JD Vance Told a Whopper About Nixon and the Watergate Scandals
By Fred Wertheimer
President, Democracy 21
I lived through the Watergate scandals in the early 1970s and played an active lobbying role for the breakthrough democracy reforms that followed.
Vice President JD Vance last week said in remarks at the Nixon Library that if the Watergate scandal had happened today, it would be “like a 12-hour news story,” and that “the deep state took down Richard Nixon.”
Vance’s claims about the Watergate scandals are false – worthy of the biggest whoppers that Trump makes at the drop of a hat.
Trump, and apparently Vance, believe that Nixon was correct when he said, “When the president does it, that means it is not illegal.” History and the rule of law prove that to be wrong.
Vance apparently lacks, or more likely is pretending to lack, any knowledge about what actually happened in the Watergate scandals.
So, let’s look at the facts. (As Founding Father John Adams said, “Facts are stubborn things.”)
The House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment: 6 Republicans voted to impeach Nixon on Article I for obstruction of justice; 7 Republicans voted to impeach Nixon on Article II for abuse of power; 2 Republicans voted to impeach Nixon on Article III for contempt of Congress.
Seven different Republicans voted to impeach Nixon on at least one of the three articles. They were Tom Railsback (IL), Lawrence Hogan (MD), M. Caldwell Butler (VA), William Cohen (ME), Hamilton Fish IV (NY), Harold Froehlich (WI) and Robert McClory (IL).
Were these Republican members of Congress who voted to impeach Nixon part of Vance’s alleged “deep state” that he says was responsible for Nixon’s downfall?
No.
The following Nixon officials were convicted by juries for their role in the Watergate cover-up:
- John N. Mitchell: Former U.S. attorney general and chairman of the Committee to Re-elect the President;
- H.R. Haldeman: Former White House chief of staff;
- John D. Ehrlichman: Former White House chief domestic adviser; and
- Robert C. Mardian: Former political coordinator for the Nixon campaign and assistant attorney general. (His conviction was later overturned.)
Were the jurors who convicted these top Nixon officials part of Vance’s alleged “deep state” that brought Nixon down?
No.
There were a total of 48 Nixon administration officials and associates who were convicted or pleaded guilty to crimes related to the Watergate scandal.
Were these 48 convicted criminals part of Vance’s alleged “deep state” that brought Nixon down?
No.
The Watergate investigations led to 20 corporations reportedly were convicted or pleaded guilty to making illegal, secret campaign contributions to Nixon’s 1972 reelection campaign.
Were these 20 corporations, found guilty of crimes in connection with the Watergate scandals, part of Vance’s alleged “deep state” that brought Nixon down?
No.
According to Article I of the Nixon impeachment voted by the House Judiciary Committee, President Nixon “obstructed justice by attempting to impede the investigation into the Watergate break-in.”
According to Article II of the Nixon impeachment voted by the House Judiciary Committee, President Nixon abused his power by “using federal agencies to harass his political enemies and authorizing burglaries of private citizens who opposed the President.”
Were these actions taken by Nixon in connection with the Watergate scandals part of Vance’s alleged “deep state” that brought Nixon down?
No.
According to the Gallup Poll, days before Nixon resigned his presidency on August 9, 1974, Nixon’s approval rating had fallen to a mere 24 percent with 66 percent of the American people disapproving.
Nixon had dropped more than 40 points in approval from 65 percent approval in February 1973, two months after he began his second term, to 24 percent in August 1974.
Were the tens, if not hundreds, of millions of Americans who disapproved of Nixon following the Watergate scandals part of Vance’s alleged “deep state” that brought Nixon down?
No.
On August 7, 1974, Republican Party leaders met with Nixon. Former Republican presidential nominee Senator Barry Goldwater, Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott, and House Minority Leader John Rhodes reportedly told Nixon that he could no longer avoid being impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate.
Two days later, President Nixon resigned.
Were these Republican party leaders who told Nixon he could no longer survive in Congress as president part of Vance’s alleged “deep state” that brought Nixon down?
Still no.
President Nixon brought himself down by grossly abusing his office and engaging in impeachable acts.
As for Vice President Vance, apparently desperate to succeed Trump as president, asserting that the worst political scandal in the last century was caused by the “deep state” and not by Nixon and his closest associates, is a big lie worthy of Trump.
In defending Nixon and the Watergate scandals, Vance has probably told the biggest whopper of his life.
Basta.
