Alexander Butterfield, Nixon aide who disclosed Watergate tapes, dies at 99

Alexander Butterfield, the White House aide who disclosed the existence of President Richard Nixon's secret Oval Office recording system during the Watergate investigation, has died at 99. Butterfield's testimony in 1973 revealed that Nixon routinely recorded conversations, a critical turning point in the scandal. His revelation led to the Supreme Court battle over the tapes, ultimately resulting in their release and Nixon's resignation. Butterfield's disclosure provided direct evidence that implicated the President, fundamentally altering the course of American political history. His death marks the passing of a key figure in one of the nation's most significant political crises.