Pages

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

WATERGATE BREAK-IN

WATERGATE BREAK-IN WAS 42 YEARS AGO 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The Democratic National Committee Headquarters in the Watergate Hotel was burglarized here in the Nation's Capital 42 years ago today, June 17, 1972.

Five intruders were arrested.  They included...

James McCord
Frank Sturgis
Bernard Barker
Virgilio Gonzalez 
Eugenio Martinez.

James McCord was the security chief for President Richard M. Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President or CREEP.

Three of the five burglars were Cuban exiles and one was a Cuban-American.

The Constitution Daily writes...

"The burglars used tape to hold open the latches on door locks at the DNC office.  A sharp-eyed guard, Frank Wills, saw the tape and called police."

The reason for the break-in was to assure President Nixon's re-election in 1972 by collecting information to sabotage the Democratic presidential campaign.

Ron Zeigler, President Nixon's press secretary, referred to the incident on June 19, 1972 as a "third-rate burglary."

As a result of the investigation by the Senate Select Committee on Watergate, President Nixon was forced to resign on August 9, 1974.




Watergate Security Guard's Notes
June 17, 1962

SOURCE

"10 fascinating facts about Watergate 42 years later," The Constitution Daily, www.blog.constitutioncenter.org/



COURT RULES BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The United States Supreme Court ruled 51 years ago today, June 17, 1963, that school sponsored Bible reading is unconstitutional.

The ruling came in the case of Abington* School District v. Schempp which challenged Bible reading over the school intercom as a violation of 1st amendment rights.

The vote on the high court was 8 to 1.

Justice Tom Clark wrote in regard to religious freedom....

"It has long been recognized that government must be neutral and while protecting all, must prefer none and disparage none."

*Abington is located in the state of Pennsylvania.



Justice Tom C. Clark
Photo by Frank Wolfe (1967)
LBJ Library

In response to the 1962 Supreme Court ruling that prayer in schools is unconstitutional, President John F. Kennedy was asked the following question at a news conference of June 27, 1962:

In the furor over the Supreme Court decision on prayer in schools....can you give us your opinion?

The President responded:

"I think...that we (should) support Supreme Court decisions even when we may not agree with them. 

 In addition, we have....a very easy remedy, and that is to pray a good deal more at home....and....make the true meaning of prayer much more important in the lives of all of our children."