Question

what action was taken regarding the oval office tapes during the watergate scandal?

nixon claimed that the oval office tapes were lost.
nixon gladly complied with the request for the oval office tapes and provided them immediately.
nixon had the tapes edited so that he could frame others for the involvement in watergate.
both cox and the ervin committee requested the tapes.

Explanation:

Analyze the historical requests for the Oval Office tapes

During the Watergate investigation, both the Senate Watergate Committee (led by Senator Sam Ervin) and the Watergate Special Prosecutor (Archibald Cox) issued subpoenas demanding that President Richard Nixon release the secret tape recordings of his conversations in the Oval Office.

Evaluate the incorrect options

• Nixon did not claim the tapes were lost; he claimed executive privilege to refuse releasing them.
• Nixon did not gladly comply or provide them immediately; he fought the subpoenas, leading to the "Saturday Night Massacre" and a Supreme Court case (United States v. Nixon).
• Nixon did not edit the tapes to frame others, though there was a famous, unexplained 18.5-minute gap on one tape.

Identify the correct statement

The statement "Both Cox and the Ervin committee requested the tapes" is historically accurate, as both investigators independently sought the recordings to uncover the truth about the Watergate cover-up.

Answer:

• Nixon claimed that the Oval Office tapes were lost.
• Nixon gladly complied with the request for the Oval Office tapes and provided them immediately.
• Nixon had the tapes edited so that he could frame others for the involvement in Watergate.
• Both Cox and the Ervin committee requested the tapes. (Correct answer)