Synopsis
The White House Plumbers: The Seven Weeks That Led to Watergate and Doomed Nixon’s Presidency by Egil “Bud” Krogh, co-authored with his son Matthew Krogh, is a reflective memoir that chronicles Krogh’s role in the Nixon administration’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU), infamously known as “The Plumbers,” and the events that set the stage for the Watergate scandal. The narrative begins on July 17, 1971, when Krogh, a young lawyer and special assistant to President Richard Nixon, is summoned to a clandestine meeting by his mentor, John Ehrlichman, a key confidant of the president. Expecting to discuss a drug control program in Vietnam, Krogh is instead tasked with leading the SIU, a covert group formed to address national security leaks, particularly the release of the Pentagon Papers, a classified study exposing U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The book details how Nixon’s growing paranoia about national security and political opponents, particularly in the lead-up to the 1972 election, drove the creation of this secret unit, setting off a chain of events that would unravel his presidency.
Krogh, driven by loyalty and a sense of duty, takes on the responsibility alongside co-director David Young. The SIU, operating outside normal governmental channels, is charged with investigating leaks of sensitive documents, with a primary focus on discrediting Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower responsible for leaking the Pentagon Papers. To this end, Krogh and Young recruit G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt, seasoned operatives with ties to the CIA and anti-Castro activities. The team, posing as tradesmen, orchestrates a break-in at the office of Dr. Lewis Fielding, Ellsberg’s psychiatrist, in a misguided attempt to uncover compromising information. Krogh recounts the operation’s planning and execution, revealing the ethical compromises he made, rationalizing them as necessary for national security. The memoir captures his initial naivety and trust in Ehrlichman, whom he viewed as a father figure, and his failure to question the legality or morality of the mission, a decision that would haunt him.
The book delves into the aftermath of the Fielding break-in, which, while not directly tied to the later Watergate break-in at the Democratic National Committee’s offices, became a critical precursor to the broader scandal. Krogh describes how the Plumbers’ actions established a culture of unchecked power and lawlessness within the Nixon administration, paving the way for further abuses. In 1973, Krogh pleaded guilty to “conspiracy against rights of citizens” for his role in the Fielding break-in, becoming the first Nixon aide sentenced in the Watergate fallout, serving four and a half months in prison. The memoir explores his personal reckoning with these events, detailing the shame and regret that followed his conviction, as well as his efforts to rebuild his life. After prison, Krogh resumed his law practice in Seattle and became a speaker and writer on ethics, serving as a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress and counselor at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership.
Through a introspective lens, Krogh examines the broader implications of his actions, emphasizing the dangers of prioritizing loyalty over principle. The narrative, enriched by Matthew Krogh’s contributions following his father’s death in 2020, weaves together historical detail with personal reflection, offering a cautionary tale about the seductive pull of power and the importance of integrity. The book does not aim to reveal new details about the Watergate scandal itself but focuses on Krogh’s journey—from a young, ambitious aide caught up in Nixon’s orbit to a convicted felon seeking redemption. It underscores how good intentions, clouded by blind allegiance, can lead to catastrophic decisions, making it a poignant reflection on morality, accountability, and the fragility of democratic institutions. The memoir’s release coincided with its adaptation into a five-part HBO series, starring Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux, amplifying its relevance as a historical and ethical study.