Watergate

Forty years ago President Nixon resigned rather than face impeachment and removal from office for obstruction of justice, abuse of power and contempt of Congress. Dozens of men were charged with crimes, many were found guilty and several went to prison.

On June 17^th, 1972, five men were arrested for breaking into the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Hotel; they were there seeking documents and were going to wiretap the phones. The Nixon administration denied any involvement and then tried to cover-up the evidence to the contrary.

Throughout much of the investigation the President maintained he had no knowledge of the break-in. Senator Howard Baker verbalized what many people were wondering at the time, “What did the President know and when did he know it?”

Shakopee native, Maurice Stans, became famous (or infamous) for his role in the Nixon administration. Stans resigned as Secretary of Commerce to become the finance manager for the Committee for the Reelection of the President (CREEP- the acronym of the committee, not the President). Even though part of the money raised for the campaign was used to finance some of the Watergate activities, Stans denied any knowledge of the crimes and was never convicted of such.

Many years ago Mr. Stans established a foundation for philanthropic purposes in Shakopee. In addition to educational scholarships and awards for Shakopee students, a house, land and money was given for the establishment of a museum in Shakopee. Beginning this month, the Scott County Historical Society is hosting an exhibit about the Watergate scandal at the Stans museum.

Last week David Peterson from the Minneapolis Star Tribune asked me what I thought about the Watergate exhibition in Shakopee. “I actually think it’s a nonissue for people today,” I said. I don’t think most people even know about it, I really don’t. Those that do know would have forgiven or forgotten. That is what we do as Americans. We move on.”

The more I thought about my answer the more it sounded like I was saying.  “What difference does it make now?”  But I think it should matter. It’s wrong when the President lies to the American people and then covers up the lie. Time may muddle the memory, but it does not change the facts. If it was wrong then, it remains wrong now.

Forty years have gone by, and we are on our seventh President since Nixon boarded a helicopter and left the presidency. Perhaps each of the seven who followed has misled the American people, either because of national security (perhaps excusable) or selfish ambition (should be impeachable); either way we seem to tolerate such behavior more than we used to, more than we should; we have come to expect it and accept it. It’s not healthy for the country.

None of us is without fault or without sin so we are tempted to excuse the bad behavior of elected officials as common place and ordinary. One deliberate misstatement from one person may make it easier for the next to mislead, but we all agree two wrongs don’t make a right. Two Wrights did make an airplane, however. (Sorry, that joke is an old favorite of mine).

We should not take comfort when it is someone from our side of the aisle lying to advance our agenda under the belief that the ends justify the means. When we apply different ethics to different situations it becomes impossible to ever know when the truth is being told.  If a person is willing to lie for us for our benefit, they may be just as willing to lie to us for their benefit.

How far we have slid; a lot has changed in forty years.  I’m not sure if wiretapping, lying to the American people, obstruction of justice, and abuse of power or contempt of Congress is even considered wrong anymore.