Why did a break-in at the watergate office building turn into a major political scandal? 1.the democrats were the party in power in congress and they wanted to remove nixon. 2.the cover-up involved criminal activities and obstruction of justice by the president of the united states 3.the press was opposed to nixon's policies, so woodward and bernstein wrote an expose' of his behavior.

2.The cover-up involved criminal activities and obstruction of justice by the President of the United States--The Watergate Scandal showed Nixon's involvement in stealing information from the Democratic headquarters showing interference in the election. 

Evidence of Nixon's wrongdoing was enough for him to resign as president and the vice president to resign as well. He avoided a trial which would have removed him from office. The scandal made Americans question the honesty of the government.