WATERGATE SCANDAL: GRAND JURY READY TO HIT RICHARD NIXON WITH 4 CRIMINAL CHARGES, NEWLY RELEASED DOC

[pnwmom]

Source: Newsweek

Court documents unsealed on Wednesday after nearly 45 years show that a federal grand jury in February 1974 was prepared to indict former GOP President Richard Nixon on four criminal counts for his role in the 1970s Watergate scandal that led to his resignation.

The charges, including bribery, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and obstruction of a criminal investigation, would have been for Nixon and his administration’s attempt to cover up the break-in and wiretapping of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at The Watergate Hotel in D.C.

Five men were arrested on June 17, 1972, for their involvement in the matter. The men attempted to photograph DNC documents and wiretap DNC officials’ phones, potentially sabotaging the Democrats' chances at unseating Nixon in the upcoming 1972 presidential election.

The draft of the indictment from a Washington grand jury stated that “from on or about March 21, 1973…Richard M. Nixon unlawfully, willfully and knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate and agree together and with co-conspirators…to commit bribery…obstruct justice…and obstruct a criminal investigation.”


Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/grand-jury-indict-richard-nixon-watergate-1195613

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. So a sitting president CAN be indicted, despite what Spanky and his minions say.

[lagomorph777]

24. The Constitution explicitly allows it.

Article 1, Section 3, Clause 7: Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party, (defendant), convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

[NYC Liberal]

32. That says they can be indicted only after they are removed from office.

It’s meant to prevent claims of double jeopardy after a conviction in the Senate.

[lagomorph777]

43. Actually, no, it does not.

The language is inclusive, not exclusive. It says that impeachment and criminal indictment are not mutually exclusive; it says absolutely nothing about sequence of events. Trump's defenders have often tried to claim that the president can't be indicted at all, or that he can only be indicted after impeachment. Those claims are utter nonsense and are directly contradicted by the language of the Constitution.

[LiberalLovinLug]

36. Sorry, but doesn't this prove the exact opposite?

This is 45 years later, and the perp has already kicked the bucket.

What this does for me is prepare me all the more for Mueller to whitewash the whitehouse. At least to withhold any serious criminal charges. You know...for the good of the country, national security and all that.

[SkyDaddy7]

41. I FEAR THE SAME...

America has NEVER EVER done a true self reflection, admit our mistakes take measures to correct them after any major screw up!

...I too fear Mueller could uncover such a wide ranging NASTY ordeal they will hide most of it from WE THE PEOPLE for 50yrs!

[George II]

2. Maybe that's what Barry Goldwater told him about the night before he decided to resign?

[RhodeIslandOne]

3. Has Boozin' Brett already refused to hear the case?

[dawnie51]

4. See what Mr. Mueller is doing here?

Slowly, with purpose, setting the stage. He will follow precedent.

[NastyRiffraff]

5. That was my first thought also

Mueller doesn't leak, but there are other ways to get the message out there. If this comes from his team, it's brilliant.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Set the table, light the candles

Waiter, send me a wine list please!

[sandensea]

7. That must be Cheeto's great ambition as president at this point:

To leave office as an unindicted co-conspirator, just like Tricky Dick did.

And at least Nixon could claim several real accomplisments when he left office.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

10. don has a tattoo of roger stone,...with a tattoo of nixon on his back,.. on his 'shroomer

but you can barely see it (any of it) I'm told by good sourcing.

[sandensea]

16. They should make a horror movie out of the orange oaf

Emoluments Man?

Nightmare on Mar-a-Lago?

[csziggy]

21. Nightmare on Mar-a-Lago could be a remake of Frogs

[sandensea]

23. Ah, yes. Those '70s creature features.

Empire of the Ants, The Kingdom of the Spiders, The Food of the Gods, etc.

They don't make Shlock like they used to. Though goodness knows they still make a lot of it (straight to DVD, of course).

[csziggy]

25. Sharnado was pretty shlocky - and it got very popular

I think Frogs would be perfect - Ray Milland's character as Donald Trump, along with his family members to be picked off by the various creatures one by one. After all, Frogs was set in Florida, though in North Florida, not the south end.

Throw in references to climate change, converting Mar-a-Lago to an island estate, and the plot fits beautifully.

[sandensea]

29. +1

I've never seen that one; will do.

Empire of the Ants was similar in that regard:

South Florida real estate, gullible buyers, an unscrupluous developer, a terrible secret.

The thought of Cheeto running for his life from giant ants or frogs, throwing Melania to their mercy in order to try to save himself, is very amusing I must admit.

[groundloop]

11. Tiny won't go as easily or gracefully as Nixon

I'm afraid we'll know what a real constitutional crisis looks like once Tiny is indicted, I can fully envision him blockading himself in the White House hiding behind a group of military who are loyal to him.

[littlemissmartypants]

14. Ditto. eom

[sandensea]

17. +1

I bet he's already consulting his legal team on the feasability of invoking Continuity of Government powers.

Cheney and the Midland Idiot considered it, after all.

[erronis]

31. Nor as cleanly as his idol Adolf. He'll botch the poison and just puke on the rest of them

that did take his koolaid.

Still having a bunch of mortified dumpists innate on the floor with the orange goon heading to a padded cell would be a dream come true.

(Damn, I love the metaforuses.)

[shraby]

8. trump is going to try to change the subject for sure. BUT it won't be changed.

[Historic NY]

9. So they weren't prohibited from indicting either..

[cureautismnow]

12. "Prepared" to indict?

What does that mean? Five to six months elapsed from the time of their indictment draft until his resignation. Did the prosecutors sit on this for that period of time and use it as incentive for Nixon to resign? What did the grand jury do all of this time waiting for him to resign? Would someone kindly explain this in layman's terms?

[WhoWoodaKnew]

40. Yeah, that's confusing. The dates don't makes sense.

[AllaN01Bear]

13. indeed .

[marylandblue]

15. This has been reported before

The grand jury and the special counsel's staff wanted to indict Nixon. They prepared the documents for his signature, but he refused to sign. He felt it would interfere with existing prosecutions against White House staff. It's not clear what he would have done if the other cases were completed and Nixon was still in office.

[cureautismnow]

18. Thanks! You're right that it appears to be nothing new.

I did not know (but just read about) Jaworski's decision to not indict Nixon himself. Nixon's henchmen were indicted on March 1, 1974.

Here's all I need to know why Jaworski (appointed by Bork after the Saturday Night Massacre) didn't drop the axe:

"However, Jaworski did not always support Democratic candidates. He supported Richard Nixon and voted for him twice, contributed to George H.W. Bush in his campaign for the presidency in 1980, and after Bush conceded the nomination he became treasurer of "Democrats for Reagan" during the 1980 general election campaign."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate_scandal

I hope Mueller does the right thing and follows the grand jury's decision instead of his own opinion regarding DT's potential indictment.

[pnwmom]

19. The documents weren't released before. n/t

[marylandblue]

20. I remember seeing some sort of indictment document

It wasn't very detailed. It may have been a cover letter or a draft. The new documents should be useful

[duforsure]

22. Just think of how many

Charges trump will be facing when all is done.

[Achilleaze]

26. republicans are consistent: filthy liars and crooks

[erronis]

33. We've got to give them an A in consistency. An F in democracy and normal decency.

And we all know where these failed insect exterminators/used-car salesmen would be without Koch/Mercer/etc. moneybags behind them.

[CabalPowered]

27. Why were these unsealed now?

The article is mum on the most important question..

[pnwmom]

28. I noticed that, too. Seems an obvious question. n/t

[CabalPowered]

37. Found the answer

Three lawyers petitioned to have them unsealed.

https://www.lawfareblog.com/watergate-road-map-and-coming-mueller-report

[pnwmom]

38. Thanks!

[Maxheader]

30. What a perfect analysis of cheetox...

[pdsimdars]

34. Hope Whiny boy got to see that article . . .

[Goodmax]

35. Can't wait

to see what Mueller and his grand juries are going to unload.

[dalton99a]

39. Excellent.

[Judi Lynn]

42. So glad to see this. Thank you, pnwmom. n/t