Saturday Night Massacre

The Saturday Night Massacre refers to a pivotal event during the Watergate scandal in 1973. President Richard Nixon ordered the firing of special prosecutor Archibald Cox, who was investigating his administration's involvement in the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. When Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus refused to carry out the firing, they resigned. This led to widespread public outrage and further investigations into Nixon's actions, significantly damaging his presidency and trust in the government, ultimately contributing to Nixon's resignation in 1974.