Alexander Butterfield, who revealed existence of Nixon taping system, dies at age 99

With Cassidy Hutchinson

I remember watching his testimony … nearly 52 years ago. When Sam Dash learned of it, he went to tell John Dean (who had speculated there might be a taping system) to see his reaction. And when he saw Dean start to smile ...

Alexander Butterfield, the White House aide who inadvertently hastened Richard Nixon’s resignation over the Watergate scandal when he revealed that the president had bugged the Oval Office and Cabinet Room and routinely recorded his conversations, has died. He was 99.

His death was confirmed to The Associated Press by his wife, Kim, and John Dean, who served as White House counsel to Nixon during the Watergate scandal and went on to, along with Butterfield, help expose the wrongdoing .

“He had the heavy responsibility of revealing something he was sworn to secrecy on, which is the installation of the Nixon taping system,” Dean said. “He stood up and told the truth.”

He later befriended Cassidy Hutchinson, who saw him as a role model for her January 6th committee testimony.

But there was someone watching it all with special interest: the man who helped inspire Hutchinson to come forward, Alexander Butterfield, who is now 97 and living in southern California … and she's been able to thank him in person.

"Now we're lifelong friends," Hutchinson said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Butterfield said. "Well, more than friends we are!"