Why DOJ Is Reviewing the Watergate Investigation More Than 50 Years Later

October 1, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Justice Department is reviewing whether the Watergate special prosecutor’s office committed misconduct more than 50 years after the scandal that forced Richard Nixon from office. The review, triggered by a former Nixon aide who brought original memos to the department, is examining allegations that prosecutors met with the judge outside court and withheld exculpatory evidence from the defense. Meanwhile, mortgage rates posted their biggest weekly jump in four years, oil markets remain under pressure despite resumed tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and Mattel has drawn takeover interest from Authentic Brands Group.

DOJ Revisits Watergate Prosecution

The Office of Professional Responsibility — itself created in Watergate’s wake — is looking into whether the Watergate special counsel violated the due process rights of people caught up in the scandal. The review was prompted by Jeff Shepherd, a former Nixon aide who has become a leading authority on the case. Shepherd presented the Justice Department with a 78-page slide deck and original source material, including contemporaneous memos, during a meeting that lasted more than two hours.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:03) **DOJ Reviews Watergate Prosecution** - The Justice Department is reviewing whether the Watergate special prosecutor's office committed misconduct more than 50 years after the scandal.
2 (02:56) **Political Ramifications of Nixon's Legacy** - The review has real political implications for the conservative movement and President Trump's fascination with Nixon.
3 (04:21) **Lawsuits Filed in Killing of Renee Good** - The family of a Minnesota woman fatally shot by an ICE agent has filed two wrongful death lawsuits.
4 (05:29) **U.S. Sends More Troops to Middle East** - The Pentagon is sending a third aircraft carrier and more Marine Corps ships, adding up to 10,000 troops to the region by November.
5 (05:50) **UK Arrests in Foiled Terror Plot** - Police arrested a dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of preparing a terror attack, as investigations probe a foiled attack on an Air Force base.
6 (06:18) **UAE Investigates Cockpit Stabbing** - The UAE is investigating a cockpit stabbing on a fly Dubai flight bound for Israel, after the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
7 (07:10) **Mortgage Rates Jump** - Freddie Mac reported the 30-year mortgage rate jumped from just over 7% to 7.28%, the biggest weekly increase in four years.

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Show Notes

P.M. Edition for Oct. 1. The Justice Department is reviewing whether prosecutors mishandled the Watergate case, decades after the scandal led to Richard Nixon’s resignation. WSJ White House reporter Philip Wegmann explains that the review comes as more conservatives, including President Trump, show renewed interest in Nixon’s legacy. Plus, mortgage rates had their biggest weekly increase in four years, tracking the sharp recent rise in U.S. bond yields. Markets reporter David Uberti discusses why more ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz haven’t done more to send gas prices and bond yields lower. And that global bound rout got messier today, as investors started picking winners and losers in different countries. Alex Ossola hosts.

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