On September 8, 1974, President Richard Nixon

On September 8, 1974, President Gerald Ford granted a full pardon to former President Richard Nixon

This was for any crimes he may have committed during the Watergate scandal.

This controversial decision sparked widespread debate and affected Ford's political standing.

And some would suggest this is why he wasn’t re-elected.

Several key figures in the Watergate scandal were found guilty and went to jail, including White House Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman,

Domestic Affairs Advisor John Ehrlichman,

and Nixon's Attorney General John Mitchell.