7 3 , ▁the ▁investigation ▁into ▁the ▁break - in ▁and ▁the ▁N ixon ▁Administration ' s ▁invol vement ▁grew ▁bro ader . ▁" N ixon ' s ▁convers ations ▁in ▁late ▁March ▁and ▁all ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁revealed ▁that ▁not ▁only ▁did ▁he ▁know ▁he ▁needed ▁to ▁remove ▁Hal de man , ▁Ehr lich man , ▁and ▁Dean ▁to ▁gain ▁distance ▁from ▁them , ▁but ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁in ▁a ▁way ▁that ▁was ▁least ▁likely ▁to ▁inc rim inate ▁him ▁and ▁his ▁presiden cy . ▁N ixon ▁created ▁a ▁new ▁consp i racy — to ▁effect ▁a ▁cover - up ▁of ▁the ▁cover - up — which ▁began ▁in ▁late ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁and ▁became ▁fully ▁formed ▁in ▁May ▁and ▁June ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁operating ▁until ▁his ▁presiden cy ▁ended ▁on ▁August ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 ." ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Judge ▁Sir ica ▁read ▁the ▁court ▁a ▁letter ▁from ▁Water gate ▁burg lar ▁James ▁McC ord , ▁who ▁alleg ed ▁that ▁per j ury ▁had ▁been ▁committed ▁in ▁the ▁Water gate ▁trial , ▁and ▁defend ants ▁had ▁been ▁press ured ▁to ▁remain ▁silent . ▁In ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁make ▁them ▁talk , ▁Sir ica ▁gave ▁H unt ▁and ▁two ▁burg l ars ▁prov is ional ▁sentences ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 4 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁Ur ged ▁by ▁N ixon , ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 8 ,