The Watergate Scandal
The Importance of Learning about the Watergate Scandal by the New Americans
The water gate scandal had been a major scandal that had happened around 1970s in the United States of America in political affairs. This had happened during the early 1980s. Later, a break-in of approximately five men occurred at the Democratic National Committee. The new Americans are in the position to learn from this scandal about various power abuses by the administrative members of Nixon (introBooks, n. p). There is clear information of involvement of Nixon White House in the scandal. They are also in the position to realize that when people do mistakes they can be withdrawn from the powers including the top leading people like the president. There has been a consideration of this case being the best chance to carry out impeachment process which had been targeted for the existing president. The scandal had led to realization of various articles which had been related to the impeachment and resignation of the Nixon. It has also led to many people being found guilty, of which the majority has been the officials of Nixon, president. This confirms to the Americans that the illegal activities are mostly done by those people in high positions within the government. Through learning of this event, the Americans are also in the position to know that the president, Richard Nixon had been held through the investigation that had been carried out by the Watergate Senate Committee for carrying out several recording using a tape-recorder which he had been using and storing in his offices.
Background Information
There had been an incident where the president is found making efforts of hiding the information concerning the burglars’ break-in. This had been a major scandal that had happened around 1970s in the United States of America in political affairs. This had been involving approximately five men occurred at the Democratic National Committee (Welch, 314). There had been maximization of the case caused by efforts made by the administration of the ruling president who was called Richard Nixon towards hiding the information about the involvement in that case. The Watergate scandal had been investigated after managing to catch the five burglars and discovering the overall conspiracy. This had been done by the congress of the United States of America. There had been resistance by the administration concerning the probes which had been proven. The probes had led to constitutional crisis in the entire nation. The emergence of the term “Watergate” had been brought about towards encircling a given number of clandestine series and given activities which had been illegal. These had been performed by the members who were joining the administration of Richard Nixon, the president. There had also been ordering of thorough investigations of activists groups and political figures by utilization of the measures of Central Intelligence Agency, Federal of Investigations and the Internal Revenue Service. This order had been made by the president, Richard Nixon together with his close assistants.
There had been participation of the president and the members of the administration in the illegal activities. This can be clearly seen in an incidence where there had been breaking-in into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee by 5 men who were later arrested. The breaking-in into the building which had been located in the complex of the Watergate had been the first and major affair to ever happen. This had occurred 17th June, 1972 which was on a Saturday morning (Hosansky, 2). The Federal Bureau of Investigations had been given the responsibility of carrying out the investigation concerning the connection between the amount of money that had been raised illegally by the Committee for the re-election of the President and the cash that had been discovered on the five burglars. The break-in had been connected to some illegal activities which were being carried out by the re-election campaign of Nixon and White House. The total amount of money had been amounting to $60 million. Several evidences had been discovered against the jobholders of the president by July 1973. Sufficient testimony had been a part of the evidence which had been given by the staffs who had been formerly the members of the investigation that had been conducted. The investigation had been lead by the Watergate Senate Committee.
There had been a case of the president recording people without informing them on the reason behind his actions. A ruling obligation concerning this action of the president to give out the tape-recorders to the investigators and the government had been given out. This ruling had been given out by the supreme court of the United States of America following several battles by the court. The many people did not know the reason as to why they were being recorded (introBooks, n. p). The evidence of tape-recording had been presented before the Senate Select Committee on Activities of Presidential Campaign. The recording tapes had to be responsible for the revelation of the fact that the president had been trying to hide several activities that had happened during the event of the break in. They had been also expected to reveal that the president had also used the officials of the federal towards diverting the investigation. There had been a plan for impeachment of the president on the virtual grounds which made him quit from being the president. This had taken place on 9th August, 1974 which prevented the House of Representatives and had prevented the investigators from carrying out any form of impeachment. The presidential sit had then shifted to be held by Gerald Ford. Since then, the term “Watergate” had been compatible for political and non-political scandals in the United States of America and other areas in the world.
The Importance Watergate Scandal Event to the New Citizens
It is important for the new Americans to learn about the Watergate scandal as they are in the position to identify what have been happening in the States in the previous government administrations. They are able to learn much about the incidence of the break-in to the headquarters of Democratic National Committee. For example; there had been a break into the headquarters by five burglars (introBooks, n. p). The men had been arrested on 17th June, 1972 in the building of the Democratic Party national headquarters. There had been very many questions concerning the possibility of the president’s re-election team participation. One among the men was the security director for the re-election team, James W. McCord Jr. There had been also an issue of the White House attempting to keep of the concerning case. They are in the position to know that even the people who are in power are capable of influencing and participating in criminal cases. Such case is seen where the people of re-election campaign are found in the illegal activities like that of break-in to the Democratic Party headquarters.
Through learning about the Watergate Scandal, the new Americans have been in the position to know that impeachment can happen to anyone. One might tend to do illegal activities having the thoughts that the law cannot take actions over them (introBooks, n. p). This has been outlined clearly that no matter what position one possesses in the government, the fact is that when one is caught with any kind of irregularities which are evidence-based, they are at the risk of being impeached. The president is almost impeached but on realization of this process, he withdraws from his position.
The new American members have also been able to learn that before carrying out a conclusion, there is supposed to be an action of in-depth investigations. This does not matter about the length of duration the investigation will take provided it concludes with evidence and that the person is found guilty (introBooks, n. p). The main aim should be putting things clear that whatever the incidence that has been taking place have enough evidence. The House of the Representatives takes all its time to carry out the investigation concerning the rationale of tape-recording by the president and finally after getting their evidence they start working on the next step which is the impeachment.
Conclusion
The new Americans have been in the position to benefit from learning about the Watergate Scandal in various ways. To begin with, they have been able to get the knowledge concerning the break-in the offices of the headquarters. The most important issue concerning the break-in is that the administration of Richard Nixon had been involved in this scandal. This issue is very surprising to the people because the government is expected to be fighting irregularities but for this case it found being guilty. The new Americans have also been able to know that majority of the people in power are the most conductors of injustice. For example, where there is indictment of around 69 people who had proper trials. Surprisingly, the large number among the people had been the official team of the president Richard Nixon. Lastly but not the least, the people have been able to learn that the impeachment can happen to anyone no matter how great they are in power. The fact that they have been found to being guilty; they are possible candidates of facing impeachment. For example when the president is being found with the tape-recorder, there is suspicion that they are not legal. The investigation starts where it is discovered that he had recording people with the assistance of his secretary, people become suspicious because he had not been giving the rationale behind his actions. We find a step of carrying out the investigations by the House of Representatives with an aim of knowing the reasons of doing the recording because it had been uncomfortable to the people of the United States of America.
Work cited
Hosansky, David. Eyewitness to Watergate: A Documentary History for Students. Washington, D.C: CQ Press, 2007. Internet resource.
IntroBooks, The Water Gate scandal; the IntroBooks,2018.
Welch, Susan. Understanding American Government. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.
