The White House Plumbers, a clandestine unit formed to stop information leaks, comprised a small group of individuals whose actions would have profound consequences for the Nixon administration and their own lives. These figures, including E. Howard Hunt, G. Gordon Liddy, and Egil Krogh, were central to the covert operations that spiraled into the Watergate scandal. Their stories illustrate the personal and legal repercussions of their involvement,
from imprisonment to disbarment, and offer a glimpse into the pressures and ethical compromises made within the highest echelons of power.
E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy: The Operatives
E. Howard Hunt, a former CIA operative, and G. Gordon Liddy, an ex-FBI agent, were two of the most prominent and active members of the White House Plumbers. Hunt was recommended to the unit by Charles Colson, while Liddy was brought in by Egil Krogh. Together, they were instrumental in planning and executing the covert operations, including the break-in at Daniel Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office and the multiple attempts to infiltrate the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate complex.
Following the arrests at the DNC, both Hunt and Liddy faced severe legal consequences. Liddy was convicted of burglary, conspiracy, and wiretapping, receiving a sentence of 6 years and 8 months in prison, of which he served 4 and a half years. Hunt was also convicted of burglary, conspiracy, and wiretapping, and was sentenced to 2 and a half to 8 years in prison, serving 33 months. Their involvement and subsequent legal battles were central to the public's understanding of the scandal, as they were among the first to be directly implicated in the illegal activities.
Egil Krogh: The Unit's Head and His Reckoning
Egil "Bud" Krogh Jr. was appointed by John Ehrlichman to head the
