5) This started a powerful struggle. The Senate Committee wondered if they could find the president in contempt of congress which would be a serious legal charge. But they didn't know who would be a serious legal charge. But they didn't know who would arrest him since the president controlled the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the Armed Forces. The committee had to think quick and come up with another way to get the tapes. Cox and the grand jury was going to sue for the tapes in federal court. The committee decided to follow the special prosecutor's lead. (Westerfled 43) Both lawsuits went to Judge John Sirca, the same judge who presided the trials of the Watergate burglars. Judge Sirca charged the president to turn over the tapes to the special prosecutor. When the White House Appealed the decision the case went to the Federal Court of appeals. (Westerfled 43)Another scandal in the White House shocked the nation. The Department of Justice announced that they had been investigating Vice President Spiro T. Anew for taking large bribes in return for government contracts. He then resigned from office October 10, 1973. (Westerfled 47) On October 15, 1973 the court of appeals sustained Judge Sirca's ruling and demanded that the president give the subpoenaed tapes to the Special Prosecutor, Archibald Cox. Nixon ordered Cox not to subpoena any more tapes, although Cox said he would do so. Cox also told him that if he refused he would find him in contempt of the court. (Westerfled 45) Nixon was beyond furious. Cox was a employee of the executive branch and questioning the authority of the president. Nixon ordered Richardson's deputy attorney general William D. Ruckelshavs to fire Cox. He also refused and was fired. The third-ranking Justice Department official, Solicitor General Robert H. Bork, was now acting as Attorney General. He agreed to fire Cox. This event was called the "Saturday Massacre." (Westerfled 4...
