# DOJ review of Watergate-era misconduct allegations > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/doj-review-of-watergate-era-misconduct-allegations > Updated: 2026-10-14T07:00:52.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2. Historian and former Nixon aide Geoff Shepard has petitioned the U.S. Department of Justice to review the conduct of the special prosecutor’s office during the Watergate scandal. Shepard presented a two-hour briefing to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), arguing that the investigation into President Richard Nixon was driven by ‘deep state’ actors and constituted partisan ‘lawfare.’ Shepard’s presentation, supported by research from his book ‘TheRealWatergate Scandal’, alleges that special prosecutors Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski violated defendants' due process rights. He contends that evidence suggests Nixon was innocent of the alleged cover-up and has called for the DOJ to sanction past prosecutorial misconduct and officially correct the historical record. A DOJ spokesperson confirmed that the presentation took place but clarified that it does not signify the opening of a formal investigation. The spokesperson noted that the OPR remains focused on professional standards and mentioned that a previous request to open an investigation into these matters was declined in 2022. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-14: Geoff Shepard petitions DOJ to review Watergate prosecution Historian Geoff Shepard has petitioned the DOJ to investigate alleged prosecutorial misconduct during the Watergate scandal, arguing that evidence supports Richard Nixon’s innocence regarding the cover-up. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/geoff-shepard-petitions-doj-to-review-watergate-prosecution ### 2026-10-01: Department of Justice reviews Watergate-era misconduct allegations The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing allegations of misconduct by the Watergate-era special prosecutor’s office following a presentation by historian Geoff Shepard. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/department-of-justice-reviews-watergate-era-misconduct-allegations --- Cite as: DOJ review of Watergate-era misconduct allegations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/doj-review-of-watergate-era-misconduct-allegations