Senate Watergate Committee

Alexander Butterfield Reveals Nixon White House Secret Taping System in Bombshell Testimony

| Importance: 10/10

On July 13, 1973, Alexander Butterfield—who had served as deputy assistant to President Nixon from 1969 to 1973—was questioned in a background interview by Senate Watergate Committee staff members prior to his public testimony. Butterfield was brought before the committee because he was H.R. …

Alexander Butterfield Richard Nixon H.R. Haldeman Donald Sanders Fred Thompson +1 more watergate surveillance congressional-oversight abuse-of-power institutional-corruption
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John Dean Testifies to Senate Watergate Committee: "Cancer Growing on the Presidency"

| Importance: 10/10

On June 25, 1973, recently fired White House Counsel John Dean began week-long testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, starting with a 245-page opening statement that took six hours to read. Dean testified that he had told President Nixon: “I began by …

John Dean Richard Nixon H.R. Haldeman John Ehrlichman Howard Baker +1 more watergate congressional-oversight obstruction-of-justice abuse-of-power institutional-corruption
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Senate Watergate Committee Begins Televised Hearings, Exposing Presidential Crimes to Public

| Importance: 9/10

On May 17, 1973, the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities—commonly known as the Senate Watergate Committee—opened televised public hearings into the Watergate scandal. Chaired by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, with Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee as vice chairman, the …

Sam Ervin Howard Baker Senate Watergate Committee Richard Nixon watergate congressional-oversight institutional-corruption abuse-of-power transparency
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