do their utmost to gather intelligence and urged those employed for in-
telligence purposes to have integrity and be loyal. He was adept at de-
ception operations and tradecraft and was a skilled propagandist. He
also practiced sound operational security. He emphasized his desire for
receiving written, rather than verbal, reports. He demanded repeatedly
that intelligence reports be expedited so that they remain relevant. He
also recognized the need for developing many different sources so that
their reports could be cross-checked and so that the compromise of one
source would not cut off the flow of intelligence from an important area.
Washington sought and obtained a “secret service fund” from the Con-
tinental Congress. In accounting for the sums in his journals, he did not
identify the recipients, thus beginning the tradition of protecting sources
and methods. See alsoHONEYMAN, JOHN; SALOMON, HAYM;
TALLMADGE, BENJAMIN.WATERGATE SCANDAL.The Watergate scandal refers to the break-
in at the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate complex in
Washington, D.C., on 17 June 1972 and the ensuing revelations that
the White House had authorized the break-in. In addition, the scandal
involved several White House officials who tried to cover up their
roles. Subsequent investigations implicated Vice President Spiro Ag-
new, who resigned in October 1973, on charges of tax evasion. Even-
tually, the scandal reached President Richard M. Nixonand his in-
ner circle. Following impeachment hearings broadcast over
television to the American public throughout 1974, President Nixon
resigned on 9 August 1974. Vice President Gerald R. Fordwas
sworn in as president that same day. President Ford granted President
Nixon an unconditional pardon a month later.
Director of Central Intelligence (DCI)Richard M. Helmssuc-
cessfully kept the CIAout of the scandal, even though many of the
Watergate burglars had worked for the CIA. Helms even went so far
as to refuse to cooperate when President Nixon tried to enlist Helms’s
help in blocking the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investi-
gation (FBI). When DCI Helms refused to cooperate, President
Nixon fired him and installed William Colbyas the new DCI.WEBSTER, WILLIAM HEDGECOCK (1924– ).The 14th director
of central intelligence (DCI) between 26 May 1987 and 31 August- William Webster became DCI at a critical time for U.S. intelli-
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