According to sources, Alexander Butterfield's name is unknown to most people, but he played a major role in the Watergate scandal and, by extension, Richard Nixon's resignation. In 1973, President Nixon's deputy assistant was asked questions before a Senate committee hearing. A routine question about whether conversations in the Oval Office could theoretically have been recorded was answered with yes.
A simple question and an honest answer changed American history and Alexander Butterfield's life. Major media reports that he had himself overseen the recordings that Nixon ordered, which later led to the president's resignation in 1974. The exact cause of Alexander Butterfield's death has not been determined.
Major media reports that Butterfield, born in 1926, came to the White House from the Air Force. After his time in Washington, he was among other things a corporate leader, though the specific corporate leadership roles he held have not been disclosed. Major media reports that he never forgot the Watergate scandal.
" How his role in the Watergate scandal affected his personal life in detail remains unclear.