The Watergate scandal was an incident that occurred during the administration of President Richard Milhouse Nixon that eventually ended the Presidency of Mr. Nixon and brought about a serious governmental crisis in the United States. This scandal hit at the very core of the democratic processes of the United States. Watergate and its legacy has caused profound changes in our governmental system. The memories of the Watergate scandal was again brought to mind during the recent impeachment trial of President Clinton. The events and documents will be recalled in the following pages. This is how the events of Watergate unfolded.

             Frank Wills, a twenty four year old security guard, discovered a taped door at the Watergate building. He thought someone had taped the door while moving furniture earlier in the day. He removed the tape. Later, during his rounds he discovered the door taped again. This was June 17, 1972, (Archer, l) and it was the break in that would bring down the Presidency of Richard M. Nixon. Frank Wills called the Washington D. C. police. Sergeant Paul Leeper and officers John Barrett and Carl Shaffler responded. They discovered five men in the Democratic National Committee headquarters. They were well dressed and offered no resistance (Archer, 4). They were carrying $1300 and the safe had not been touched. The men had six suitcases full of electronic surveillance equipment and burglary tools along with more money. An address book that two of the men were carrying had the name and number of E. Howard Hunt which would link the White House to the break in (Archer, 4). They refused to answer questions and gave false names. This incident would be referred to as Watergate. President Nixon in his memoirs insisted that he did not learn of the break in until he read the newspaper at his personal residence in Key Biscayne the day after, June 18, 1972 (Nixon,625).

             In 1971 and 1972 Nixon aides initiated or participated in a series of break-ins, wiretaps, and "dirty tricks" all in the name of national security (Conlin, 894).