[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 132 (Friday, August 2, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING FRANK WILLS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DWIGHT EVANS

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 2019

  Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Frank Wills, who in 
1972, at the age of 24 years old, worked as a security guard at the 
Watergate Complex in Washington, DC.
  June 17, 1972, Mr. Wills was on-duty and making his routine rounds of 
surveilling the property he was hired to secure. During his rounds, he 
discovered duct tape placed over a latch bolt on the basement door of 
the building adjacent to a stairwell near the parking garage.
  It is now known that the tape was placed by burglars who entered the 
building to steal confidential documents from the office of the 
Democratic National Committee headquarters, which was located on the 
sixth floor of the building. Mr. Wills explained to federal 
investigators that he checked the basement door 45 minutes ahead of his 
scheduled time because he had a sense that something was amiss. He was 
correct.
  President Richard Nixon had hired five men, including a former CIA 
official to commit the burglary. Thanks to Mr. Wills keen and observant 
eye, a trail of related break-ins, corruption, wiretapping, slush funds 
and connected crimes were revealed. It led to the eventual resignation 
of a president.
  By most accounts, Mr. Wills should have been a decorated member of 
the law enforcement community as, he played a pivotal role in exposing 
what would later become one of America's most notorious scandals. He 
wasn't. He resigned from his position due to racist treatment at work 
and had difficulty finding suitable employment due to prospective 
employers being afraid of associating with him. Employers were fearful 
of hiring him due to the threat of losing federal funding. He moved to 
Georgia with his mother and lived off her monthly Social Security 
payment.
  Frank Wills passed away on September 27, 2000 at the age of 52. He 
should be remembered as a hidden figure in our nation as his actions 
created a catalyst for one of our nation's greatest political scandals.
  On behalf of the 3rd Congressional District of Pennsylvania and the 
city of Philadelphia I extend gratitude to the late Frank Wills for his 
bravery and service to our country.

                          ____________________