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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHistorical question about Watergate, the FBI, the CIA, and Department of Justice.
Do I have it right that the FBI, CIA and/or the Department of Justice were implicated in the coverup of the scandal or in not properly investigating it? If so, how did the agencies recover and become reputable again? Thanks in advance!
joet67
(624 posts)phylny
(8,353 posts)Were the FBI, CIA, Department of Justice complicit in covering up campaign violations, including the break in of the Democratic National Committee's office?
Here, scandal used in Wikipedia. Perhaps that's not the right word?
"The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States during the early 1970s, following a break-in by five men at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972, and President Richard Nixon's administration's subsequent attempt to cover up its involvement."
My question: Were those entities involved in covering up the Nixon Administration's involvement, and if so, how did those agencies recover its reputations.
joet67
(624 posts)Control-Z
(15,681 posts)And often enough I'm the DUer left scratching her head and saying "huh".
phylny
(8,353 posts)Watergate in the subject and figured the scandal was pretty obvious
Brother Buzz
(36,214 posts)The Watergate scandal began early in the morning of June 17, 1972, when several burglars were arrested in the office of the Democratic National Committee, located in the Watergate complex of buildings in Washington, D.C. This was no ordinary robbery: The prowlers were connected to President Richard Nixons reelection campaign, and they had been caught wiretapping phones and stealing documents. Nixon took aggressive steps to cover up the crime afterwards, and in August 1974, after his role in the conspiracy was revealed, Nixon resigned.
phylny
(8,353 posts)See my question above as to the involvement of other agencies or lack of involvement in the coverup. Thank you for taking time to respond.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,277 posts)of where the money to fund the burglary came from. However, the CIA reported to the FBI that there were no national security issues and they didn't get involved.
phylny
(8,353 posts)I appreciate the additional clarification!
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)to Woodward and Bernstein at the Washington Post, yes?
See: https://www.history.com/news/watergate-deep-throat-fbi-informant-nixon
phylny
(8,353 posts)Do you know enough to answer my question? Thanks in advance.
pat_k
(9,313 posts)Last edited Sat Sep 1, 2018, 03:06 AM - Edit history (3)
Some background
At a Schemes Inception and Destruction, the F.B.I.
https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/06/13/did-any-good-come-of-watergate/at-a-schemes-inception-and-destruction-the-fbi
Way back when, Congress actually took action.
How Watergate Changed America's Intelligence Laws
https://www.history.com/news/how-watergate-changed-americas-intelligence-laws
How did they recover? By implementing new oversight. Just as regulation in the wake of Enron (since dismantled) sought to remedy the loss of confidence, new oversight sought to remedy loss of confidence in the intelligence services.
Reforms weren't limited to intelligence services. In the wake of Watergate, there was a raft of other legislation that sought to create a "new era of ethics in government."
On edit, added list of key post-Watergate legislation.
Limitations of War Powers Act, 1974
Federal Election Campaign Act, 1974
Freedom of Information Act, 1974
The Private Act, 1974
Ethics in Government, 1978 (including the Independent Counsel Act)
Foreign Service Intelligence Act, 1978
I will read these first thing in the morning.
Thanks, thanks, thanks!
SWBTATTReg
(21,859 posts)was a show on regular tv broadcasting. I apologize for not having the details on the shows themselves ... they were both very detailed and kind of walked in detail the whole mess...there was so much going on as well as the Vietnam War so tons of newspaper clips etc. available via lots of old publications you can probably google/etc.
Have fun!
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)Other than that, DoJ was not involved in the subsequent cover up. Bork did fire Cox, but, either Jill Wine-Banks or Nick Ackerman, both on the special prosecutor's staff, have said a couple of times that DoJ had gamed out the firing and agreed that the AG and deputy AG would both resign and Bork, then the solicitor general, would carry out the firing. I had never heard this before, but they are very credible sources.