The Watergate Complex

The Watergate Complex

"The Watergate Complex is a series of modern buildings with balconies that

looks like filed down Shark's Teeth" (Gold, 1). Located on the Potomac

River in Washington, D.C. it contains many hotel rooms and offices. What

happened in the complex on June 17, 1972 early in the morning became a very

historical event for our nation that no one will ever forget.

The "Watergate Scandal and constitutional crisis that began on June 17,

1972 with the arrest of five burglars who broke into the Democratic

National Committee (DMC) headquarters at the Watergate office building in

Washington D.C. It ended with the registration of President Richard M.

Nixon on August 9, 1974. (Watergate)

At approximately 2:30 in the morning of June 17, 1972 five men were

arrested at the Watergate Complex. The police seized a walkie talkie, 40

rolls of unexposed film, two 35 millimeter cameras, lock picks, pensized

teargas guns, and bugging devices. (Gold, 75)

These five men and two co-plotters were indicated in September 1972 on

charges of burglary, conspiracy and wire tapping. Four months later they

were convicted and sentenced to prison terms by District Court Judge John J.

Sercia was convinced that relevant details had not been unveiled during

the trial and offered leniency in exchanged for further information. As it

became increasingly evident that the Watergate burglars were tied closely

to the Central Intelligence Agency and the Committee to re-elect the

president. (Watergate)

Four of these men, that were arrested on the morning of June 17, 1972, came

from Miami, Florida. They were Bernard L. Barker, Frank A. Sturgis,

Virgillio R. Gonzalez, and Eugenio R. Martinez. The other man was from

Rockville, Maryland named James W. McCord, Jr. The two co-plotters were G.

Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt. (Watergate)

The senate established and investigative committee headed by Senate Sam

Ervin, Jr., to look into the growing scandal. As they were investigating,

they related that the famous break-in was far more involved than what

everyone had expected. (Watergate)

The White Houses involvement of that morning first became evident when

James McCord wrote a letter to Judge Sirca. In this letter McCord

explained that he wanted to disclose the details of Watergate. He made it

apparent that he would not speak to a Justice department official of an FBI

agent. Although his letter did unveil details, it made server chargers.

McCord justified that "Political pressure" (Westerfled 36) had generated

many defendants to plead guilty and remain silent. He also claimed that

there had been whiteness at the trail who had committed perjury in order to