Alexander Butterfield, who revealed Nixon White House tapes, dies at 99

"On Nixon's order, he had supervised the placement of a voice-activated recording system that operated at locations including the White House and the Old Executive Office Building from February 1971 until July 1973. Three days after his appearance before the committee staff, Mr. Butterfield repeated his knowledge in the glare of camera lights, during televised hearings that riveted millions of Americans."

"Few figures in the Watergate investigation proved more crucial than Mr. Butterfield, who died March 9 at 99, at his home in the La Jolla section of San Diego. His revelation of the White House tapes - with their promise of exculpation or, as it turned out, incrimination of high administration officials - propelled the events that led to Nixon's resignation on Aug. 9, 1974."

Alexander P. Butterfield, a former White House aide and Federal Aviation Administration chief, disclosed the existence of a voice-activated recording system installed throughout the White House and Executive Office Building on President Nixon's orders from February 1971 to July 1973. Butterfield first revealed this information to the Senate Watergate committee staff on July 13, 1973, then publicly confirmed it during televised hearings three days later. His testimony proved pivotal to the Watergate investigation, as the tapes promised evidence that could either exonerate or incriminate high-ranking administration officials. This disclosure accelerated events leading to Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974. Butterfield died March 9 at age 99 in San Diego.

Read at The Washington Post