Watergate and the Use of Executive Privilege

Summary of Nixon vs. The U.S.

    After the Watergate scandal Nixon denied any involvement in the affairs. After seven members of his staff were charged with obstruction of justice and other charges, he was brought under the spot light. Tapes of secretly recorded conversations in the White House were subpoenaed, but he refused to turn them over, stating he had “Executive Privilege” to do so. After the case moved on to the Supreme Court, Judge Sirica ordered Nixon to turn over the tapes but Nixon, diplomatically,  instead offered transcripts of the tapes. The Supreme Court ruled that he could not use “Executive Privilege” because it was not a public safety issue. The media and public pressured him immensely and he turned over only 7 of the 9 tapes and their transcripts , and one of the tapes had an unmistakably deleted gap in it. Nixon again denied that he or his staff had deleted anything. After 3 articles of impeachment to be voted on, Nixon handed over the 2 remaining tapes and transcripts which very clearly showed that he had been involved in the Watergate break in and the coverup.

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