Category Archives: Watergate

White House organizing hush money for Watergate burglars 40 years ago today (1972)


Video: June 22, 1972 (at 5:02)

(Thursday, June 22, 1972) — Five days after the Watergate break-in, the burglars were brought to court to be released on bail. Meantime, U.S. President Richard Nixon’s men set about organizing their hush money, under the direction of Nixon’s private lawyer Herb Kalmbach.

Liddy says Watergate burglars will need money 40 years ago today (1972)


Video: June 21, 1972 (at 0:38)

(Wednesday, June 21, 1972) — G. Gordon Liddy told White House aides Frederick LaRue and Robert Mardian that he and his fellow Watergate burglars will need money for bail, legal expenses, and family support.

Nixon, Haldeman discuss Watergate cover-up 40 years ago today (1972)


Video: June 21, 1972 (at 7:53)

(Wednesday, June 21, 1972) — U.S. President Richard Nixon, by now deeply involved in the Watergate cover-up, today proposed to White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman to use the CIA background of E. Howard Hunt (one of two engineers of the Watergate burglary) to confuse the FBI, among other things.


Video: June 21, 1972 (continued)

Nixon calls Mitchell to discuss Watergate burglary 40 years ago tonight (1972)


Video: June 20, 1972 (at 4:23)

(Tuesday, June 20, 1972) — U.S. President Richard Nixon said he called John Mitchell tonight to cheer him up because Mitchell was chagrined because he had not properly controlled those under him — in the re-election campaign, which he headed — and the Watergate burglary was embarrassing the administration.

Washington Post connects Watergate break-in with White House 40 years ago today (1972)


Video: Washington Post connects Watergate break-in with White House (at 6:23)

(Monday, June 19, 1972) — Based on a tip from Deep Throat, the pseudonym given to a secret informant (later identified as Federal Bureau of Investigation Associate Director Mark Felt), Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward discovered today that one of the Watergate burglars had E. Howard Hunt in his address book and possessed checks signed by him, and that Hunt was connected to White House aide Charles Colson.

Dean takes charge of Watergate cover-up 40 years ago today (1972)


Video: June 19, 1972 (at 1:53)

(Monday, June 19, 1972) — White House Counsel John Dean was chosen today to head up the Watergate burglary cover-up, meeting on a park bench near the White House with G. Gordon Liddy, who offered himself to be shot. Continue reading Dean takes charge of Watergate cover-up 40 years ago today (1972)

Nixon learns of Watergate break-in 40 years ago today (1972)


Video: June 18, 1972 (at 1:08)

(Sunday, June 18, 1972) — U.S. President Richard Nixon says he learned of yesterday’s burglary at the Watergate complex today when he read a small article on the front page of The Miami Herald newspaper while he was vacation with his friend Bebe Rebozo in Key Biscayne, Florida.


Video: Video: June 18, 1972 (at 0:20)

Ellsberg break-in plan approved 40 years ago today


Watergate. Part 3 of 30

(Wednesday, August 11, 1971) — A plan by E. Howard Hunt, one of the Nixon White House “Plumbers” (a secret team of operatives charged with fixing “leaks” to leading newspapers), to burglarize the office of psychiatrist Lewis Fielding to steal his files on Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the Pentagon Papers, was approved by Chief Domestic Advisor John Ehrlichman.

Ellsberg files burglary plan hatched


Watergate. Part 2 of 30

(Wednesday, July 28, 1971) — E. Howard Hunt, one of the Nixon White House “plumbers” — a secret team of operatives charged with fixing “leaks,” proposed to Nixon Special Counsel Charles Colson that the “plumbers” burglarize the office of psychiatrist Lewis Fielding to steal his files on Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the Pentagon Papers, to discredit him. Continue reading Ellsberg files burglary plan hatched