Henry S. Ruth Jr.
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Henry Swartley Ruth Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 16, 1931 Philadelphia |
| Died | March 16, 2012 (aged 80) Tuscon |
| Title | Special Prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice |
| Predecessor | Leon Jaworski |
| Successor | Charles F. Ruff |
Henry "Hank" Swartley Ruth Jr. (April 16, 1931 – March 16, 2012), was an American lawyer who served as the third special prosecutor during the Watergate Scandal. He was appointed after the October 1974 resignation of Leon Jaworski, and served until his own resignation in October 1975.[1] He was succeeded by Charles F. Ruff.[2]
Career
After graduating from Yale and the University of Pennsylvania law school, Ruth served in Army Intelligence. He joined the Justice Department in 1961.[3]
Watergate
During the Saturday Night Massacre, Ruth, then the deputy prosecutor, protested the president's order to abolish the special prosecutor's office. He and several other staffers remained in their offices to preserve their evidence until Leon Jaworski was appointed special prosecutor. Ruth said later, "I must say I suppose that human emotions take over. Because one thinks in a democracy this would not happen."[4]
After Jaworski resigned and Ruth was appointed to replace him, Ruth in particular questioned Nixon about the missing 18 1/2 minutes of tape. However, he was unable to prove who had erased them.[1]
Post-Watergate
Ruth testified against the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court in 1987. He also served on the panel investigating the 1985 MOVE bombing.[5]
References
- ^ a b Schudel, Matt (March 24, 2012). "Henry S. Ruth, special prosecutor during Watergate probe, dies at 80". Washington Post. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Martin, Douglas (2012-03-27). "Henry S. Ruth, Who Helped Lead Watergate Prosecution, Dies at 80". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ "Henry S. Ruth Jr. dies at 80; Watergate special prosecutor". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
- ^ Times, Lesley Oelsner Special to The New York (1973-10-21). "COX OFFICE SHUT ON NIXON'S ORDER". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
- ^ "Henry S. Ruth Jr. dies at 80; Watergate special prosecutor". Los Angeles Times. March 26, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)