Thread by @hash_tigre

Because large follower Twitter accounts like to compare everything to the Watergate Scandal, while knowing nothing about the #Watergate Scandal.

Here it is, summarized in 12 convenient, easy-to-read tweets:

history.com/topics/1970s/w…

1/ 1972 Break-in at the DNC headquarters

2/ Where members of Nixon's reelection committee broke in to offices, stole documents, and bugged phones

3/ The wiretaps failed to work properly, so they broke in again and were caught

4/ Two months after the second break-in, Nixon gave a speech and lied about his staff's involvement in the burglary

5/ Not only did he lie about the break-in(s), he also arranged for the burglars to be provided with "hush money"

6/ Then Nixon and his aides came up with a plan to have the CIA impede the FBI's investigation into the crimes.

7/ Meanwhile 7 conspirators were indicted related to the Watergate break-in. 5 pled guilt to avoid trial.

8/ Washington Post reports Woodward and Bernstein suspected there was a larger scheme/conspiracy in play and began to investigate, with the help of an anonymous insider

9/ A handful of Nixon’s aides testified before a grand jury about the president’s crimes; they also testified that Nixon had secretly taped every conversation that took place in the Oval Office.

Nixon refused to hand over the tapes.

10/ Saturday Night Massacre: When special prosecutor named Archibald Cox refused to stop demanding the tapes, Nixon ordered that he be fired, leading several Justice Department officials to resign in protest.

11/ The Supreme Court ordered Nixon to turn over the tapes. While the president dragged his feet, the House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach Nixon for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, criminal cover-up and several violations of the Constitution.

12/ On August 5, Nixon released the tapes.

In the face of almost certain impeachment by Congress—Nixon resigned on August 8 to avoid being formally impeached.