Nixon's Miami Helipad Gets Watergated

Key Biscayne succeeds in blocking use of President Nixon's helipad

By TODD WRIGHT

Updated 4:00 PM EDT, Wed, Dec 23, 2009

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So much for living it up like Richard Nixon.

A state judge panel ruled Wednesday that a Key Biscayne helicopter pad regularly used by former President Nixon cannot be used for private use, blocking a real estate company's bid to use the famous landmark.

The helipad was part of Nixon's island getaway home or may have been a strategic move for some other getaway he may have needed to plan.

The ruling doesn't effect most of us, since traveling in helicopters is so 1990s, but the fact the a Nixon landmark is getting the Watergate treatment makes us reminisce about the good ol' days when American politicians were as crooked as the letter "S."

On second thought, with as many South Florida politicians under investigation or in handcuffs, it seems like Nixon's "I am not a crook" mantra is tattooed on the Miami political scene.

Nixon visited his ranch-style Key Biscayne house at least 50 times while in office from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. The house was torn down in 2004 to make way for a more modern structure.

The judges said Nixon could use the floating helipad because federal government was immune from Key Biscayne's codes. Once the federal government stopped using the helipad, the city's decisions took control.