Elliot Richardson

Elliot Lee Richardson (July 20, 1920 ? December 31, 1999) was an American lawyer and politician who was a member of the cabinet of President Richard Nixon, but he managed to avoid being tainted by the Watergate Scandal. Under Nixon, Richardson served as Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare from 1970 to 1973, Secretary of Defense from January to May of 1973, and (after the resignation of John Mitchell) Attorney General from May 24 to October 1973.

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In October, 1973, Nixon ordered Richardson to fire the Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox; Richardson refused this order and resigned. At that point, William Ruckelshaus, the Deputy Attorney General was asked to carry out the order, and he refused and resigned as well. The third in command, Solicitor General Robert Bork, carried out this order. The events are generally referred to as the Saturday Night Massacre.

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Richardson had subsequent government service, including Secretary of the Department of Commerce and ambassador to the United Kingdom under President Gerald Ford.

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Richardson is the only individual to date to serve as head of four Cabinet Departments in the US Government — Health, Education and Welfare; Defense; Justice; and Commerce.

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Just prior to the resignation of Vice-President Spiro Agnew, Richardson was portrayed as a cartoon figure with Agnew and Nixon on the cover of TIME magazine dated October 8, 1973. Agnew was quoted as saying: "I am innocent of the charges against me. I will not resign if indicted!"

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Richardson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, served as a decorated combat medical corps officer in the U.S. 4th Infantry Division from 1941 to 1945, and obtained his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1947. He clerked to Judge Learned Hand and then to Justice Felix Frankfurter of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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In 1984, he ran for the Republican nomination for the US Senate seat being vacated by Paul Tsongas. He was defeated in the GOP primary by Raymond Shamie, who lost the general election to John F. Kerry.

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July 20: July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining....

1920: 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar)...

December 31: December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. It is the final day of the Gregorian year....

Elliot Richardson related Images and Photos (experimental)

John Richardson	Joely Richardson	Jason Richardson	Jason Richardson
Joely Richardson	Natasha Richardson	Billy Elliot	Billy Elliot
Tonal Richardson Architecture I	Tonal Richardson Architecture III	Sam Elliot Westerns Collection (DVD)	Samuel Richardson English Novelist and Printer