Spiro Agnew

Spiro Agnew
Spiro Agnew
	Official portrait, 1972
39th Vice President of the United States
	In office; January 20, 1969 – October 10, 1973
President	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Hubert Humphrey
Succeeded by	Gerald Ford
55th Governor of Maryland
	In office; January 25, 1967 – January 7, 1969
Preceded by	J. Millard Tawes
Succeeded by	Marvin Mandel
3rd Executive of Baltimore County
	In office; December 6, 1962 – December 8, 1966
Preceded by	Christian H. Kahl
Succeeded by	Dale Anderson
Personal details
Born	Spiro Theodore Agnew; November 9, 1918; Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	September 17, 1996 (aged 77); Berlin, Maryland, U.S.
Resting place	Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Judy Judefind (m. 1942)
Children	4
Education	University of Baltimore (LLB)
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Captain
Commands	Service Company, 54th Armored Infantry Battalion, 10th Armored Division
Battles/wars	World War II Ardennes-Alsace Siege of Bastogne; ; Central Europe; ;
Awards	Bronze Star
	Spiro Agnew's voice Agnew on the alleged bias of news networks against Richard Nixon.; Recorded November 13, 1969.

Spiro Theodore Agnew (/ˈspɪəroʊ ˈæɡnjuː/; November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996)^[1] was an American politician who served as the 39th vice president of the United States under Richard Nixon from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. Before becoming vice president, he was the 55th governor of Maryland from 1967 to 1969. He was the first Greek American vice president and the second of the second vice president to resigned from office since John C. Calhoun in 1832.^[2]

Agnew's fall began around 1973, where he caused a scandal being federal investigation into his extortion, corruption, bribery, and tax evasion. It was reported that he accepted bribes as Maryland governor and it continued into his vice presidency. Agnew was accused of receiving, and failing to pay taxes on over ($100,000) during his time as Baltimore County executive and governor of Maryland.

Later the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland fined him of ($10,000) and placed on three years of probation as part of a deal with the Justice Department to avoid prison, Agnew resigned from his vice presidency for failing to report ($29,500) of his income in 1967.^[3]

Early life

Spiro Agnew was born in Baltimore, in the state of Maryland. His father was Theodore Spiros Agnew, a Greek immigrant. He shortened his name from Anagnostopoulos when he moved to the USA (which was between 1897 and 1902).^[4]^[2] He married Margaret Akers, a native of Virginia. He joined the US Army and served in both World War II and the Korean War.

Career

After holding a number of political offices in Baltimore, he ran for Baltimore County Executive in 1962. In a race that was thought to go to the Democratic Party Agnew surprisingly won. While executive he was known for outlawing racial segregation. He ran for Governor in 1966. His opponent was George Mahoney, who ran on a racist and pro segregationist platform. Agnew won after many Democrats voted for him. While governor he passed tax reform, justice reform, anti pollution laws, and civil rights laws. He also took a tough stand against the black power movement. This angered many civil rights leaders who had supported him.

Agnew was chosen as Richard Nixon's running mate in 1968. Nixon wanted to do better in the Southern States. Agnew, a moderate, could get Democrats to vote for him. He was chosen as vice presidential candidate at the convention over George Romney. Agnew supported "law and order" a policy of enforcing the law strictly. Agnew took a hard stand against the anti-war movement. His sometimes dirty attacks led him to be called Nixon's "hatchet man". However he did speak out against the Kent State Shooting, where national guard troops shot protestors to death in Ohio.

Agnew enjoyed the privileges of being vice president. He was well liked by Nixon supporters, and made it onto the Republican national ticket again in 1972. In 1973, it became clear that Agnew had been very corrupt in his career as governor and was facing several felony charges. He cut a plea deal and narrowly got out of having to serve a long time in prison.

Resignation, disgrace, and death

He resigned in disgrace in October 1973, and never spoke to Richard Nixon again (Nixon would himself resign in 1974 over a similar scandal). Agnew became a disgraced figure and never was very much involved in politics after that. His portrait was taken down in the Maryland Governor's Mansion and his bust was not put up as a former vice president. When both were put on display, many criticized the decision to display them. He died in 1996 of leukaemia. He was not given a state funeral of any kind and had a small funeral service. He was buried at a cemetery in Maryland.

Electoral history

Baltimore County Executive, 1962^[5]

Spiro Agnew (R) - elected unopposed

Governor of Maryland, 1966^[6]

Spiro Agnew (R) - 455,318 (49.50%)
George P. Mahoney (D) - 373,543 (40.61%)
Hyman A. Pressman (I) - 90,899 (9.88%)

1968 Republican National Convention (Vice Presidential tally)^[7]

Spiro Agnew - 1,119 (83.95%)
Gov. George Romney of Michigan- 186 (13.95%)
Abstaining - 16 (1.20%)
John Lindsay - 10 (0.75%)
Sen. Edward Brooke of Massachusetts- 1 (0.08%)
James A. Rhodes - 1 (0.08%)

United States presidential election, 1968

Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew (R) - 31,783,783 (43.4%) and 301 electoral votes (32 states carried)
Hubert Humphrey/Edmund Muskie (D) - 31,271,839 (42.7%) and 191 electoral votes (13 states and D.C. carried)
George Wallace/Curtis LeMay (American Independent) - 9,901,118 (13.5%) and 46 electoral votes (5 states carried)

1972 Republican National Convention (Vice Presidential tally)^[8]

Spiro Agnew (inc.) - 1,345 (99.78%)
Abstaining - 2 (0.15%)
David Brinkley - 1 (0.07%)

United States presidential election, 1972

Richard Nixon/Spiro Agnew (R) (inc.) - 47,168,710 (60.7%) and 520 electoral votes (49 states carried)
George McGovern/Sargent Shriver (D) - 29,173,222 (37.5) and 17 electoral votes (1 state and D.C. carried)
John Hospers/Theodora Nathalia Nathan (Libertarian) - 3,674 (0.00%) and 1 electoral vote (Republican faithless elector)
John G. Schmitz/Thomas J. Anderson (AI) - 1,100,868 (1.4%) and 0 electoral votes
Linda Jenness/Andrew Pulley (Socialist Workers) - 83,380 (0.1%)
Benjamin Spock/Julius Hobson (People's) - 78,759 (0.1%)