"The government paid the family of Richard Nixon $18 million for papers, tape recordings and other materials seized after Watergate"

This quote is describing the settlement that the United States government reached with the family of former President Richard Nixon in 2001. The settlement was for $18 million and remained in exchange for the documents, tape recordings, and other materials that were taken by the government after the Watergate scandal. This settlement was seen as a method for the government to avoid a lengthy and expensive legal battle with the Nixon family. The settlement was likewise viewed as a method to put the Watergate scandal to rest and to carry on from the Nixon era. This quote serves as a suggestion of the significance of the Watergate scandal and the long lasting impact it had on the United States government.