Geoff Shepard, who served as the youngest lawyer on President Richard Nixon’s Watergate defense team, has shared new insights into the scandal that led to Nixon’s resignation 50 years ago. In an exclusive interview with The New American magazine’s Unrestricted podcast, Shepard described the legal actions taken against Nixon as part of a “coup.”

Shepard, who played a central role in transcribing Nixon’s tapes and overseeing the White House document room, spoke about his experience during the Watergate crisis. “I was on stage, not just watching from the sidelines,” Shepard said, reflecting on his involvement in the scandal. Despite the widespread legal actions taken against Nixon’s team, Shepard is the only member of the White House staff to have received a letter of clearance from the special prosecutor.

Years after leaving Washington, D.C., Shepard accessed records from the Watergate special prosecution force at the National Archives. His investigation led him to discover a “secret cabal” of senior government officials who were coordinating their efforts to remove Nixon from office. These officials, Shepard found, held illegal meetings with federal judges, including Judge John Sirica and Judge Gerhard Gesell, who were key figures in the Watergate trials.

Shepard’s research, which he details in his book The Real Watergate Scandal, reveals that the legal process was manipulated by individuals determined to bring down Nixon. Shepard draws parallels between Nixon’s experience and the legal challenges faced by former President Donald J. Trump, warning that the tactics of lawfare threaten the integrity of the American political system.