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The 1970's

Fallout From Watergate

Fallout From Watergate
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   8.13

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    impeachment, investigation, break-in, resign, official, vice, presidency, icon, possibility, presidential, finding, lasting, scandal, federal, administration, government
     content words:    United States, Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln, Nixon White House, Democratic Party, In August, White House, Bob Haldeman, On August, Richard Nixon

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Fallout From Watergate
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     When an official in the United States government is accused of doing something wrong, it is called impeachment. Impeachment hearings are held in front of Congress. If the charges are proved, the official can be removed from office. Up until 1974, only one president had faced impeachment. His name was Andrew Johnson. He became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The charges against Johnson could not be proved, so Johnson remained in office.
 
2     The investigation into the Watergate break-in continued to turn up the involvement of more and more people in the Nixon White House. More people began to talk of impeachment proceedings against the president. Could it be proved that the president had knowledge of plans for illegal acts against the Democratic Party? Had he helped make the plans? If this was true, he could be removed from office.
 
3     Seven of Nixon's former aides were indicted by the court in March of 1974. That means that they were ordered to appear in court to answer charges against them. Most of them were charged with lying or withholding evidence from the investigators. In August of that year, the most incriminating White House tape of all was found. It was called by many the "smoking gun." This tape proved that Nixon knew what was going on. He supported the plans. Investigators heard for themselves the president and his aide, Bob Haldeman, discussing plans to keep investigators from finding out the truth.

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