Butterfield's Revelation: Nixon's Secret Tapes

0:00This is your global news update for March 10th. Alexander Butterfield, the former White House aide who exposed President Richard Nixon's secret Oval Office Recording System, died on Monday at age 99. His wife confirmed the news to media outlets. Butterfield's revelation during Senate testimony in 1973 changed the course of American history. That disclosure happened amid the Watergate scandal, which began with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 19. 72. The burglars had ties to Nixon's re-election campaign and the ensuing cover-up drew intense scrutiny. Butterfield, an Air Force veteran and deputy chief of staff, oversaw White House security and knew about the tapes firsthand. He had helped install the system under Nixon's direction, capturing every conversation when the president was present. The tapes provided key evidence of Nixon's role in the cover-up, sparking a legal fight that reached the Supreme Court. In 1974, the court ordered their release, paving the way for Nixon's

1:01impeachment proceedings and his resignation, the only one by a U.S. President. After leaving government service, including a stint leading the Federal Aviation Administration, Butterfield worked in business in California. Fellow Nixon aide John Dean praised his courage in breaking his oath of secrecy to tell the truth. We'd like to thank our sponsor for making this episode possible. If sleep podcasts are your thing, this is your pillow, built for comfort and calm, S-O-L-I-SoliPillow.com