Reborn in America: Starting as a California Resident

As the investigation deepened, what was perplexing was that much of the crucial evidence seemed to have vanished into thin air, as if wiped away by an invisible hand.

However, amidst this fog of mystery, journalist Woodward unexpectedly made contact with a mysterious, anonymous source.

This informant always chose to deliver messages in whispers in the dimly lit underground parking garage, which is why Woodward nicknamed him "Deep Throat."

It wasn't until 2005 that the true identity of this legendary informant was revealed—he was William Mark Felt, Sr., the deputy director of the FBI.

Every time "Deep Throat" reveals inside information, it becomes a shocking report.

These reports were like bombshells, repeatedly causing a huge uproar in the public sphere.

For example, on September 29, 1972, they uncovered the illicit source of funds behind the break-in at the Watergate building and the installation of listening devices; these funds were actually money laundered through campaign donation channels.

Then, on October 10, the two revealed that the Watergate scandal was actually the core of a series of political espionage activities targeting the Democratic Party, which were directly directed by senior White House officials and became one of the key strategies for President Nixon's re-election campaign.

This dramatic history was brought to the big screen by Hollywood in 1976 in a film titled "All the President's Men," giving the public a glimpse into the thrilling events of that year.

Back in January 1973, less than two weeks before President Nixon's second inauguration, the trial of five thieves and two of their accomplices began in federal court.

Despite the White House’s efforts to limit the case to burglary and violation of wiretapping laws, presiding judge John J. Sirica did not stop there.

He kept pressing for answers to questions not explicitly stated in the indictment, particularly regarding the involvement of the White House and the presidential campaign in the case.

Ultimately, all five defendants pleaded guilty, while G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord Jr. were found guilty.

On March 23, McCord submitted a written statement admitting that he and other defendants had committed perjury in court, and that it was all under someone else's instruction.

Based on this, Judge Sirika delivered a harsh sentence, sentencing the three defendants to up to 40 years in prison. However, he also stated that he would consider reducing their sentences if they were willing to fully confess and cooperate with the investigation.

1973年2月7日，参议院以一致通过（77-0）的表决结果，成立了专门调查1972年总统竞选活动中滥用职权及火门事件的特别委员会（Senate Select Committee）。

The committee consists of four Democratic senators and three Republican senators. Samuel J. Ervin, a conservative Democratic senator from North Carolina, was elected as the committee chair, while Howard H. Baker, a moderate Republican senator from Tennessee, served as the vice chair.

Irving and Baker both enjoy widespread respect and trust within the Senate and have good reputations within both the Democratic and Republican parties.

At a Senate hearing in early March, a shocking revelation was made: White House Counsel John W. Dean III had access to FBI files related to the Firegate investigation.

In response, President Nixon immediately invoked "executive privilege" to refuse Dean and other White House staff permission to testify before Congress.

Faced with Nixon's tough stance, Commission Chairman Irving responded without backing down, stating that if the president continued to obstruct, the commission would issue arrest warrants to force Nixon's subordinates to testify before Congress.

Ultimately, Nixon had no choice but to compromise.

On March 21, Dean advised the president in a private conversation with Nixon that he should stop all illegal activities and abandon the cover-up, as this was the only way to "surge the cancer."

"There is a cancer growing on the presidency"—this is what Dean used to describe the seriousness of the situation.

However, Nixon did not take Dean's advice, so Dean decided to testify publicly to the committee led by Irving.

In mid-April, Nixon declared in a statement that, following an internal White House investigation, "no one in this administration was involved in this very bizarre Watergate scandal."

However, on April 17, Presidential Press Secretary Ron Ziegler told the media that all previous White House statements regarding the Firegate incident were "invalid" or "no longer applicable".

This contradictory statement has sparked strong reactions in the public sphere.

Subsequently, on April 30, Nixon took a series of personnel changes, including dismissing Attorney General Richard Kleindienst, Dean, and White House aides John D. Ehrlichman and HR Haldeman.

Nixon claimed his innocence and said he was willing to cooperate with the congressional investigation.

However, these actions did not quell the doubts; instead, they were seen as yet another lie by Nixon.

In response to the crisis, Nixon also appointed a new Attorney General and authorized him to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Watergate, attempting to demonstrate his support for an impartial investigation.

However, these measures failed to stop the situation from escalating, and the shadow of Watergate continued to loom over Nixon's presidency.

欧文委员会的听证会从1973年5月17日持续至8月7日，成为了一场全民关注的事件。

Viewers across the country stopped what they were doing to gather around their television sets to watch the live broadcast, which even led to a significant drop in trading volume at the New York Stock Exchange. Many housewives also paused their daily chores during the hearings to listen intently to every testimony.

During this period, almost every week new scandals about the Firegate scandal were revealed by the Irving Commission, grand juries, the news media, and Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox.

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