Watergate is considered one of the biggest scandals in America today. Although the term Watergate refers to the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C., it has become synonymous with political burglary, bribery, extortion, phone tapping, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, tax fraud, illegal use of government agencies such as the CIA and the FBI, illegal campaign contributions, and use of money for private purposes, but most of all, abuse of power. It is also used as a general term describing the complex web of political scandals between 1972 and 1974.
             The Watergate event happened in June of 1972, it was a burglary that holds worldwide importance. Five people broke into the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel to bug the phones. This group was made up of anti-Castro Cuban refugees and former FBI and CIA agents; the group was strongly Republican. All of the burglars were members of the Committee to Re-Elect the President. After Nixon's re-election, effects of the Watergate break-in grew larger. Several of the burglars went to jail. When the connections between the burglars and the Republican White House grew stronger, several of the White House staff was forced to resign. Rumors soon began to spread about the break-in, similarities in events that were believed to have occurred, and President Nixon's involvement.
             The Senate's investigation of the Watergate scandal became damaging to the President almost immediately, as John Dean told of how he and the President had talked about how to cover up the Watergate scandal. Things got worse later on as the Senate found out that the President had recorded all of his telephone conversations. The Senate Committee demanded that President Nixon turn over the tapes, but the President claimed things like National Security and Executive Privileges and refused to turn over the tapes. The pressure upon the President grew stronger and stronger. F
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