Landslide

The Exoneration of Richard Nixon


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If the new Supreme Court decision, Trump v. U.S., had applied back in 1974, could President Richard Nixon have been prosecuted for Watergate? Or, would this decision shield Nixon from criminal charges? In this special bonus episode of Landslide, host Ben Bradford explores the scope of the new ruling by looking back at the case against Nixon, the charges he looked likely to face without a pardon, and whether his most brazen actions could today be admitted into a court. Has history proven Nixon correct when he said, "When the president does it, that means it is not illegal?" University of Chicago law professor and legal historian Alison LaCroix joins.

Show notes:

The interview references this 1974 article from The New York Times, describing the evidence against Nixon that led to articles of impeachment: https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/09/archives/the-case-against-richard-nixon-a-catalogue-of-charges-and-his.html

A draft indictment crafted by the Department of Justice in early 1974 shows criminal charges Nixon may have faced if not for the pardon issued by his successor, President Gerald Ford: https://www.archives.gov/files/research/investigations/watergate/roadmap/docid-70105876.pdf-

Short Feed Episode Description: The new Supreme Court decision may have offered Nixon immunity for Watergate and his administration's most brazen actions.

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