A new film, "Watergate Secrets and Betrayals," delves into the complex events surrounding the infamous Watergate scandal, alleging that former President Richard Nixon's downfall was orchestrated by political adversaries. The film, based on the research of former Nixon defense team member Geoff Shepard, challenges long-held beliefs about Nixon's involvement in the cover-up and suggests a more sinister plot was at play.
The Nixon Foundation has vehemently denied allegations made in a recent "60 Minutes" segment that former President Richard Nixon sought to destroy audio tapes implicating him in the Watergate scandal. The segment, which aired on Sunday, claimed that Nixon's attempts to destroy the tapes prompted Congress to pass the Presidential Records Act, preventing presidents from destroying official records.
Watergate Secrets and Betrayals: Nixon's Demise Orchestrated by Political Enemies
However, the Nixon Foundation maintains that Nixon "never ‘sought to’ destroy any White House tapes" and that he "chose to preserve all of them" when their existence became public in July 1973. The foundation further states that Nixon's records were seized by an Act of Congress after his resignation, but not because he had ever "sought to" destroy the tapes.
Prior to the Presidential Records Act, Congress had passed the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act (PRMPA) in 1974 to protect the White House audio tapes recorded during Nixon's presidency. However, Nixon argued that the tapes were protected by executive privilege and refused to turn them over to Congress.
Watergate Secrets and Betrayals: Nixon's Demise Orchestrated by Political Enemies
Congressional subpoenas for the tapes were not met, and subsequent investigations revealed that two requested tapes were missing, while one had an 18-minute gap. The Nixon Administration attributed the gap to an accidental erasure by Nixon's secretary, Rose Mary Woods.
Seven tapes were eventually released, but Nixon refused to comply with subpoenas for the remaining tapes sought by special prosecutors investigating Watergate. This led to the Supreme Court ruling that Nixon was not immune to subpoenas, prompting his resignation from office.
Watergate Secrets and Betrayals: Nixon's Demise Orchestrated by Political Enemies
Following his resignation, Nixon proposed the Nixon-Sampson Agreement, allowing the government to keep all materials from his administration in a locked federal facility. The agreement stipulated that Nixon had the right to have the tapes destroyed at any time and that they should be destroyed on September 1, 1984, or upon Nixon's death.
In response, Congress passed the PRMPA, signed by President Gerald Ford, to preserve all records and materials from Nixon's presidency in the National Archives. In his statement signing the PRMPA, Ford acknowledged the interests of the Watergate Special Prosecution Force in accessing the tapes and materials.
Watergate Secrets and Betrayals: Nixon's Demise Orchestrated by Political Enemies
Jim Byron, President and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation, emphasized that Americans are only now beginning to understand the misreporting that has surrounded the Watergate scandal and Nixon's presidency for decades. He suggested that the misreporting is now occurring largely without malice but is still perpetuating a false narrative.
The "60 Minutes" segment has drawn criticism for its alleged mischaracterization of Nixon's actions regarding the tapes. The foundation urged the program to correct its error, while "60 Minutes" has not yet responded to requests for comment.
