IOTL, not too long after ascending to the Presidency Gerald Ford decided to pardon Richard Nixon for whatever crimes he had committed in connection to Watergate. While he probably thought that by doing this America could move on from Watergate, all it ended up doing was damage Ford's fledgling presidency and made him look crooked as well. Additionally Nixon getting away with his crimes may have further damaged public trust in government. So what if Ford decided not to pardon Nixon? Do the eventual Nixon trials become a media circus? Does it hurt Republicans even more in 1974 and 1976? What are the impacts on the office of the Presidency, and on America itself?