Watergate

Bud's initial involvement in Watergate is briefly discussed in the Prologue of this website, particularly his role in helping  James McCord to make bail and to deliver his famous letter to Judge Sirica. It is rumored that Bud actually helped McCord to draft the letter itself. But his role was much more.

Bud worked behind the scenes to support McCord's role in the Senate Watergate hearings. He appeared before the Senate Committee as McCord's official counsel. Plus, he helped McCord to fashion his public persona before the public and the press.

In June, 2005, an article appeared in the Washington Examiner that included an interview with Bob Keefe, former Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee. In the interview, Keefe describes unsuccessful efforts by Bud Fensterwald to get the DNC, then Chaired by Texan Bob Strauss, to front money for McCord’s bail. Keefe credited Bud for putting up some of his own funds, that, in turn, “got the ball rolling”. In Keefe’s opinion, Bud did more to bring down Nixon that Felt, Woodward and Bernstein all put together.