The Saturday Night Massacre
John Dean was the one to present the possibility that the president was deeply involved in the cover-up of the Watergate scandal. After Senator Howard Baker asked “What did the president know and when did he know it?” Dean informed him of a meeting in which himself, the president and several advisers discussed strategies to conceal the deceit. Although the White House was very much against the accusations made by John Dean, the committee had to consider who was telling the truth. The hearing could begin again after Alexander Butterfield revealed that Nixon tapped almost all of the presidential conversations. Upon this new discovery there was a year-long battle for the “Nixon tapes”, which then led to the Saturday Night Massacre.
Elliot Richardson had appointed a special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, to the investigation of the case. Cox took President Richard Nixon to court in October 1973 in order to confiscate the tapes. Immediately, Nixon refused to hand over the tapes and instead he demanded, through the White House, that Attorney General Richardson fire Cox. Rather than obey orders, Richardson sought it to be in his best interest to resign, which he promptly did. General William Ruckelshaus was put in Richardson’s place with the task of firing Cox in his lap. Same as before Ruckelshaus quit his job rather than becoming involved in the scandal. The General that was assigned, Solicitor General Robert Bork, was able to carry out the wishes of Nixon and dismissed Cox. This scandal is what is known as the Saturday Night Massacre, something that could have been very detrimental to the trails if it were not for Cox’s replacement, Leon Jaworski, who was just as determined to get a hold of the tapes.
Erika R.
Elliot Richardson had appointed a special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, to the investigation of the case. Cox took President Richard Nixon to court in October 1973 in order to confiscate the tapes. Immediately, Nixon refused to hand over the tapes and instead he demanded, through the White House, that Attorney General Richardson fire Cox. Rather than obey orders, Richardson sought it to be in his best interest to resign, which he promptly did. General William Ruckelshaus was put in Richardson’s place with the task of firing Cox in his lap. Same as before Ruckelshaus quit his job rather than becoming involved in the scandal. The General that was assigned, Solicitor General Robert Bork, was able to carry out the wishes of Nixon and dismissed Cox. This scandal is what is known as the Saturday Night Massacre, something that could have been very detrimental to the trails if it were not for Cox’s replacement, Leon Jaworski, who was just as determined to get a hold of the tapes.
Erika R.