"A THIRD-RATE BURGLARY"

NIXON RE-ELECTION COMMITTEE OPERATIVES BREAK-IN DNC HQ

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On June 17, 1972, the Democratic National Headquarters located in the Watergate Complex here in the Nation's Capital was burglarized.

Five persons were arrested including James McCord, Frank Sturgis, Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez and Eugenio Martinez.  Three of the five were Cuban exiles while one was a Cuban-American.  James W. McCord, Jr.* was the security chief for CREEP or the Committee to Re-elect the President."

At the time, the Nixon administration referred to the break-in as "a third-rate burglary."

It was later learned that the "burglars" were in the process of collecting information to sabotage the Democratic presidential campaign of 1972.  The arrests led to the formation of the Senate Select Committee on Watergate and the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon on August 9, 1974.

*James Walter McCord, Jr. (1924-2017) was born in Waurika, Oklahoma & served in the US Army Air Force in WWII.  JWM earned his BA at the University of Texas Austin & MS at George Washington University.  JWM worked for the FBI & later the CIA.  In 1961, he headed a counter-intelligence program against the Fair Play for Cuba Committee.

 

 

The Watergate Complex

Washington, D.C. (2006)

"A SHARP-EYED GUARD SAW THE TAPE & CALLED POLICE"

DNC HQS BURGLARIZED BY NIXON OPERATIVES

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On June 17, 1972, five burglars broke into  Democratic National Committee Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel here in the Nation's Capital.  According to Constitution Daily...

"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 burglars, arrested after being caught in the act, included...

James W. McCord, Frank Sturgis, Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez and
Eugenio Martinez.

McCord was later linked to Richard M. Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President*.    The FBI learned of a connection to E. Howard Hunt**, former long-time CIA operative, through an address book taken from Barker. 

Why did Nixon's re-election committee break-in to the DNC headquarters? 

According to J. Anthony Lukas, they "were trying to determine what Lawrence F. O'Brien, the chairman of the DNC, knew about some shady dealings between Nixon and Howard Hughes and ... trying to dig up some dirt with which to persuade the Democrats to withhold what they knew about the Nixon-Hughes relationship."

While Ron Zeigler, President Nixon's press secretary, referred to the break-in as a "third-rate burglary,"  an extensive investigation by the Senate Select Committee on Watergate, led to Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974.

*Committee to re-elect the President (CRP) was a fund raising organization for Richard M. Nixon organized in 1970 & opening offices in Washington, D.C. spring 1971.  Its activities included money laundering & illegal slush funds.  CRP paid $500,000 for legal defenses of the Watergate burglars.
 
**Everette Howard Hunt, Jr. (1918-2007) was born in Hamburg, NY & graduated from Brown University (1940).  EHH Jr. served in the US Navy, Army Air Corps & Office of Strategic Services during WWII.  He was a CIA officer from 1949 to 1970.  EHH Jr. also published 73 novels.

SOURCES

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

"Why the Watergate Break-in?," by J. Anthony Lukas, The New York Times, November 30, 1987, www.nytimes.com/

Watergate Security Guard's Notes

June 17, 1972

"TO ASSURE NIXON'S RE-ELECTION IN 1972"

FIVE ARRESTED FOR BREAK-IN OF DNC HQ AT WATERGATE HOTEL

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On June 17, 1971, the Democratic National Committee Headquarters in the Watergate Hotel was burglarized here in the Nation's Capital.  Five intruders were arrested.  They included...

James McCord*, Frank Sturgis, Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez, and 

Eugenio Martinez.   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.

JFK+50 UPDATE

Keith Sharon of the L.A. Daily News shares a surprising story about the break-in.  The burglars might not have been caught but for the tenacity of a DNC intern named Bruce Givner** who stayed late Friday night, June 16, 1971 making long-distance phone calls.

The break-in was scheduled for 9 p.m. and the burglars were awaiting the GO signal from a man stationed in the Howard Johnson Motor Lodge across the street from the Watergate Hotel.  The signal did not come until after midnight when the intern finally left.  The long delay contributed to the operation's failure.

*James Walter McCord, Jr. was born in 1924 in Waurika, Oklahoma & educated at Baylor, the University of Texas & George Washington University.  JWM served in the USAF Reserve and CIA where he directed, in 1961, a counter-intelligence program against the Fair Play for Cuba Committee of which Lee Harvey Oswald was a member.

**Bruce Givner lives in Bel Air but grew up in Lorain, Ohio.  He studied history at UCLA where he enrolled in a summer internship program.  BG did not get a "prize" assignment, but was put with the DNC in Washington, D.C.

SOURCES

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

"The man who stayed late:  The Watergate story you've never heard," by Keith Sharon, June 14, 2019, Los Angeles Daily News, www.dailynews.com/

Watergate Security Guard's Notes

June 17, 1962

A THIRD RATE BURGLARY?

NIXON'S MEN BREAK-IN TO DNC HQ AT WATERGATE HOTEL

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The Democratic National Committee Headquarters in the Watergate Hotel was burglarized here in the Nation's Capital on June 17, 1972.Five intruders were arrested.  They included...
James McCord*, Frank Sturgis, Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez, and 
Eugenio Martinez.   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.

*James Walter McCord, Jr. was born in 1924 in Waurika, Oklahoma & educated at Baylor, the University of Texas & George Washington University.
JWM served in the USAF Reserve and the Central Intelligence Agency where he directed, in 1961, a counter-intelligence program against the Fair Play for Cuba Committee of which Lee Harvey Oswald was a member.

Watergate Security Guard's Notes

June 17, 1962

SOURCE

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

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."

SUPREME COURT RULES BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

June 17, 1963


SUPREME COURT RULES BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS UNCONSTITUTIONAL


The United States Supreme Court ruled by a vote of 8 to 1 today 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.


Abington is located in the state of Pennsylvania.


Justice Tom Clark wrote in regard to religious freedom...."it has long been recognized that government must be neutral & while protecting all, must prefer none & disparage none."

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 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, & that is to pray a good deal more at home....&....make the true meaning of prayer much more important in the lives of all of our children."


June 17, 1972


DNC HQ AT WATERGATE BURGLARIZED


The Democratic National Committee Headquarters located in the Watergate Complex in Washington, D.C. was burglarized today.


Five intruders were arrested including James McCord, Frank Sturgis, Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez & Eugenio Martinez.


Mr. McCord is the security chief for Richard Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President or "CREEP".


3 of the 5 burglars are Cuban exiles & 1 is a Cuban-American.


The break-in was discovered by a Watergate security officer who found that several doors had been taped to prevent them from locking.


The matter is under further investigation, but at this time the purpose of the break-in is not known.*


*Later, Nixon campaign funds will be tied to the break-in, the purpose of which was to assure President Nixon's re-election in 1972 by collecting information to sabotage the Democratic presidential campaign.  In the end, Nixon was forced to resign on August 9, 1974.

         Watergate Security Guard's Notes
                       June 17, 1962


June 17, 1943


SECRETARY OF WAR STOPS TRUMAN'S INQUIRY


President Roosevelt's Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson, telephoned Senator Harry S Truman (D-Missouri) today asking him not to make inquiries about a government defense plant located in Pasco, Washington.


Senator Truman is chairman of a Senate committee investigating war profiteering by American defense plants.


While the reasons for Secretary Stimson's request is not known, Senator Truman has indicated that he will comply with the request.*


*Truman told Stimson: "You won't have to say another word to me" after the Secretary explained the secrecy needed in this case.  The defense plant in question was part of the "Manhattan Project" to develop the atomic bomb. 


 Ironically, it would be President Truman who would make the decision to use the weapon in August 1945 against the Japanese.

                          Henry Stimson
            Photo by Harris & Ewing (1929)


June 17, 1885


STATUE OF LIBERTY ARRIVES IN NEW YORK


A gift from the people of France to the people of the United States arrived today in New York harbor.  It is called "The Statue of Liberty".


The 151 foot statue arrived by ship in pieces & will be reassembled on an island in the harbor.


The statue is the brainchild of French historian Edouard Laboulaye to commemorate the Franco-American alliance during the American Revolution.*


*The Statue of Liberty will be dedicated by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886.

   Nancy Reagan In Liberty's Crown
                     July 4, 1986
White House Photo by Bill Fitzpatrick


June 17, 1876


US CAVALRY DEFEATED AT THE ROSEBUD


General George Crook's US Cavalry met defeat today at the hands of Sioux warriors along the banks of the Rosebud Creek in southern Montana.


Crook with a force of 1300 men were the victims of a surprise attack by 1500 mounted Sioux warriors just east of the Little Big Horn River.


The Sioux, led by Crazy Horse, had another 2500 warriors in reserve.


Crook lost 28 dead & 56 wounded.*


*8 days later, Sioux & Cheyenne warriors would defeat George A. Custer's 7th Cavalry at the Little Big Horn.