Elliot Richardson

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]

References

1. "Anne Richardson Obituary". New York Times July 29, 1999. July 29, 1999. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
2. "Elliot Richardson dies". nytimes.com. January 1, 2000. Retrieved August 5, 2015.

Other websites

• Social Security Administration Biography - Elliot L. Richardson
• "Elliot Lee Richardson". Presidential Cabinet Secretary, U.S. Attorney General. Find a Grave. January 12, 2001. Retrieved March 20, 2013.