Why did President Richard Nixon fire Archibald Cox?

Why did President Richard Nixon fire Archibald Cox?

When Cox refused a direct order from the White House to seek no further tapes or presidential materials, Nixon fired him in an incident that became known as the Saturday Night Massacre. Cox was elected to the Common Cause National Governing Board in 1976 and 1997.

What is the Watergate scandal in simple terms?

The Watergate scandal was a major scandal during and after the 1972 presidential election. United States President and Republican Richard Nixon was running for election against Democrat George McGovern. This showed the public that Nixon was not to be trusted, and society began to view him in a different light.

What were Nixon’s tapes called?

The Nixon White House tapes are audio recordings of conversations between U.S. President Richard Nixon and Nixon administration officials, Nixon family members, and White House staff, produced between 1971 and 1973.

What was President Nixon accused of doing that led to his impeachment?

The articles charged Nixon with: 1) obstruction of justice in attempting to impede the investigation of the Watergate break-in, protect those responsible, and conceal the existence of other illegal activities; 2) abuse of power by using the office of the presidency on multiple occasions, dating back to the first year …

Who fired the special prosecutor?

U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox; Richardson refused and resigned effective immediately. Nixon then ordered Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus to fire Cox; Ruckelshaus refused, and also resigned.

Who was Nixon’s AG?

John Newton Mitchell (September 15, 1913 – November 9, 1988) was an American lawyer, the 67th Attorney General of the United States under President Richard Nixon, chairman of Nixon’s 1968 and 1972 presidential campaigns, and a convicted criminal.

Who became president of the United States after Nixon’s resignation?

Gerald Ford’s tenure as the 38th president of the United States began on August 9, 1974, upon the resignation of Richard Nixon from office, and ended on January 20, 1977, a period of 895 days.

Who were the 2 journalists of Watergate?

While a young reporter for The Washington Post in 1972, Bernstein was teamed up with Bob Woodward; the two did much of the original news reporting on the Watergate scandal. These scandals led to numerous government investigations and the eventual resignation of President Richard Nixon.

Who erased the Nixon tapes?

Rose Mary Woods
Born December 26, 1917 Sebring, Ohio, U.S.
Died January 22, 2005 (aged 87) Alliance, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Republican

What does the saying smoking gun mean?

Definition of smoking gun : something that serves as conclusive evidence or proof (as of a crime or scientific theory)

When was Nixon’s resignation?

August 8, 1974Richard Nixon’s resignation speech / Start date
President Nixon prepares to deliver the speech announcing his resignation. Washington, D.C. President Richard Nixon made an address to the American public from the Oval Office on August 8, 1974, to announce his resignation from the presidency due to the Watergate scandal.

What did Nixon do as president?

He focused on détente with the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union, easing Cold War tensions with both countries. As part of this policy, Nixon signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and SALT I, two landmark arms control treaties with the Soviet Union.

Who was Nixon’s Special Prosecutor?

Nixon wanted the investigation kicked to Henry Petersen, the assistant attorney general for the criminal division. But pressure for a new special prosecutor was immense, and Bork and White House Chief of Staff Alexander Haig recommended that Nixon pick the Texas Democratic lawyer Leon Jaworski.

Who ordered Bob Cox’s firing?

On the night of Saturday, October 20, 1973, President Nixon ordered Cox’s firing. However, the person with authority to dismiss Cox, Nixon’s Attorney General Elliot Richardson, refused to carry out the order.

Who was the special prosecutor for the Watergate investigation?

Separately, on May 25, 1973, Attorney General Elliot Richardson appointed Archibald Cox as special prosecutor for the federal investigation into possible Nixon administration ties to the Watergate burglary.

What was the outcome of the Cox case?

Cox’s successor as special prosecutor, Leon Jaworski, leveled indictments against several high-ranking administration officials, including Mitchell and Dean, who were duly convicted. Meanwhile, on November 14, 1973, U.S. District Judge Gerhard Gesell ruled that Cox’s dismissal had been illegal.