The Watergate Scandal is a U.S. political scandal that began with the burglary and wiretapping of the Democratic party's campaign headquarters on June 17, 1972. After that President Nixon and many of his supporters were caught variety of illegal acts. The House of Representatives were going to impeach Nixon on Three counts. First was Obstruction of Justice. Second was abuse of power. And Third was contempt of Congress and the courts. It was then up to the full House to vote. But before the House could act, the newly released tapes proved that President Nixon had been involved in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. In an emotion-filled speech on television, President Nixon announced that he would resign the next day. On August 9, 1974, he left the nation's capital--the only American President ever to resign from the Presidency. The Watergate case proved that the system of checks and balances set up by the constitution works. Together the courts and Congress had restrained a President engaged in wrong-doing. Moreover, they reminded the world that even a President is not above the law in the United States. The Iran-Contra was an American political scandal of 1985 and 1986. President Ronald Reagan arranged an abuse of existing U.S. laws. The profit from the $30 million in arms sales to Iran channeled to the Nicaraguan right- wing "Contra" guerillas to supply arms for use against the Leftist Sandanista Government. This too was in direct violation of U.S. policy (Microsoft Encarta 96).
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