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Reading United States v. Nixon Case Excerpts

Can the president of the United States withhold certain pieces of information from legislative and judicial oversight? In this episode of BRI’s Primary Source Close Reads, Joshua Schmid is joined by Dr. Josh Dunn as they break down excerpts from the case of United States v. Nixon relating to the question of executive privilege. How did the Watergate Scandal lead to this Supreme Court case? Is the president’s right to safeguard certain information entirely immune from judicial power?

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Lesson

Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal

3 Activities50 Min

In 1974, Richard M. Nixon became the only President in US history to resign from the presidency. After administration operatives were caught breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC, Nixon covered up the crime. A Congressional investigation produced a stunning revelation: The Oval Office had a recording system that taped all the President’s conversations. The tapes could prove whether Nixon himself had ordered the cover-up. The Supreme Court rejected Nixon’s claim that executive privilege allowed him to withhold the tapes. With members of his own Republican Party turning against him and the House drawing up impeachment charges that were sure to pass, Nixon resigned the presidency on August 9. The events raised serious questions about the definition, use, and abuse of executive authority.