Due to his participation in a controversy, many people are curious about the 39th vice president of the United States. People often want to know the specifics of the incident and inquire, “What happened to Spiro Agnew?”
The 39th vice president of the United States, Spiro Theodore Agnew, served in that position from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He became just the second vice president in history to quit with his resignation, the first being John C. Calhoun in 1832.
Agnew got his start in politics as James Devereux’s assistant before joining the Baltimore County Board of Zoning Appeals in 1957.
He advanced through the ranks, winning the Democratic primary against George P. Mahoney and the independent contest against Hyman A. Pressman to become governor of Maryland in 1966.
How did Spiro Agnew fare?
The summer of 1973 was challenging for Agnew, the 39th vice president of the United States. He was charged with bad deeds including demanding money, accepting bribes, and failing to pay his taxes on time.
The politician argued that the charges were unfounded and that a vice president could not be held accountable for a crime while in office in an effort to protect himself.
A vice president might be charged, according to the legal advisor assisting the administration.
As a result, more and more individuals urged him to resign from his position. His attorneys met in private with a court and struck an agreement to remove him from the list of candidates for president.
Finally, Theodore submitted his resignation as vice president on October 10, 1973. In court, he confessed that he had underreported his income by $29,500. He was sentenced to a $10,000 fine and three years of good behavior without any supervision.
Spiro Agnew Controversy
Spiro Agnew was embroiled in a controversy concerning his participation in corruption while serving as the governor of Maryland and executive of Baltimore County.
He ran into difficulty because he was illegally accepting payment from contractors in exchange for awarding them work. Even after being elected vice president, he continued to accept this money.
The issue that occurred at the same time as Watergate was distinct from this one. He had nothing to do with the Watergate scandal.
The politician first said he didn’t do anything illegal, but he finally acknowledged that he didn’t pay his taxes appropriately.
He entered a no-contest plea, which implies he rejected responsibility but agreed to the penalty. He was forced to leave his position as vice president as a consequence.
Gerald Ford was chosen by Richard Nixon as his replacement. He had a quiet life after leaving politics and seldom went out in public.
Details of the Spiro Agnew Case
Beginning in early 1972, when George Beall, the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, started investigating corruption in Baltimore County, the investigation into Spiro’s misconduct got underway.
The political figure’s name first surfaced as a potential target, but Beall didn’t give much attention since the deadline for bringing any charges for crimes committed while Agnew served as county executive had passed.
However, as the inquiry progressed, it became clear from the evidence that Agnew had engaged in corrupt practices even while serving as vice president.
Lester Matz, one of the witnesses, was prepared to testify against him and had been making illicit payments to him. The probe was made public in August 1973 thanks to a story in The Wall Street Journal.
Theodore vehemently rejected the allegations, but as the pressure mounted, he began to discuss a plea agreement in an effort to escape going to prison.
He entered a no-guilty plea to one felony charge of failing to pay taxes for the year 1967 on October 10, 1973. He was sentenced to a $10,000 fine and three years of probation.
The politician issued a letter of resignation to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and to President Nixon, who accepted it and noted the need to avert additional discord and uncertainty.
Agnew’s political career came to an end with his resignation, and he had a pretty peaceful life after that. He served as a consultant for international corporations, and in the 1980 book “Go Quietly…or Else,” which he wrote to protect his political career, he attacked Nixon administration officials.
After being barred from practicing law in Maryland in 1974, Spiro Agnew continued in asserting his innocence and justifying his actions in his biography and book.
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