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Contributor: Nathan Murphy. Lesson ID: 13676
In 1974, the Supreme Court had to decide how far Executive Privilege went. Is the president above the law? If so, to what degree? What they decided would bring the Watergate scandal to an end.
In November of 1973, as the Watergate scandal rocked the nation, President Richard Nixon stood before the American people and made a bold claim. He declared that he...
had never profited from public service,
had never obstructed justice,
welcomed full examination of his actions,
and was not a crook.
Watch Nixon’s famous speech, 'I’m Not a Crook,' and decide for yourself.
Dive into the 1974 Supreme Court case United States v. Nixon to explore the truth behind these claims and see how this pivotal moment in history reshaped the relationship between the President and the law.
June 17, 1972: The Watergate Break-In
The Watergate scandal became the defining event of Richard Nixon’s presidency.
In the middle of the 1972 campaign for re-election, Nixon was determined to win after barely securing victory in 1968. But on June 17, 1972, the campaign took a dark turn.
Members of the White House, known as the Plumbers, broke into the Watergate Hotel, where the Democratic National Committee had its headquarters.
To steal documents and find anything that could help Nixon win the election against his opponent, George McGovern.
June 23, 1972: The Smoking Gun Tape
Nixon’s presidency was marked by secretive behavior. At some point, Nixon decided to record every conversation in the Oval Office—seven hidden microphones ensured that no word was left unheard.
The tapes captured many significant moments, but one, in particular, would become known as the Smoking Gun Tape.
In this conversation with his Chief of Staff, H.R. Haldeman, Nixon reacts to the Watergate break-in. Listen to the tape and decide.
In that moment, Nixon made a critical mistake: he decided to cover up the break-in instead of coming clean.
April 11, 1974: The Investigation Deepens
The investigation into Watergate began in earnest. Following the money trail, it was revealed that the men who broke into Watergate were linked to Nixon’s re-election campaign, known as CREEP.
They were, in effect, fixers for the White House. But the investigation didn’t stop there.
People discovered that Nixon secretly recorded all his conversations in the Oval Office. This led to a subpoena for the tapes made right after the break-in.
July 8, 1974: Executive Privilege vs the Law
Nixon argued that his right to Executive Privilege protected him from having to release the tapes.
Executive Privilege is the idea that the president has special legal protections for certain confidential conversations.
But on July 8, 1974, the Supreme Court decided to take the case, ruling that Nixon had to release the tapes. The court found that the tapes were relevant to the charges against him and that Executive Privilege didn’t apply in this case.
July 24, 1974: United States v. Nixon
Just two weeks later, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in United States v. Nixon, forcing Nixon to release the tapes.
The court determined that the prosecution had shown a strong likelihood that the tapes contained important evidence. Nixon’s claim of Executive Privilege no longer stood.
August 5, 1974: The Smoking Gun
Only weeks later, the infamous Smoking Gun tape was released. This tape exposed Nixon’s role in the cover-up, and it was clear: he had been involved in trying to block the investigation from the beginning.
Watch Nixon reflect on the day the Smoking Gun tape was released and hear how it felt to face the consequences of his actions.
The Aftermath: Nixon Resigns
In the face of certain impeachment and a trial he was likely to lose, Nixon resigned from office on August 9, 1974. It was a dramatic end to his presidency, but he left with as much dignity as he could muster.
Continue to the Got It? section to explore the limits of Executive Privilege and what this case was really about.
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