden audio-recording system in the Oval Office. The President wanted to secretly record every discussion that took place there. Ervin: What became of the tapes? Butterfield: They are stored somewhere in the White House. Baker: Just the evidence we need! Would there be tapes of the meetings between the President and John Dean? Butterfield: Yes, I believe so. Just about every Oval Office conversation has been taped since early 1971. Narrator C: Butterfield''s testimony draws gasps in the packed room. Why would the President "bug" conversations with government officials and heads of state? The next day, Senator Ervin writes to President Nixon requesting his tapes. SCENE 4 July 23, 1973 Narrator D: After the White House rejects Senator Ervin's request, the committee meets in a private room. Senator Daniel Inouye: Why won't the President cooperate? The tapes could exonerate [clear of wrongdoing wrong·do·er n. One who does wrong, especially morally or ethically. wrong  do ] him. What does he have to
hide?Senator Edward Gurney: It's not a matter of what the President has to hide. He refuses to turn over the tapes based on "executive privilege executive privilege, exemption of the executive branch of government, or its officers, from having to give evidence, specifically, in U.S. law, the exemption of the president from disclosing information to congressional inquiries or the judiciary. ." We cannot force the President to hand over private property. Ervin: Yes, but the tapes are not his private property. More importantly, they are evidence in a criminal investigation. Even the President is not above the law. I propose that we issue a subpoena subpoena (səpē`nə) [Lat.,=under penalty], in law, an order to a witness to appear before a court. A subpoena ad testificandum [Lat. [court order to produce evidence] for the tapes. Narrator D: The committee unanimously agrees. But the White House ignores the subpoena. One year later, the Supreme Court rules that President Nixon must release all the Oval Office recordings. EPILOGUE The tapes revealed that President Nixon approved of efforts to mislead investigators. He also authorized illegal tactics to spy on his enemies and to sabotage (harm) the 1972 election campaigns of his rivals. Several White House staffers, including Dean, were convicted of conspiracy (plotting unlawfully), obstruction of justice A criminal offense that involves interference, through words or actions, with the proper operations of a court or officers of the court. The integrity of the judicial system depends on the participants' acting honestly and without fear of reprisals. , and perjury perjury (pûr`jərē), in criminal law, the act of willfully and knowingly stating a falsehood under oath or under affirmation in judicial or administrative proceedings. (lying under oath Noun 1. lying under oath - criminal offense of making false statements under oath bearing false witness, perjury infraction, misdemeanor, misdemeanour, violation, infringement - a crime less serious than a felony ). In the face of enormous political pressure, President Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974, becoming the first person to resign the presidency. Vice President Gerald R. Ford became President. A month later, Ford pardoned Nixon.
Your Turn
WORD MATCH
1. exonerate A. harm
2. subpoena B. lying under
oath
3. conspiracy C. plotting
unlawfully
4. perjury D. clear of
wrongdoing
5. sabotage E. court order
to produce
evidence
THINK ABOUT IT
Was President Ford right to pardon President Nixon for his crimes?
Why or why not?
1. D 2. E 3. C 4. B 5. A |
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