Final answer:
In April 1974, President Nixon announced he would turn over edited transcripts of the Watergate tapes and asked hard-of-hearing Senator Stennis to verify their accuracy. This was part of the Watergate scandal, leading to Nixon's resignation after increased pressure to release all tapes and the U.S. Supreme Court's involvement. The Watergate tapes and the controversy around their release played a critical role in Nixon's political downfall.
Step-by-step explanation:
On April 19, 1974, President Richard Nixon announced that he would turn over edited transcripts of the tapes and that he would ask Senator John Stennis, who was reported to be quite hard of hearing, to listen to the tapes and verify their accuracy. This incident took place during the unfolding of the Watergate scandal, which eventually led to Nixon's resignation. The so-called Stennis Compromise was an attempt by Nixon to provide some form of disclosure while maintaining control over the full contents of the recordings, as he feared releasing them fully would compromise national security and executive privilege. Ultimately, the compromise was rejected, and Nixon faced increased pressure to release all of the tapes, which contributed to his decision to resign.
Key events that followed included the Saturday Night Massacre and the continuing legal and political battles that culminated in the U.S. Supreme Court ordering Nixon to release the actual tapes, revealing his involvement in the cover-up. Nixon's initial refusal to release the tapes, citing executive privilege, followed by the resignation of his attorney general and deputy attorney general, led to an intensification of the crisis. This sequence of events played a crucial role in the process that led to the impeachment hearings and Nixon's subsequent resignation.