Spiro T. Agnew seems to be rattling around in the collective unconscious lately, like a repellent archetype we thought we had buried long ago but that is suddenly resurrected as relevant. And in a sad commentary on our times, Agnew is once again relevant with two new books that cover aspects of his infamous career.
Of the two books, the latter is ultimately more meaningful, though Bag Man makes for a quick and gripping read. We may remember that Agnew pleaded nolo contendere to a tax evasion charge as part of a plea bargain that required his resignation from the Vice Presidency. Agnew shook down Maryland engineering firms who wanted government contracts from his position as County Executive of Baltimore County through the Maryland Governorship all the way into the White House.
And what was he doing with the money he acquired in this manner? It was a gentler time. The plea bargain only required that Agnew cop to the tax crime, really a minor part of the overall corruption. The Justice Department needed him out of office and quick. If Nixon were to resign or be removed from office, as things stood Agnew would ascend to the Presidency.
Nobody in the Administration wanted this outcome, least of all Attorney General Richardson, who considered Agnew unfit. Even Nixon saw Agnew as unfit for high office and according to both books, dreaded meetings with him and spent quite a lot of time strategizing with aides on how to sideline the lightweight Vice.
Why are we remembering this now? Financial criminals in high office? What does that have to do with the present moment?
