RICHARD G. KLEINDIENST
Name: Richard G. Kleindienst
Born: 5 August 1923 Winslow, Arizona
Died: 3 February 2000 Prescott, Arizona
Richard Gordon Kleindienst (August 05, 1923 - February 03, 2000) was an American
lawyer and politician.
Born in Winslow, Arizona, he served in the United States Army Air Corps from
1943 to 1946, attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School, graduating from
the latter in 1950.
From 1953 to 1954 he served in the Arizona House of Representatives and then
went into private practice, which he continued until 1969. In 1964, he was the
Republican candidate for Governor of Arizona, but lost to Sam Goddard, 53%-47%.
He was a deputy Attorney General of the United States from 1969 until 1972 and
was appointed Attorney General of the United States by President Richard Nixon
on June 12, 1972.
The day after the 1972 Watergate break-in, Attorney General Kleindienst was told
by Gordon Liddy that the operation had originated in the White House and that he,
Kleindienst, should effect the release of the burglars. Kleindienst refused to
free the men, but failed to report Liddy's confession, which would have broken
the whole case open immediately. He resigned on April 30, 1973 in the midst of
the Watergate scandal and returned to private practice. Kleindienst resigned the
same day John Dean was fired and H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman quit. He was
convicted of a misdemeanor for perjury during his testimony in the Senate during
his confirmation hearings. He was fined and given a suspended jail sentence.
Kleindienst was a close confidant of William H. Rehnquist. Kleindienst and
Rehnquist were active in the Arizona Republican Party and were appointed to
serve under John Mitchell as deputy attorneys general in 1969. Rehnquist was
nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1971 and later elevated
to Chief Justice in 1986. It was the close association with Kleindienst that led
Rehnquist to disqualify himself from the Watergate tapes case (United States v.
Nixon), which directed Nixon to comply with the subpoena issued by Judge John J.
Sirica to turn over his tapes. The 8-0 opinion was handed down July 24, 1974,
and Nixon resigned the presidency 15 days later.
Kleindienst died of lung cancer in 2000.
Name: Richard G. Kleindienst
Born: 5 August 1923 Winslow, Arizona
Died: 3 February 2000 Prescott, Arizona
Richard Gordon Kleindienst (August 05, 1923 - February 03, 2000) was an American
lawyer and politician.
Born in Winslow, Arizona, he served in the United States Army Air Corps from
1943 to 1946, attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School, graduating from
the latter in 1950.
From 1953 to 1954 he served in the Arizona House of Representatives and then
went into private practice, which he continued until 1969. In 1964, he was the
Republican candidate for Governor of Arizona, but lost to Sam Goddard, 53%-47%.
He was a deputy Attorney General of the United States from 1969 until 1972 and
was appointed Attorney General of the United States by President Richard Nixon
on June 12, 1972.
The day after the 1972 Watergate break-in, Attorney General Kleindienst was told
by Gordon Liddy that the operation had originated in the White House and that he,
Kleindienst, should effect the release of the burglars. Kleindienst refused to
free the men, but failed to report Liddy's confession, which would have broken
the whole case open immediately. He resigned on April 30, 1973 in the midst of
the Watergate scandal and returned to private practice. Kleindienst resigned the
same day John Dean was fired and H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman quit. He was
convicted of a misdemeanor for perjury during his testimony in the Senate during
his confirmation hearings. He was fined and given a suspended jail sentence.
Kleindienst was a close confidant of William H. Rehnquist. Kleindienst and
Rehnquist were active in the Arizona Republican Party and were appointed to
serve under John Mitchell as deputy attorneys general in 1969. Rehnquist was
nominated to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1971 and later elevated
to Chief Justice in 1986. It was the close association with Kleindienst that led
Rehnquist to disqualify himself from the Watergate tapes case (United States v.
Nixon), which directed Nixon to comply with the subpoena issued by Judge John J.
Sirica to turn over his tapes. The 8-0 opinion was handed down July 24, 1974,
and Nixon resigned the presidency 15 days later.
Kleindienst died of lung cancer in 2000.