President Richard Nixon had more bad popularity than good.He had been directly related to the high-profile and humungous Watergate scandal. The incident took place at the time of the presidential election in the year 1972.Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward were the two renowned journalists who originally began the reporting. They had first-hand information and published it raw. They informed the general public about the dirty politics going on in the Watergate office.This whole incidence made it clear to the people of the United States that Richard Nixon was not trustworthy. In 1974 he resigned rather than being impeached.History Of WatergateThe Watergate scandal is one of the biggest political scandals in the whole world. Politics is not all clean and clear. In this case, the office of the president was directly related.The Watergate investigation began in the year 1972, continued for two years. This was finished by the resignation of President Richard Nixon.Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were the two main journalists who unveiled this scandal. There were many watergate burglars, but six men were arrested on 17 June 1972. Watergate in this name is the Watergate complex or hotel of Washington DC.The Watergate break-in illegal entry into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee) exposed abuses of power by the Nixon administration.As many as 48 people were found guilty. The whistleblower, in this case, was a security guard, Frank wills.Howard Hunt (33 months) and John Mitchell (19 months) were among the people who got sentenced for their participation in the Watergate scandal. Gordon Liddy (served four and a half yrs in jail) was a former Fbi agent involved in this watergate saga.Prerecorded messages were used to unlock gates. There was also a recording of the conversations at the democratic party office. To allow them access to secret information.Nixon administration was reinstated once again for the second time in 1972. Many of his office bearers were also reinstated in the white house.In the year 1973, the senate select committee started Watergate hearings on scandal. He denied all the accusations in the beginning and tried to cover up.Nixon acknowledged later during the investigation that he had been recording all the conversations since the year 1971. Nixon’s administration was involved in all this.During the investigation, justice department memos were sent to return the tapes. But Nixon refused to return those.In the year 1974, in July supreme court ordered him to return the 64 recordings. Nixon denied them earlier but they eventually had to return them. Thereafter his impeachment process began.Nixon indictment was started with the recommendations of the senate committee and justice department. Thereafter Nixon gave a public speech on television and resigned as the president.On September 8 in the same year 1974, president Gerald Ford pardoned the impeachment of President Nixon as he had already resigned. So Nixon’s resignation was accepted.Aftermaths Of WatergateSoon after the exposure of the Watergate scam, there were phone calls. This was a very high-profile scandal and had even the president involved. So President Nixon made phone calls regarding the arrests. His calls had been recorded and could prove him guilty. But here also there was a fix.An eighteen-minute clip was missing. The President had asked the CIA chief to interfere with the working of the FBI.In one other tape, there were direct orders to obstruct and interfere to delay the investigation. This certain tape was later popular by the name smoking gun. The purpose was to make things hazy and confusing as a cover-up for the Watergate scandal.At the time of election, the public was unaware of the scandal in full light. So President, vice president, and many more were re-elected to the white house.There were more efforts to cover up by paying those arrested. He asked them to take all the blame and remain silent. They were pressurized to plead guilty. Watergate affair was covered in Bob Woodward report.Slowly officials started resigning from the white house as the investigation unfolded. President Nixon fired John Dean, one of his counsel in wit house. He turned hostile and named Nixon. He even had tapes to prove him guilty. But Nixon still pleaded innocent.In July 1974, the Impeachment of President Nixon was announced. Nixon resigned soon after. And four days later on 5 August 1974, his conversation was released. The date of the conversation was 23 June 1972. This proved him guilty, other than the smoking gun, it was important.There were many convictions and sentences served.Law-related amendmentsIn 1977, the House and Senate passed codes of conduct that reduced franking rights. They removed office slush funds. Limitations were imposed on outside income. This also included honoraria for speeches to interest organizations. Former members of Congress, as well as former Capitol Hill staffers, were prohibited.Laws were created on the basis of these new rules of congress. It increased the restrictions imposed on higher officials and judiciary branches. Civil penalties were imposed rather than criminal punishment. In the year 1989, a further rise in pay was offered so as to completely abolish pay for honoraria.Lawmakers, representatives, and certain close relatives were compelled to file annual reports. Outlining their income and interests under congressional ethics standards put into law in 1978. The law also made it mandatory for congressional candidates and top officials in the executive and judicial departments to declare their wealth.This allowed the reporters to look through the financial status of the government officials. There are no exact values, but an estimation.The statute of 1978 gave the attorney general the power to seek supreme court-appointed counsel. While also restricting the situations in which a special prosecutor might be removed. The statute also allowed the House and Senate Judiciary committees the authority to request the appointment of a special prosecutor, subsequently known as an independent counsel.Filing of expenditure was made mandatory under the new election law in 1974.Impact And Reaction From Other CountriesThe United States is a superpower. The white house has a say in most organizations. Still, all the orders come from the watergate building. So showing respect there were not many words about this scandal in the other countries.
President Richard Nixon had more bad popularity than good.
