Archibald Cox (1912–2004) was an American lawyer and public servant. He was the special prosecutor in charge of the Watergate investigation. He helped reveal the role of President Richard Nixon in the Watergate cover-up during the 1970s. When Nixon sacked Cox, the U.S. Congress deemed it an abuse of presidential power. The American people quickly came around to the idea of Nixon’s impeachment.
Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, Cox attended Harvard, graduating with honors in History and continuing to Harvard Law School. He spent many years in government and teaching positions before serving as U.S. Solicitor General under President John F. Kennedy.
Cox served for five months in 1973 as the special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal until Nixon ordered his firing when he demanded that audiotapes of conversations and phone calls in the Oval Office be turned over to the detectives. This incident led to the infamous “Saturday Night Massacre” and brought about Nixon’s resignation the following year.
Cox later returned to teaching at Harvard, served as chair of Common Cause (1980–92,) and wrote a casebook and numerous scholarly articles.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Archibald Cox
I confess that I cannot understand how we can plot, lie, cheat and commit murder abroad and remain humane, honorable, trustworthy and trusted at home.
—Archibald Cox
Topics: Trust
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