Final answer:
Special prosecutor Archibald Cox declared Nixon's position unacceptable when he refused to hand over the tapes, leading to the Saturday Night Massacre. Nixon ordered Attorney General Richardson to fire Cox, but Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus resigned instead. The House Judiciary Committee later investigated Nixon for impeachment.
Step-by-step explanation:
On Saturday, special prosecutor Archibald Cox declared Nixon's position unacceptable; there was a court order to turn over tapes, not transcripts. Nixon had refused to hand over the tapes and cited executive privilege, but Cox refused his offer to supply summaries of the conversations. In response, Nixon ordered Attorney General Richardson to fire Cox, but Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus resigned instead. Control of the Justice Department then fell to Solicitor General Robert Bork, who complied with Nixon's order. The House Judiciary Committee later began its own investigation into whether there was enough evidence to impeach Nixon.