Question #6b0b9
2 Answers
The Watergate scandal
Explanation:
Nixon is famous for having wiretapped the Watergate building, where the Democratic Party headquarters were located. It led to a scandal and Nixon finally resigned in 1974.
Nixon was being charged with perjury. Lying under oath is an impeachable offense.
Explanation:
The question was how much did Nixon know about the Watergate break in and when did Nixon know it. Members of Nixon's inner circle were involved in a break in of the Democratic Headquarters.
This burglary was a misnomner a minor crime. The burglary of the Democratic headquarters alone would not have been an impeachable offense.
The effort to "cheat" and find out what Nixon's opponents were planning in the last days of the elections when it was discovered created a scandal. Ironically the effort was largely unnecessary Nixon would have won the election without the information.
When the scandal Nixon lied and denied all knowledge of the break in or the efforts to cover up his administrations involvement in the break in. It appears that Nixon did not personally engage in or plan the break in. However he lied under oath about what he knew about the break in and tried to blame ( throw under the bus) the people who worked for him.
Some of the people who were convicted of the burglary and cover up refused to remain silent and exposed Nixon's involvement in the cover up. After Nixon had lied under oath the testimony of Howard Dean and other made him guilty of perjury which is an impeachable offense. Nixon resigned rather than face a formal impeachment procedure in the Senate.
Note Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury about his involvement with Monica Lewinsky. In the formal impeachment procedure Clinton was found guilty of perjury but not impeached. The Senate determined that the "crimes" with Monica Lewinsky were of a personal nature and did not justify his removal from office.
