It started as an investigation into the break-in of a hotel, residential and office complex in Washington, D.C. But it ended with the only resignation of a U.S. president. Following are details about Watergate:
BASICS
— The Watergate break-in was in June 1972.
— The cover-up and story ultimately led President Nixon to resign in August 1974.
— Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein unravelled the scandal.
— A main source for the reporters was called Deep Throat.
TIMELINE
— November 1968: Richard Nixon elected president.
— June 17, 1972: Five men arrested after breaking into the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate complex. One of the men says he used to work for the CIA.
— August 1972: The Washington Post reports a $25,000 check apparently meant for the Nixon campaign ended up in the bank account of a Watergate burglar.
— October 1972: The Post reports that the FBI believes the Watergate break-in was part of a political sabotage effort by the Nixon campaign.
— November 1972: Nixon is reelected in a huge landslide.
— January 1973: Two Nixon aides (G. Gordon Liddy, James McCord) are convicted in Watergate burglary.
— April 1973: White House counsel John Dean is fired, the attorney general and two top White House staffers resign over the scandal.
— July 1973: Former White House secretary tells Congress that Nixon taped all conversations in his office since 1971. Nixon reportedly orders tapes disconnected.
— November 17, 1973: Nixon declares his innocence saying "I am not a crook."
— December 1973: 18-1/2 minute gap found in one White House tape.
— July 1974: Supreme Court orders White House to hand over 64 tapes of conversations. House passes first of three articles of impeachment.
— August 8, 1974: Richard Nixon announces resignation.