On October 20, 1973, President Richard Nixon ordered the dismissal of special prosecutor Archibald Cox, who was investigating the Watergate scandal. Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus refused to carry out the order and resigned. Solicitor General Robert Bork then dismissed Cox. The events became known as the “Saturday Night Massacre.” The move sparked public outrage and led to calls for impeachment. It also prompted Congress to push harder for access to the White House tapes, deepening the crisis that would end with Nixon’s resignation in 1974.
