The Chicagoan who rebuilt trust in the justice system after Watergate
The current national conversation on Watergate offers an important reminder of the slough through corruption and ethical erosion that tested the foundations of American democracy, degraded public faith in government and depleted the credibility of the United States attorney general. It is also a reminder of those who worked assiduously to restore that faith and credibility, notably including a…
The Watergate scandal of the 1970s profoundly shook the American justice system, eroding public trust in government and the credibility of the United States attorney general. In response to this erosion, a legal scholar and academic from Chicago took on the task of restoring faith in the justice system. From 1972 to 1974, five different individuals held the position of either permanent or acting attorney general, a chaotic succession that severely compromised the office's principles and effectiveness.
Among these five were John Mitchell, who was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury for activities that occurred during his tenure; Richard Kleindienst, who faced contempt of Congress charges; Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus, who resigned amid the "Saturday Night Massacre"; and Robert H. Bork, who served briefly before being succeeded by U.S. Senator William Saxbe.
It was Saxbe's stewardship that marked the beginning of a renewed commitment to restoring public trust in the justice system, after a period that had seen the very foundations of American democracy and the integrity of governmental institutions shaken to their core.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
