Team Trump targets post-Watergate reforms, one by one

For proponents of ethical reforms, transparency and good government, the aftermath of the Watergate scandal and Richard Nixon’s resignation was an important and productive time. The White House controversy was so systemic, and the political fallout was so dramatic, that policymakers agreed to create all kinds of new limits and guardrails intended to prevent future presidential abuses, while trying to restore public confidence in the wake of a governmental crisis.

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Presidents serving in the post-Watergate era didn’t always appreciate these restrictions, but they recognized the legal restraints — up until very recently.

Take the Presidential Records Act, for example. The post-Watergate law was created to force presidents to turn over all their records to the National Archivers, as part of a larger effort to combat corruption and ensure White House transparency. Last week, Donald Trump’s team unilaterally decided it doesn’t think the Presidential Records Act is constitutional and that it no longer intends to comply with the 48-year-old law.

It was a step down a familiar path. The New York Times published a memorable analysis on this in January: