During recent public remarks, Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.V.) characterized the resignation of former President Richard Nixon as a forced removal, stating that Nixon was “absolutely couped out of office.” Moore further alleged that the 37th president was “framed” during the events of the Watergate scandal, which ultimately led to Nixon’s resignation in 1974 to avoid near-certain impeachment.

Moore’s comments were framed within a broader critique of federal institutions. He suggested that the historical events surrounding Nixon serve as a precursor to current understandings of the “deep state,” which he described as having the power and capability to alter leadership at the highest levels of government. While historians and legal scholars widely document the Watergate scandal as a constitutional crisis triggered by the administration's involvement in a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and subsequent cover-up attempts, Moore’s remarks represent a shift toward viewing the resignation through the lens of institutional conspiracy.

There is no evidence provided in the report to support the claim that Nixon was framed or that his departure constituted a coup. The narrative presented by Moore contrasts with the established historical record, which details Nixon’s resignation as a response to the loss of political support following the release of the “smoking gun” tape, which confirmed his involvement in obstructing the FBI investigation into the Watergate break-in. Moore’s statements highlight a growing trend among some political figures to re-examine historical executive scandals as evidence of systemic corruption within the intelligence and administrative agencies of the federal government.