Then, it was decided that a team would break into Democratic Headquarters and plant listening devices and photograph documents. On June 17, 1972, five men were caught and arrested for burglary. Almost immediately, it was traced back to the Nixon White House. The President called emergency meetings for discussion. His concerns were amplified, when he learned that CIA Operatives Howard
Hunt & G. Gordon Liddy were involved. A few days later, Nixon
recorded the meeting with Chief of Staff, HR Halderman.
"... Of course, this is a, this is a Hunt, you will-that will uncover a lot of things. You open that scab there's a hell of a lot of things and that we just feel that it would be very detrimental to have this thing go any further. This involves these Cubans, Hunt, and a lot of hanky-panky that we have nothing to do with ourselves..."
Next, the burglars were demanding money, and clemency. Suddenly, the White House was being blackmailed. Whatever they had, must have been very serious, because money was paid to the burglars from the re-election campaign . H.R. Haldeman and Frank Sturgis believed Nixon's references to the "Bay of Pigs" concerned the assassination of JFK. Oddly, once the dust settled, some of those involved in the scandal, ran to Warren Commission attorneys for cover.
by Michael Capasse
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