May 9, 1974: The House Judiciary Committee opens public impeachment hearings against President Nixon

Five men were arrested after breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Washington, D.C., Watergate hotel June 17, 1972. Investigations conducted by the House Judiciary Committee and the press revealed that this burglary was one of many illegal activities authorized and carried out by Nixon's staff, including campaign fraud, political espionage, illegal break-ins, improper tax audits, illegal wiretapping and a secret slush fund laundered in Mexico to pay those who conducted the operations. After two years of investigation, it was revealed that Nixon had recorded many conversations. Evidence recorded on tape revealed that Nixon had obstructed justice. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in United States v. Nixon that the president must produce the tapes. With certainty of an impeachment, Nixon resigned 10 days later, becoming the only president to resign from office.

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