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==Watergate and dirty tricks==  

==Watergate and dirty tricks==  

The [[Watergate affair]] "dirty tricks" occurred prior to post-Watergate era legislatition regarding the management of Campaign finance funds, usage, and reporting.  The Nixon Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP), a private non-governmental entity, had used funds from its coffieurs to pay for, and later coverup, "dirty tricks".  As a result of later legislation, such activities are strictly regulated, though other private entities still may practice what has become commonly referred to as questionable or unethical "dirty tricks".

The [[Watergate affair]] "dirty tricks" occurred before legislatition regarding the management of Campaign finance funds, usage, and reporting.  The Nixon Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP), a private non-governmental entity, had used funds from its coffers to pay for, and later coverup, "dirty tricks".  As a result of later legislation, such activities are strictly regulated, though other private entities still may practice what has become commonly referred to as questionable or unethical "dirty tricks".

As Watergate unfolded in 1973 and 1974, voters were mesmerized by the endless series of shenanigans encapsulated in the term "dirty tricks." Rumors spread about initial Democratic frontrunner Senator [[Ed Muskie]] and his wife Jane, which undermined his candidacy and led to ill-considered emotional confrontations and his eventual withdrawal. The office of the psychiatrist of [[Daniel Ellsberg]] who illegally leaked the ''Pentagon Papers'' to the ''[[New York Times]]'' was burglarized [[G. Gordon Liddy]], acting on White House Counsel [[John Dean]]'s instructions, broke into  the [[Democratic National Committee]] headquarters located in the Watergate hotel. [[President Richard Nixon]] had no prior knowledge of the break-in, neither did Nixon authorize any plans burglarize the Watergate hotel.

As Watergate unfolded in 1973 and 1974, voters were mesmerized by the endless series of shenanigans encapsulated in the term "dirty tricks".  Rumors spread about initial Democratic frontrunner Senator [[Ed Muskie]] and his wife Jane, which undermined his candidacy and led to ill-considered emotional confrontations and his eventual withdrawal. The office of the psychiatrist of [[Daniel Ellsberg]] who illegally leaked the ''Pentagon Papers'' to the ''[[New York Times]]'' was burgled and [[G. Gordon Liddy]], acting on White House Counsel [[John Dean]]'s instructions, broke into  the [[Democratic National Committee]] headquarters located in the Watergate hotel. [[President Richard Nixon]] had no prior knowledge of the break-in, neither did Nixon authorize any plans burgle the Watergate hotel.

In the FBI's "Dirty Tricks" investigation, the FBI discoverd,  

In the FBI's "Dirty Tricks" investigation, the FBI discoverd,  

President Nixon ordered his aides to compile an "Enemies List" of his most prominent critics not to be invited to White House parties and State functions. John Dean presented the list to Johnnie M. Walters of the [[Internal Revenue Service]] so the IRS could harass the president's critics, though it should be noted the IRS did not comply [http://www.taxhistory.org/thp/readings.nsf/0/0f13f820fc42b47d85256e000057b5e9?OpenDocument], and in fact, audited Nixon himself [http://www.taxhistory.org/thp/readings.nsf/0/f8723e3606cd79ec85256ff6006f82c3?OpenDocument]. Walters tucked the list away for a year and then provided it to congressional investigators. [http://www.parascope.com/articles/0297/nixon1.htm]

President Nixon ordered his aides to compile an "Enemies List" of his most prominent critics not to be invited to White House parties and State functions. John Dean presented the list to Johnnie M. Walters of the [[Internal Revenue Service]] so the IRS could harass the president's critics, though it should be noted the IRS did not comply [http://www.taxhistory.org/thp/readings.nsf/0/0f13f820fc42b47d85256e000057b5e9?OpenDocument], and in fact, audited Nixon himself [http://www.taxhistory.org/thp/readings.nsf/0/f8723e3606cd79ec85256ff6006f82c3?OpenDocument]. Walters tucked the list away for a year and then provided it to congressional investigators. [http://www.parascope.com/articles/0297/nixon1.htm]

Donald Segretti, who was employed by CREEP and coined the term,  was convicted on misdemeanor charges for various misdemeanor "dirty tricks".  

Donald Segretti, who was employed by CREEP and coined the term,  was convicted on misdemeanor charges for various "dirty tricks".  

==The [[Valerie Plame]] scandal==  

==The [[Valerie Plame]] scandal==