Understanding Executive Privilege and the Watergate Scandal

What is executive privilege?

• A president's right to unlimited terms in office

• A president's right to engage in foreign wars without Congress approval

• A president's right to withhold information under certain circumstances

• A president's right to dissolve Congress

Who was the special prosecutor appointed to investigate the Watergate scandal?

• Leon Jaworski

• Warren Burger

• John Sirica

• Archibald Cox

Which president is associated with the Watergate scandal?

• Jimmy Carter

• Gerald Ford

• John F. Kennedy

• Richard Nixon

What led to the firing of Archibald Cox?

• He resigned voluntarily

• He lost the legal battle in court

• He refused to drop his subpoena for the tapes

• He completed his investigation

What action did Nixon take against the subpoena for the tapes?

• He immediately complied

• He destroyed the tapes

• He appealed to the public for support

• He released only parts of the tapes

Who took over as special prosecutor after Archibald Cox was fired?

• Warren Burger

• John Sirica

• Henry Kissinger

• Leon Jaworski

What was the Supreme Court's decision regarding Nixon's claim of executive privilege?

• They upheld the subpoena as legal

• They did not hear the case

• They dismissed the case

• They ruled in favor of Nixon

What does the Supreme Court ruling imply about the balance of power in the U.S. government?

• No branch should operate with absolute independence

• All branches operate with absolute independence

• The judicial branch is subordinate to the executive

• The executive branch has absolute power

What was the outcome for Nixon following the release of the subpoenaed tapes?

• He was cleared of all charges

• He resigned from office

• He was impeached but not convicted

• He was re-elected

What was missing from the tapes when Nixon released them?

• Recordings of personal phone calls

• Evidence of other unrelated crimes

• 8.5 minutes of conversations

• 30 minutes of silence