Tamal Kundu
Created by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck from the 2007 non-fiction book ‘Integrity: Good People, Bad Choices, and Life Lessons from the White House’ by Egil “Bud” Krogh and his son Matthew Krogh, HBO’s political satire ‘White House Plumbers’ tells the story of Watergate Scandal from the perspective of two of its masterminds, E. Howard Hunt (Woody Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Justin Theroux). The series explores how the incident that once shook the nation appears to be a silly blunder in hindsight. ‘White House Plumbers’ also underscores that the real issue was not the break-in itself but the hush money paid to Howard, Liddy, and their collaborators.
In the series finale, the Hunt family reels with grief in the aftermath of Dorothy’s death. Despite advice from his lawyer and pleas from his children, Howard remains adamant about not testifying during the Watergate trial. But soon, dominos start to fall, and their former bosses begin telling tales for the world to hear. Here is everything you might want to know about ‘White House Plumbers’ episode 5. SPOILERS AHEAD.
White House Plumbers Episode 5 Recap
The final episode of ‘White House Plumbers’ (season 2 is improbable as this is a miniseries) begins with Dorothy’s funeral. It appears that Howard didn’t tell anyone that his wife was planning to divorce him and likely intends to take this bit of information to his grave. Later, William F. Buckley Jr. and Manuel Artime approach Howard to offer their condolences. When the situation continues to deteriorate for the Hunts, Howard is forced to sell the house, and David is placed under the care of Artime, his godfather. McCord drops by during the wake to give Howard the casserole his wife made for the Hunt family. Before leaving, McCord mentions Nixon has named Bud Krogh the Undersecretary of Transportation, implying potential government involvement in Dorothy’s death.
That night, Howard finds the ledger Dorothy was maintaining on the hush payments. He gives it to Kevan and insinuates that she should destroy it. But she doesn’t. When Howard has a stroke later in the episode, she visits him. Kevan has always been her father’s favorite, but his actions and their toll on the family make her finally rebel against him. She gives him a choice; either he testifies, or she goes public with the ledger.
During the trial, Judge John Sirica seems especially harsh against Howard, Liddy, and their co-defendants. Despite the fact that their superiors are widening the distance between the Nixon administration and the break-in, Howard and the others remain steadfastly loyal, even though they are condemning themselves. Ultimately, McCord breaks ranks, informing Sirica that he wants to talk. This exempts him from the severe sentences that the others receive. The group is found guilty, and the burglars are sent to 40 years in prison, Howard to 35 years, and Liddy to 25. None of them serve the full term of their sentence.
The president and his spokespersons have maintained through the trial that the administration had no knowledge of what was happening. But McCord’s testimony before the 1973 United States Senate Watergate Committee causes a bloodbath at the White House. He implicates John Dean, and the White House tries to convince Dean to fall on his proverbial sword just like Howard and Liddy, but he does the opposite and testifies in Congress as a witness. This led to Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974.
White House Plumbers Episode 5 Ending: Why Does Howard Eventually Decide to Testify?
If Howard’s silence initially results from his continued loyalty toward Liddy and their co-defendants, it seems to change to what the administration will do to him and his family. During McCord’s testimony, the man reveals that Dorothy served as the courier of the hush money between White House officials and the burglars, which leads people to speculate whether the plane crash was really an accident. Lisa visits him in prison to plead to him to testify, but Howard cites the family’s safety as his reason not to do so, even though he reiterates that no foul play was involved in the plane crash.
Howard has a stroke after he hears John Dean’s testimony, during which Dean reveals that Nixon recorded conversations at the Oval Office. Liddy saves his life by taking him medical ward. When he wakes up, he finds Kevan there, offering him an ultimatum.
Howard’s decision to testify stems from a multitude of reasons. The series implies that a part of him starts to believe the Nixon administration is behind his wife’s death. This probably makes him afraid for Kevan, knowing a similar fate awaits her if she goes public with the ledger. Since the botched burglary started to unravel, Howard has wanted to write a book, almost prophetically realizing that it will become a race between people involved in the scandal to publish their versions of events, but Liddy’s continued refusal put a stop to that. When Howard finally appears before the Senate Committee, it turns out to be too late; people have already moved to the handsome and charismatic John Dean.
Howard doesn’t have the charm and sense of timing of Dean, nor does he possess the mystery and self-belief that Liddy does. The people were more interested in those two individuals than someone like Howard, and their post-Watergate lives reflect that. Dean’s memoir, ‘Blind Ambition: The White House Years,’ became a bestseller, and he was portrayed by Martin Sheen in 1979 CBS miniseries based on the book. Howard’s testimony doesn’t cause much of a stir, but his lawyer arranges for him to be transferred to a minimum-security prison.
Howard spent two and a half years there before his release. He proceeded to lead a much quieter life. He married a teacher named Laura and had two children with her. His memoir, ‘Undercover: Memoirs of an American Secret Agent,’ in 1974. His two sons with Dorothy, St John and David, claimed after his death that Howard told them about being involved in the JFK assassination on his deathbed, but this was disputed by other family members, including their sisters, Kevan and Lisa.
Does Liddy Ever Testify in the Watergate Trial?
No, Liddy is one of the few people involved in the scandal who refuse to say anything until the bitter end. Toward the end of the finale, Fran comes to visit him, and Liddy urges her to move on, but she states that she will wait for him. Despite his disturbing interest in Nazi Germany, Liddy arranges kosher food for an elderly Jewish inmate and gets retrials for several black men in prison. But then, he does a Nazi salute while other inmates are trying to thank him.
Liddy served four and a half years in prison before he was pardoned by President Jimmy Carter. He subsequently became a talk show host and actor, appearing in projects such as ‘Miami Vice,’ ‘Perry Mason,’ ‘Rules of Engagement,’ and ‘18 Wheels of Justice.’
Read More: White House Plumbers Episode 4 Recap and Ending, Explained
