Editing E. Howard Hunt (section)

==White House and Watergate==
(1970–1972) Hunt retired from the CIA in May 1970, frustrated by limited advancement, and joined the Robert R. Mullen Company, a PR firm which operated as a CIA front. In July 1971, he was recruited by Charles Colson, a Nixon aide, as a consultant to the White House Special Investigations Unit, known as the “Plumbers,” tasked with plugging leaks and targeting Nixon’s enemies. Working under G. Gordon Liddy, Hunt’s key activities included:
Ellsberg Break-In (September 1971): Hunt and Liddy orchestrated the burglary of psychiatrist Lewis Fielding’s office in Los Angeles to obtain files on Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers. The break-in, executed by CIA trained Cuban exiles, found no compromising material but violated legal boundaries, setting a precedent for Watergate.

Watergate Break-In (June 1972): Hunt masterminded the break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington, D.C.’s Watergate complex, aiming to wiretap phones and photograph documents. On June 17, 1972, five burglars, including CIA-trained Cubans and Plumber [[James McCord]], were caught, with Hunt’s phone number found in their possession. Hunt and Liddy, stationed nearby, fled but were soon implicated. Hunt’s White House safe, containing incriminating documents, was opened by John Dean, exposing the operation’s scope.