Agnew, Spiro Theodore

▪ 1997

      U.S. politician (b. Nov. 9, 1918, Baltimore, Md.—d. Sept. 17, 1996, Berlin, Md.), served as vice president (1969-73) under Pres. Richard Nixon until a tax-evasion scandal forced his resignation. After earning a law degree from the University of Baltimore, Agnew practiced until he was elected to public office in 1962. He served as executive of Baltimore county before becoming governor of Maryland in 1967. Agnew gained Nixon's attention when he chastised African-American leaders during riots in Baltimore following the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., accusing them of remaining silent while militants stirred up the crowds. Although he was virtually unknown to the public when Nixon chose him as his running mate in the 1968 election campaign, Agnew's colourful attacks on the media ("nattering nabobs of negativism") and antiwar demonstrators ("pusillanimous pussyfooters") won him national recognition. Shortly after he took office for his second term as vice president, however, a Baltimore grand jury investigated him (1973) on charges of extortion, bribery, and income-tax violations dating back to his tenure as governor. He resigned from office—only the second U.S. vice president to do so and the first because of legal difficulties—and pleaded nolo contendere to one count of income-tax evasion. He was fined and sentenced to unsupervised probation. After being disbarred (1974) by the state of Maryland, he turned to private business and became a consultant to foreign business concerns.

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