Watergateügy

The Watergate affair was a major political scandal in the United States that occurred during the presidency of Richard Nixon. It began with a burglary at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. on June 17, 1972. Five men were arrested for breaking into the DNC offices, and they were found to be working with the Committee to Re-elect the President, a campaign organization for Nixon.

Investigations by journalists, particularly Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post, and later by the Senate Watergate Committee, revealed a pattern of political espionage and sabotage orchestrated by individuals connected to the Nixon administration. The scandal escalated as evidence emerged of a cover-up attempt involving the White House, including obstruction of justice and abuse of power.

The scandal led to widespread public outrage and a constitutional crisis. Facing impeachment by the House of Representatives and likely conviction by the Senate, Richard Nixon resigned from the presidency on August 9, 1974. He remains the only U.S. president to have resigned from office. The Watergate affair had a profound impact on American politics, increasing public distrust of government and leading to reforms aimed at increasing transparency and accountability.