On this day, Feb. 21, in 1975, former U.S. Attorney General John N. Mitchell and former White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman are sentenced to up to eight years in prison in the Watergate scandal.
The scandal began with the arrest of five men, accused of breaking and entering the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex on June 17, 1972.
President Nixon denied any involvement, but secret tape-recordings made by the president and the testimony confirmed that the men had participated in meetings to plan the break-in. The men also met with the president to cover up the conspiracy.
Mitchell; Haldeman, the White House chief of staff; and Ehrlichman were convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury. Each served 18 months behind bars.
Mitchell is the only U.S. attorney general convicted of illegal activities.
— Scott McCabe
