why did nixon fire us attorney general

Who was Nixon's Attorney General in 1968?

Apr 29, 2014 · Which event did Nixon order Attorney General Richardson to fire the special prosecutor investigating the Watergate break-in? It was the Saturday Night Massacre. Nixon had Archibald Cox fired.

How did Nixon fire the Special Counsel?

Why did Nixon fire US Attorney General Elliot Richardson? In October 1973, after Richardson had served 5 months as Attorney General , President Nixon ordered him to fire the top lawyer investigating the Watergate scandal, Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox.

What did John Mitchell do in the Nixon case?

Secondly, why did Nixon fire US Attorney General Elliot Richardson? In October 1973, after Richardson had served 5 months as Attorney General , President Nixon ordered him to fire the top lawyer investigating the Watergate scandal, Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox.

What law firm did Richard Nixon work with?

John Newton Mitchell was an American convicted criminal, lawyer, the 67th Attorney General of the United States under President Richard Nixon and chairman of Nixon's 1968 and 1972 presidential campaigns. Prior to that, he had been a municipal bond lawyer and one of Nixon's closest personal friends. After his tenure as U.S. Attorney General, he served as chairman of …

Why did Elliot Richardson resign from office?

As U.S. Attorney General, he was a prominent figure in the Watergate Scandal, and resigned rather than obey President Nixon's order to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox.

What were the reasons that Nixon gave for refusing to turn over the White House tapes?

President Nixon initially refused to release the tapes, putting two reasons forward: first, that the Constitutional principle of executive privilege extends to the tapes and citing the separation of powers and checks and balances within the Constitution, and second, claiming they were vital to national security.

What was Richard Nixon accused of that caused him to be impeached?

The House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment against Nixon for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. With his complicity in the cover-up made public and his political support completely eroded, Nixon resigned from office on August 9, 1974.

Who was Nixon's attorney general?

John N. MitchellIn office January 21, 1969 – March 1, 1972PresidentRichard NixonPreceded byRamsey ClarkSucceeded byRichard Kleindienst18 more rows

Did Richard Nixon get a presidential funeral?

April 27, 1994Richard Nixon / Date of burial

When did Nixon agree to turn over only some of the Watergate?

President Nixon agreed to turn over only some of the Watergate tapes to the special prosecutor when the prosecutor's case against Nixon was heard by the Supreme Court. Explanation: The Watergate scandal was a scandal raised against President Nixon during and after the 1972 Presidential Election.

What did Nixon do as president?

He focused on détente with the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, easing Cold War tensions with both countries. As part of this policy, Nixon signed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and SALT I, two landmark arms control treaties with the Soviet Union.

Did John Mitchell divorce Martha Mitchell?

Jennings, however, spent a lot of time away from home, and (according to Mitchell) it led to the couple's separation on May 18, 1956 and eventual divorce on August 1, 1957. She once said as soon as she met John N.

When was John Mitchell fired?

July 1972Mitchell resigned as head of the Committee for the Reelection of the President in July 1972, shortly after the arrest of several men discovered burglarizing the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate apartment complex in Washington, D.C. In 1974 he was indicted on charges that he had ...

Who was the attorney general in the Nixon case?

United States v. Nixon. John Newton Mitchell (September 5, 1913 – November 9, 1988) was an American lawyer, the 67th Attorney General of the United States under President Richard Nixon, chairman of Nixon's 1968 and 1972 presidential campaigns, and a convicted criminal. Prior to that, he had been a municipal bond lawyer and one ...

Who was the attorney general in Nixon v. United States?

For other people named John Mitchell, see John Mitchell (disambiguation). United States v. Nixon. John Newton Mitchell (September 5, 1913 – November 9, 1988) was an American lawyer, the 67th Attorney General of the United States under President Richard Nixon, chairman of Nixon's 1968 and 1972 presidential campaigns, and a convicted criminal.

Why was Mitchell in prison?

Due to multiple crimes he committed in the Watergate affair, Mitchell was sentenced to prison in 1977 and served 19 months. As Attorney General, he was noted for personifying the "law-and-order" positions of the Nixon Administration, amid several high-profile anti-war demonstrations.

What did Mitchell say about the Justice Department?

He brought conspiracy charges against critics of the Vietnam War, likening them to brown shirts of the Nazi era in Germany. Mitchell expressed a reluctance to involve the Justice Department in some civil rights issues. "The Department of Justice is a law enforcement agency," he told reporters.

What did Nixon tell the press about Martha Mitchell?

Nixon aides, in an effort to discredit her, told the press that she had a "drinking problem". Nixon was later to tell interviewer David Frost in 1977 that Martha was a distraction to John Mitchell, such that no one was minding the store, and "If it hadn't been for Martha Mitchell, there'd have been no Watergate.".

What was Nixon's strategy for desegregation?

Near the beginning of his administration, Nixon had ordered Mitchell to go slow on desegregation of schools in the South as part of Nixon's " Southern Strategy ," which focused on gaining support from Southern voters.

What did Mitchell do to suppress crime?

From the outset, Mitchell strove to suppress what many Americans saw as major threats to their safety : urban crime, black unrest, and war resistance. He called for the use of "no-knock" warrants for police to enter homes, frisking suspects without a warrant, wiretapping, preventive detention, the use of federal troops to repress crime in the capital, a restructured Supreme Court, and a slowdown in school desegregation. "This country is going so far to the right you won't recognize it," he told a reporter.

How long did Richardson serve as the Secretary of Defense?

Richardson would serve as Secretary of Defense for 4 months before becoming Nixon's Attorney General, a move that would put him in the Watergate spotlight.

Who was the attorney for Massachusetts in 1961?

Richardson joined Ropes, Gray, Best, Coolidge & Rugg in Boston following his clerkship, and became partner of Ropes & Gray in 1961 (the same year the firm, which was founded in 1865, became known as Ropes & Gray). Richardson left the firm to serve as U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts from 1959 to 1961.

What rank did Richardson get in the war?

After Stephen Ambrose 's book Band of Brothers was published, Richardson wrote to Winters and thanked him. He continued on in the war in Europe with the 4th Infantry Division and received the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster. He was discharged in 1945 with the rank of first lieutenant.

How many Cabinet positions did Richardson hold?

He is one of two persons to hold four separate cabinet positions.

How did Richardson die?

Death. On New Year's Eve, 1999, Richardson died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Boston at the age of 79. Major media outlets, such as CNN, recognized him as the "Watergate martyr" for refusing an order from President Nixon to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox.

How many years did Richardson serve?

He served three relatively uneventful years as the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare for a popular sitting president. In September 1970, Richardson was present at the funeral of Gamal Abdel Nasser, President of Egypt as part of America's delegation.

What was the role of Richardson in the Normandy invasion?

4th Infantry Division. He participated in the June 6, 1944, Normandy Invasion as a platoon leader, where he crossed a minefield to rescue a fellow officer whose foot was blown off.