Did You Know: U.S. President

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Did You Know, today 8 August 1974 was the day that the 37th President of the United States of America announced his resignation? Richard Nixon resigned due to the Watergate Scandal. On 17 June 1972, five men, including a security coordinator for President Nixon’s reelection committee, were arrested for breaking into and illegally wiretapping the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Washington, D.C., Watergate complex. In May 1973, the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, headed by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, began televised proceedings on the Watergate scandal. Watergate prosecutor Cox and his staff began to uncover widespread evidence of political espionage by the Nixon reelection committee, wiretapping of thousands of citizens, and contributions to the Republican Party in return for political favors. By the end of July 1974 the House Judiciary Committee had adopted three articles of impeachment against President Nixon: obstruction of justice, abuse of presidential powers, and hindrance of the impeachment process. On August 5, transcripts of the recordings were released, including a segment in which the president was heard instructing the FBI to halt the Watergate investigation. Three days later, Nixon announced his resignation. Nixon is the first and only president to resign from office. The next day at noon, Vice President Gerald Ford would be sworn in as President to complete the remaining 2 1/2 years of Nixon's term. Now you know the only U.S. President to resign while in office.