The mastermind behind the break-ins that brought down a president

Cultures · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: He was an FBI agent turned political operative whose extreme methods fueled the Watergate scandal. From executing 'dirty tricks' to surviving federal prison, G. Gordon Liddy’s intense life and controversial tactics helped trigger the resignation of Richard Nixon.

G. Gordon Liddy, born in Brooklyn in 1930, was a central figure in the Watergate scandal. A former FBI agent who served in an antiaircraft radar unit during the Korean War era, Liddy moved from law enforcement to the Nixon administration. Working alongside E. Howard Hunt, he helped lead 'the Plumbers,' a unit designed to stop information leaks, and later worked for the Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP).

Liddy was known for his radical, often grandiose, strategies. Under the code-name 'Gemstone,' he proposed a package of sabotage that included kidnapping radicals and even assassinating a columnist. While those specific plans were not carried out, Liddy and Hunt orchestrated the break-ins at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex. These operations, including the May 28, 1972, bugging of offices and the June 17, 1972, burglary that led to several arrests, ultimately triggered the investigation that forced Nixon to resign in 1974.

Liddy’s personal history was marked by an intense, disciplined, and often unsettling drive. He described overcoming childhood fears through extreme acts, such as killing a rat to conquer a fear of rodents. His legal and political career was equally polarizing; he gained fame for arresting counterculture figure Timothy Leary in 1966 but faced scrutiny for his role in the Watergate conspiracy. After being sentenced to 20 years in prison in 1973, his sentence was commuted by President Jimmy Carter in 1977, and he later transitioned into a successful career as a right-wing radio host.

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