Seinfeld' actor claims new Watergate documentary exonerates Nixon: 'He was railroaded

The actor and narrator of the documentary "Watergate’s Secrets and Betrayals," John O'Hurley, claims that the new film about the scandal that led to Richard Nixon's presidency's downfall finally proves that the former president did not receive a fair trial.

O'Hurley and George Bugatti, the director of the new documentary, spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital about their film, which aims to reframe the narrative surrounding the Watergate scandal and demonstrate its role in forcing Nixon from office in 1974.

According to O'Hurley, the film will reveal that he did not receive a fair trial due to illegal activities that occurred behind the scenes.

Nixon was the first and only U.S. president to resign due to the Watergate scandal, which involved his administration's cover-up of a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters during the 1972 election.

The Watergate scandal, which led to Nixon's resignation and sparked a political and media investigation, remains one of the most infamous in American history. The suffix "gate" is now commonly used to refer to political scandals.

Geoff Shepard, a former deputy counsel on Nixon's Watergate defense team, has spent 27,000 hours investigating the Watergate scandal and believes he has found evidence of collusion between judicial and prosecutorial interests that led to Nixon's resignation.

Nixon's conviction was due to alleged prosecutorial misconduct, which was revealed through the special prosecutor's paper trail, despite Nixon still being tied to the Watergate break-in and cover up.

O'Hurley stated that the film portrays "backstage discussions between the judge and prosecutor without the presence of counsel."

Bugatti pointed out that there were approximately ten to twelve meetings between the two without Nixon's defense attorney being present.

"However, it is extremely difficult to revisit a document that contains a statement from a lead prosecutor, stating that they met with a judge in secret, without anyone else being aware of it," he stated, summarizing Shepard's research.

J. Peterman actor O'Hurley stated that the findings prove Nixon was "railroaded" during the Watergate trial and his only option was to resign.

"The actor stated that he resigned because he had no other options, and he believes that history will prove that he was wrongfully accused and railroaded."

Nixon's railroading was the first instance of "lawfare" in the country, according to Bugatti.

"Lawfare was born when the criminal justice system was weaponized to drive a president from office. This was done to avoid Nixon's landslide reelection, which was the will of the people. This document highlights the need to be aware and alert that this is still happening today."

Shepard's findings were vouched for by O'Hurley, who stated that he never questioned the popular Watergate narrative until working on the documentary.

"I am simply an American named John Q. I had no knowledge that these activities took place or that they were so heinous that they should have influenced the actions during the Watergate hearings," he stated.

"This documentary is intended for me specifically."

He said, "Well, you certainly hope so," when asked if he hopes the new documentary will change Americans' perceptions of Nixon. He added that the narrative can be altered only if "we do our homework and do the necessary promotion for this film, because this film is an essential piece of the Watergate story."

O'Hurley emphasized the importance of including this in the complete picture of Watergate events.

Bugatti advised Fox to consider Nixon's presidency as a whole, rather than just focusing on his negative actions. He pointed out Nixon's accomplishments, such as creating OSHA, Title IX, and ending the Vietnam War, and urged Fox to take a broader view of his legacy.

The Watergate scandal's secrets and betrayals are now available on WatergateSecrets.com and will soon be premiering on major streaming platforms.

Planet Chronicle Digital’s Brian Flood contributed to this report.