Why Did the Plumbers Break
The break-in of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington DC, commonly referred to as watergate, was not a random burglary and would eventually lead to one of the largest and most shocking scandals in American history. In fact, it was the beginning of a series of events that ultimately led to Richard Nixon’s resignation as president and the end of a period in American politics known as Watergate.
To many people, Watergate is the name that instantly comes to mind when talking about high-profile political scandal. The incident that led to Nixon’s impeachment has remained a staple of political controversy for more than half a century. In 1971, CIA operative Howard Hunt and Finance Counsel for the Committee to Reelect the President (CRP), G. Gordon Liddy, conspired to break into the DNC’s offices in order to wiretap their phones and eavesdrop on conversations.
They hoped to learn about the McGovern campaign’s financial situation and how foreign governments were supplying funds to help the candidate get elected. But to some plumbers, such as George Martinez, it had little to do with preserving Nixon’s power and more to do with ending Castro’s. When the burglars were caught, they had almost $2,300 in cash stuffed into their pockets along with spy-grade listening devices and other gear that had been a hallmark of CIA work. They also had a walkie-talkie, a short wave receiver that could pick up police calls, 40 rolls of unexposed film and two 35 millimeter cameras.
Why Did the Plumbers Break Into Watergate?
A Watergate security guard named Frank Wills was able to identify the burglars, even though he couldn’t see them because of the tape covering the locks on some of the DNC’s doors. He called the police at 1:47 a.m. But Wills didn’t realize that the burglars had been hired by Nixon’s reelection team and that they were connected to the DNC through their work for CREEP.
The Plumbers’ true story confirms that the break-ins were orchestrated by Hunt and Liddy, and that they were a part of the Committee to Reelect the President (CRP). As it turns out, their mission wasn’t to learn anything about McGovern or his campaign; they wanted to know what was being done behind Nixon’s back.
While it was clear that the burglars were acting on behalf of Nixon’s campaign, they never made their intentions known to anyone else. They did so out of fear that they might be arrested and put in jail for their actions, but also because they feared that their own job would be jeopardized if they were exposed to public scrutiny.
When they were finally caught, the plumbers were convicted on charges of breaking into the DNC and illegally bugging the phones in their offices. Some of them cooperated with the prosecution, while others refused to do so.
But the Plumbers’ actions were not just crimes against the DNC; they were also crimes against Nixon and against America. By breaking into the DNC and bugging their phones, Hunt, Liddy and their team helped set off a chain of criminal acts that would ultimately destroy Nixon’s presidency and his reputation as a leader. These treasonous acts ultimately forced Nixon to resign, which is why Watergate has become the enduring symbol of American high-level scandal.