▁from ▁office ▁on ▁August ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁It ▁is ▁believed ▁that , ▁had ▁he ▁not ▁done ▁so , ▁he ▁would ▁have ▁been ▁im pe ached ▁by ▁the ▁House ▁and ▁removed ▁from ▁office ▁by ▁a ▁trial ▁in ▁the ▁Senate . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁U . S . ▁president ▁to ▁have ▁res igned ▁from ▁office . ▁On ▁September ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁N ixon ' s ▁successor , ▁Ger ald ▁Ford , ▁p ardon ed ▁him . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁ 6 9 ▁people ▁ind icted ▁and ▁ 4 8 ▁people — many ▁of ▁them ▁top ▁N ixon ▁administration ▁officials — w ere ▁conv icted . ▁The ▁met onym ▁Water gate ▁came ▁to ▁en comp ass ▁an ▁array ▁of ▁c land est ine ▁and ▁often ▁illegal ▁activities ▁undert aken ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁N ixon ▁administration , ▁including : ▁bug ging ▁the ▁offices ▁of ▁political ▁oppon ents ▁and ▁people ▁of ▁whom ▁N ixon ▁or ▁his ▁officials ▁were ▁susp icious ; ▁ordering ▁investig ations ▁of ▁activ ist ▁groups ▁and ▁political ▁figures ; ▁and ▁using ▁the ▁Federal ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Investig ation , ▁the ▁Central ▁Int elligence ▁Agency , ▁and ▁the ▁In ternal ▁Re venue ▁Service ▁as ▁political ▁weapons . ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁suffix ▁"- gate " ▁after ▁an ▁ident ifying ▁term ▁has ▁since ▁become ▁syn onymous ▁with ▁public ▁sc andal , ▁especially ▁political ▁sc andal . ▁ ▁W ire t apping ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party ' s ▁headquarters ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 7