Elliot Richardson

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Image:ElliotLeeRichardson.jpg 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. When President Nixon selected Richardson as secretary of defense, the press described him as an excellent manager and administrator, perhaps the best in the cabinet. In his confirmation hearing, Richardson expressed agreement with Nixon's policies on such issues as the adequacy of U.S. strategic forces, NATO and relationships with other allies, and Vietnam. Although he promised to examine the budget carefully to identify areas for savings, and in fact later ordered the closing of some military installations, he cautioned against precipitate cuts. As he told a Senate committee, "Significant cuts in the Defense Budget now would seriously weaken the U.S. position on international negotiations--in which U.S. military capabilities, in both real and symbolic terms, are an important factor." Similarly, he strongly supported continued military assistance at current levels. During his short tenure, Richardson spent much time testifying before congressional committees on the proposed FY 1974 budget and other Defense matters.

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.

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

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.

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!"

Richardson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and graduated cum laude in 1941. He then served as a decorated combat medical corps officer in the U.S. 4th Infantry Division from 1941 to 1945, including the purple heart, and obtained his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1947. After serving in World War II, he became editor and president of the Harvard Law Review. He served as U.S. attorney for Massachusetts from 1959 to 1961. His next position was lieutenant governor of Massachusetts for two years. He clerked to Judge Learned Hand and then to Justice Felix Frankfurter of the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1980 Richardson received a L.H.D. from Bates College. 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 Ray Shamie, who lost the general election to John F. Kerry. In 1994 Richardson backed President Clinton during his struggle against Paula Jones' charge of sexual harassment. In 1998, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. He died December 31, 1999.

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