Elliot Richardson
American lawyer and politician (1920-1999) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elliot Lee Richardson (July 20, 1920 – December 31, 1999) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the cabinet of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. As U.S. Attorney General, he was a known figure in the Watergate Scandal, and resigned rather than obey President Nixon's order to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox.
Elliot Richardson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 24th United States Secretary of Commerce | |
| In office February 2, 1976 – January 20, 1977 | |
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Rogers Morton |
| Succeeded by | Juanita M. Kreps |
| 22nd United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom | |
| In office February 20, 1975 – February 2, 1976 | |
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Walter H. Annenberg |
| Succeeded by | Anne Armstrong |
| 69th United States Attorney General | |
| In office May 25, 1973 – October 20, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Richard Kleindienst |
| Succeeded by | William B. Saxbe Robert Bork (acting) |
| 11th United States Secretary of Defense | |
| In office January 30, 1973 – May 24, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Deputy | Bill Clements |
| Preceded by | Melvin Laird |
| Succeeded by | James R. Schlesinger |
| 9th United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare | |
| In office June 24, 1970 – January 29, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Robert Finch |
| Succeeded by | Caspar Weinberger |
| 25th Under Secretary of State | |
| In office January 23, 1969 – June 23, 1970 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Nicholas Katzenbach |
| Succeeded by | John N. Irwin II |
| 52nd Massachusetts Attorney General | |
| In office January 18, 1967 – January 23, 1969 | |
| Governor | John A. Volpe |
| Preceded by | Edward T. Martin |
| Succeeded by | Robert H. Quinn |
| 62nd Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts | |
| In office January 7, 1965 – January 2, 1967 | |
| Governor | John A. Volpe |
| Preceded by | Francis X. Bellotti |
| Succeeded by | Francis W. Sargent |
| United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | |
| In office 1959–1961 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Julian |
| Succeeded by | Wendell Arthur Garrity Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Elliot Lee Richardson (1920-07-20)July 20, 1920 Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Died | December 31, 1999(1999-12-31) (aged 79) Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Francis Hazard Richardson (1929–1999)[1] |
| Children | Henry S. Richardson (son)
Nancy H. Carlson (daughter) Michael E. Richardson (son) |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (A.B., J.D.) |
| Awards | Purple Heart |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 4th Infantry Division (Medical Corps) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Richardson served as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare from 1970 to 1973, Secretary of Defense from January to May 1973, Attorney General from May to October 1973, and Secretary of Commerce from 1976 to 1977. That makes him one of only two individuals to have held four Cabinet positions within the United States government (the other such individual being George Shultz).
On December 31, 1999, Richardson died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 79.[2]