man ▁claimed ▁N ixon ▁had ▁offered ▁him ▁a ▁large ▁sum ▁of ▁money , ▁which ▁he ▁decl ined . ▁ ▁The ▁President ▁announced ▁the ▁res ign ations ▁in ▁an ▁address ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁people : ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁same ▁day , ▁April ▁ 3 0 , ▁N ixon ▁appointed ▁a ▁new ▁att orney ▁general , ▁Elli ot ▁Richard son , ▁and ▁gave ▁him ▁authority ▁to ▁design ate ▁a ▁special ▁coun sel ▁for ▁the ▁Water gate ▁investigation ▁who ▁would ▁be ▁independent ▁of ▁the ▁regular ▁Justice ▁Department ▁hierarchy . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Richard son ▁named ▁Arch ib ald ▁C ox ▁to ▁the ▁position . ▁ ▁Senate ▁Water gate ▁hear ings ▁and ▁revel ation ▁of ▁the ▁Water gate ▁t apes ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁voted ▁ 7 7 - to - 0 ▁to ▁appro ve ▁ 9 3 ▁ ▁and ▁establish ▁a ▁select ▁committee ▁to ▁investigate ▁Water gate , ▁with ▁Sam ▁Er vin ▁named ▁chairman ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁The ▁hear ings ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Senate ▁committee , ▁in ▁which ▁Dean ▁and ▁other ▁former ▁administration ▁officials ▁test ified , ▁were ▁broadcast ▁from ▁May ▁ 1 7 ▁to ▁August ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁The ▁three ▁major ▁networks ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁agreed ▁to ▁take ▁turns ▁covering ▁the ▁hear ings ▁live , ▁each ▁network ▁thus ▁maintain ing ▁coverage ▁of ▁the ▁hear ings ▁every ▁third ▁day , ▁starting ▁with ▁ABC ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 7 ▁and ▁ending ▁with ▁N