Spiro T. Agnew FBI Files, Department of Justice Files, Agnew Trial Transcript

Description

Agnew’s Fall: Bribery, Tax Evasion, and Resignation

Pre-1960s:

• February 1941 – February 1970: Spiro T. Agnew’s military service records are documented, including service documents, field files, correspondence, efficiency reports, and medical records.

1960s:

• 1960s: Allegations of a five percent kickback scheme from state contractors in Maryland, in which Spiro Agnew allegedly participated as governor of Maryland, begin to surface.
• 1969 – 1986 (mostly 1969 – 1973): The FBI conducts an investigation into Spiro T. Agnew for bribery and also addresses threats made against him. This investigation includes coverage of polygraph tests given to informants and an investigation into leaks to the press.

1973:

• July 12, 1973: A meeting is held with Attorney General Richardson, where discussions revolve around the problems of publicity, witness immunity, and notifying President Nixon and Vice President Agnew of the ongoing investigation.
• September 11, 1973: An “Investigation Status Report on Spiro T. Agnew” is filed, detailing the leads produced by the investigation and the evidence amassed against Agnew.
• October 10, 1973:An “Exposition of the Evidence Against Spiro T. Agnew” is submitted to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland at Agnew’s arraignment.
• Spiro T. Agnew pleads nolo contendere (no contest) to tax evasion charges.
• Agnew’s allocution occurs, where he denies many of the accusations against him.
• Agnew is sentenced by U.S. federal judge Walter E. Hoffman to 3 years of probation and fined $10,000 for a single count of failing to pay income tax on $29,500 of income.
• Spiro T. Agnew resigns as Vice President of the United States.

Post-1973:

• 1973 (Undated, but likely around this period): Information from Lester Matz and John C. Childs is filed, detailing circumstances under which money was exchanged with Mr. Agnew, to be used as possible testimony.

Later Years:

• 1996: Spiro T. Agnew passes away.

Cast of Characters

• Spiro Theodore Agnew (1918-1996): Former Vice President of the United States under President Richard Nixon and former Governor of Maryland. He was the subject of an FBI investigation for bribery and ultimately pleaded no contest to tax evasion charges. He was convicted of failing to pay income tax on $29,500 of income, sentenced to 3 years probation, and fined $10,000, leading to his resignation as Vice President.
• Richard Nixon: President of the United States during the time of the investigation into Spiro Agnew. He was to be notified of the investigation into his Vice President.
• Attorney General Richardson: The Attorney General who was involved in discussions regarding the investigation into Spiro Agnew, specifically concerning publicity, witness immunity, and notification of the President and Vice President.
• Walter E. Hoffman: The U.S. federal judge who presided over Spiro Agnew’s trial on October 10, 1973, accepted his nolo contendere plea, and pronounced his sentence.
• Lester Matz: An associate of Spiro Agnew who provided information detailing circumstances under which money was exchanged with Agnew, intended for possible testimony.
• John C. Childs: An associate of Spiro Agnew who, along with Lester Matz, provided information regarding money exchanges with Agnew for potential testimony.
• Mark O. Hatfield (1922-2011): Former Republican United States Senator and author of “Vice Presidents of the United States 1789-1993,” from which a chapter on Spiro T. Agnew is excerpted in the collection.

Spiro T. Agnew FBI Files, Department of Justice Files, Agnew Trial Transcript

This collection contains a total of 2,319 pages.

The files contain a text transcript of all computer recognizable text embedded into the graphic image of each page of each document, creating a searchable finding aid. Text searches can be done across all files in the collection.

The collection includes:

FBI Files

1,737 pages of files copied from FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the FBI Bureau In Baltimore, Maryland, covering the corruption investigation of President Richard Nixon’s vice president Spiro Theodore Agnew (1918-1996).  Agnew resigned as vice president and later pleaded no contest to tax evasion charges pursued by the IRS.  Agnew was convicted of a single count of failing to pay income tax on $29,500 of income. He was sentenced to 3 years of probation and fined $10,000.

Documents includes coverage of polygraph tests given to informants, 1960’s State of Maryland corruption, and an investigation into leaks to the press. Files document allegations made by former Agnew associates including: A five percent kick back from state contractors scheme Agnew participated in as governor of Maryland, payments made to Agnew in his White House office, and unreported presidential campaign contributions.

The FBI investigated him for bribery, but he was not prosecuted on that charge. This release consists of FBI records concerning the bribery investigation as well as threats made against Agnew. It ranges between 1969 and 1986 (mostly between 1969 and 1973).

United States Attorney, Department of Justice Files

This section contains 246 pages of United States Attorney files, including documents relating to discussions revolving around the problems of publicity, witness immunity, notifying the President and Spiro Agnew of the investigation; Detailed circumstances under which money was exchanged with Mr. Agnew; information to be used as possible testimony given by Agnew associates; and reports of meetings and negotiations with Agnew’s counsel.

Highlights include:

Notes of a meeting with Attorney General Richardson filed in the U.S. Attorneys’ Records on Spiro T. Agnew, 7/12/1973 – Discussion revolved around the problems of publicity, witness immunity, and notifying the President and Spiro Agnew of the investigation

Investigation Status Report on Spiro T. Agnew, 9/11/1973 – This document gives detailed description on the leads the investigation produced and the evidence amassed against Agnew.

Exposition of the Evidence Against Spiro T. Agnew Accumulated by the Investigation in the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland as of October 10, 1973 – This item was submitted to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland at the arraignment of Spiro T. Agnew.

A memo titled “The Lester Matz-Spiro Agnew Relationship.” – Information provided by Lester Matz and John C. Childs filed in the U.S. Attorneys’ Records on Spiro T. Agnew. Contains information to be used as possible testimony given by Mr. Matz and Mr. Childs to the U.S. Attorneys. Details circumstances under which money was exchanged with Mr. Agnew.

Trial Proceedings – The entire transcription of the October 10, 1973, trial of Agnew, including his allocution after taking a nolo contendre plea in which he denies many of the accusations made against him, and his receiving his sentence from U. S. federal judge Walter E. Hoffman.

Additional material includes:

Vice Presidents of the United States 1789-1993 (Excerpt)

An excerpt from Vice Presidents of the United States 1789-1993, written by Mark O. Hatfield (1922-2011), former Republican United States Senator, containing the chapter covering Spiro T. Agnew.

Official Military Personnel File for Spiro T. Agnew

319 pages of the Official Military Personnel File, including the following folders: Service Documents (February 1941-February 1970); Field File/Jacket or Record Book (September 1941-May 1942); Correspondence (March 1951-May 1951); Efficiency/Fitness Reports (July 1944-March 1951); Medical Records (December 1941-April 1951)