Watergate - dark money and presidential abuse of power returns stronger than ever: op-ed

This is a guest opinion column.

Those who characterize the June 17, 1972, break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters as a minor burglary are either suffering from historical amnesia or attempting to deceive the public. The subsequent cover-up orchestrated by the Nixon administration triggered an impeachment crisis that forced Richard Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974. Only one month later, President Gerald Ford granted a full, unconditional pardon to his predecessor for any federal crimes committed during his term, effectively shielding him from the consequences of the Watergate scandal.

The Legacy of Impunity

While the themes of presidential accountability and resignation might seem like remnants of a bygone era in 2026, the parallels to modern politics are striking. We now see a former president convicted of 34 felony counts openly targeting the federal officials who investigated him, emboldened by Supreme Court rulings that grant him broad immunity for his official acts.

Watergate’s malignant influence remains present. Today, the political landscape is defined by billions in Super PAC spending and a presidency that operates under the assumption that the executive branch is effectively above the law.

The Return of Dark Money

In the wake of Watergate, Americans were outraged to learn that the scandal was bankrolled by a secret slush fund filled with corporate and wealthy contributions. Congress responded with transparency laws designed to clean up election ethics. However, those efforts were dismantled by the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010), which ruled that restricting corporate and union political spending violated the First Amendment.

The consequences are clear: federal election cycle spending by super PACs surged from roughly $1.4 billion in 2022 to a reported $2.7 billion in 2024, according to OpenSecrets. Furthermore, as reported by The Nation on May 21, 2026, the artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency sectors have injected over $321 million into the 2026 cycle alone, targeting candidates who oppose their preferred regulatory environments.

Alabama voters are no strangers to this phenomenon. Our state has seen primary elections swayed by anonymous attack ads funded by dark money. The public’s demand for transparency—and the legal right to identify these anonymous donors—has never been more urgent.

A Nation at a Crossroads

Historians increasingly argue that Gerald Ford’s pardon of Nixon did more to hinder the nation’s healing than a public jury trial ever would have. A trial would have provided a definitive signal that the American justice system remains blind to power and status. Instead, the precedent established by that pardon has paved the way for the executive pardons we have witnessed in recent years from both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Watergate was never just about a botched burglary; it was a revelation of how deep-seated abuses can compromise our government and presidency. To prevent these history-repeating failures, we must address the rise of the imperial presidency and put an end to the influence of anonymous titans who distort our elections with lies.

Wayne Morse is a trial lawyer and a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College and Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. He observed the Watergate Congressional hearings throughout the summer of 1973 prior to beginning his legal education.