The Department of Justice is now examining whether special prosecutors from the Nixon era engaged in misconduct during the Watergate investigation. A presentation by former Nixon aide Geoff Shepard, who has authored books on the scandal, was delivered to the DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) last month. Shepard alleged that Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski violated defendants’ due‑process rights by secretly meeting with judges and suppressing evidence.
The Watergate story began with a burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., in June 1972. The break‑in led to a two‑year investigation that exposed corruption within the White House and ultimately forced President Richard Nixon to resign in August 1974 amid impeachment proceedings.
A DOJ spokesperson confirmed that Shepard gave the presentation but clarified that no investigation has been opened. The spokesperson noted that OPR had declined to investigate a similar request in 2022 and that the presentation was not itself an inquiry. OPR’s mandate remains to ensure that department attorneys uphold the highest professional standards.
At the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, Vice President JD Vance compared Nixon’s downfall to the challenges faced by President Donald Trump, who has faced multiple indictments and claims of a witch‑hunt. Vance suggested that if a Watergate‑style scandal were to occur today, the media’s rapid coverage would likely reduce its impact on the presidency.
