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Silver, Isidore, (fl.1973) to Congressman Carlos J. Moorhead

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09613.02.0090 Author/Creator: Silver, Isidore, (fl.1973) Place Written: St. Louis, Missouri Type: Typed letter signed Date: 26 October 1973 Pagination: 1 p. : envelope ; 27.9 x 21.6 cm. Order a Copy

One letter from Isidore Silver to Congressman Carlos J. Moorhead dated October 26, 1973. Silver supports the impeachment of President Nixon. The letter is written on Washington University stationery. He writes that, "The shocking dismissals of Special Prosecutor of Archibald Cox and Deputy Attorney General Ruckleshaus ... convinced me and many of my colleagues throughout the country that only the voluntary resignation or impeachment of President Richard M. Nixon can bring about a renewal of confidence in the government of the United States."

Isadore Silver was a professor of romance languages at Washington University.
The Saturday Night Massacre took place the evening of Saturday, October 20, 1973. President Richard Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox; Richardson refused and resigned. Nixon then ordered Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus to fire Cox; Ruckelshaus also refused and resigned. Nixon then ordered Solicitor General Robert Bork, the third senior member of the Justice Department, to fire Cox. Bork considered resigning, but did as Nixon asked. The reactions to Nixon's actions were highly damaging to the president. A new special counsel was appointed on November 1, 1973, and on November 14, 1973, a court ruled that the dismissal had been illegal.
Carlos J. Moorhead was born on May 5, 1922 in Long Beach, California. He was elected Representative for the 43rd Assembly District of California from 1966 until 1972. During his tenure, Moorhead was Vice Chair of the Natural Resources, Planning and Public Works Committee, and a member of the California Law Revision Commission. Moorhead left the Assembly after being elected in 1972 to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican. He was elected to represent California's 20th district beginning his term in the House in 1973, Moorhead served on the Judiciary Committee during the impeachment hearings of President Nixon. Moorhead voted no on all three Articles of Impeachment adopted by the House Judiciary Committee on July 27, 1974.

Moorhead, Carlos J., 1922-2011
Nixon, Richard Milhous, 1913-1994
Silver, Isidore, fl. 1973
Cox, Archibald, 1912-2004
Ruckelshaus, William, 1932-

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