cbiu thursday, October 11,1 973 v. lincoln, nebraska vol. 97 no. 25 r Agnew resigns vice presidency Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned Wednesday The criminal charge against Agnew said he filed a Agnew's resignation was the second time in and pleaded no contest to a single count of federal joint 1967 income tax return in which he said he had American history that a vice president has resigned income tax evasion. He was sentenced to pay the an income of $26,099 and owed taxes of $6,416. In his office. John Calhoun resigned Dec. 28, 1832, to maximum $10,000 fine and placed on probation fact, his income was $55,599 and he owed taxes of become a senator from South Carolina. without supervision for three years. $19,967. Calhoun had been elected vice president in 1824 Agnew's resignation places House Speaker Carl Richardson said the Justice Dept. had agreed on and again in 1828. He disagreed with President Albert (D-Okl- as the potential successor to the vice the single count plea in addition to Agnew's Andrew Jackson during his second term and ran in a presidency until President Richard Nixon appoints a resignation. special election for a vacancy in the Senate from his replacement. Nixon's appointment will have to be Agnew, his face drawn and hands trembling, home state. approved by both houses of Congress. entered the plea just a few miles from the county Carroll McKibbin, UNL political science professor, The announcement of Agnew's resignation was offices where his political career began. said Agnew's resignation is a "much different made at 1:05 p.m. CDT by one of his staff In a statement to the court, Agnew said his situation" than Calhoun's. secretaries. A White House spokesman said Nixon was resignation "rests on my firm belief that the public Calhoun resigned "because he saw something more informed of the decision Tuesday night. interest requires swift disposition" of his case. advantageous," McKibbin said. As prescribed by law, Agnew made the resignation The vice president had been under investigation McKibbin said Nixon and Congress are in a "very formal in a one sentence letter to Secretary of State for alleged political graft dating back to his days as interesting" situation in selecting the next vice Henry Kissinger. The letter read: "I hearby resign the county executive and then governor of Maryland in president. office of vice president of the United States effective the 1960s. "The president is in a position to be a kingmaker," immediately." Agnew left the courthouse at 1:40 pm CDT in a he said, noting the vice presidency has become a His resignation and sentencing on the tax evasion limousine for an undisclosed destination. He told stepping stone to the presidency. charge was the culmination of a Justice Dept. newsmen the Justice Dept. had not fully prosecuted The stronger the person the Democratic-controlle- d investigation on bribery and extortion accusations. witnesses in his case. Congress confirms, the more difficult it would be to Shortly after the announcement of his resignation, In his statement, Agnew said, "I did receive win the 1976 presidential election, McKibbin said. according to news reports, Agnew appeared before payments in 1967 which I failed to report for the "The two parties are forced to join hands in the U.S. District Judge Walter Hoffman in Baltimore. The purposes of income taxation." He added that he best interests of the country," McKibbin said. He said reports said the judge told him he considered the no knew the income should have been reported. Nixon should pick a "competent" successor to contest plea the equivalent of admitting guilt. In a letter to Nixon, Agnew wrote, "The Agnew rather than a figurehead. Atty. Gen. Elliot Richardson recommended to accusations against me cannot be resolved without a Usually the vice presidential spot is given to attract Hoffman that the vice president not be imprisoned, long, divisive and debilitating struggle in the Congress votes, McKibbin said. news reports said. He said Agnew's resignation and and in the courts." "Nixon has a very free choice now," he said. conviction on the tax charge was sufficient "It is in the best interests of the nation that If Congress fails to approve a qualified nominee, punishment. relinquish the vice presidency," he added. "it would be to their disservice," he said. Agnew resignation shocks Nebraska political leaders Shock, sadness and apprehension about both damn unusual circumstances," he said. American political parties dominated the Blaine Osterman, student administrative reactions of Nebraska state officials and UNL assistant to the Young Democrats, said he was student leaders contacted by the Daily amazed at Agnew's action in light of recent IMebraskan following the resignation of Vice speeches made by the former vice president. President Spiro T. Agnew. "Last week it wouldn't have been near as big a In a prepared statement, First Congressional shock," he said. District Representative Charles Thone said, Osterman said the resignation "leaves a "The resignation of Vice President Agnew is a question in my mind about the extent of the shock. I am deeply worried about how the guilt" since Agnew pleaded to the attitudes of citizens, particularly young people, charges. may bo affected by all the recent revelations of Student members of the Young Republicans wrongdoing. could not be reached by the Daily Nebraskan "Most of the elected officials I have known, for comment. both democrats and republicans, have Wallace Peterson, UNL economics professor, maintained the highest ethical standards." said, "We heard Agnew's sanctimonious lectures Glenn Wilson, Nebraska Republican Party on law and order, while in the background executive director, expressed surprise at the exists his own unsavory behavior in another resignation. He said, "For far too long office." everybody has been worried about the Peterson, a 1972 Democratic senatorial problems of Watergate; if this ends it, it will be candidate, stressed that he was saddened at the good for the Republican party." resignation and the general state of the He said Republican politics at the state level American political system. would bo affected most in the recruitment of "I hope that adamant congressional leaders if now party members. "It reconfirms the can get above the partisan jockeying and get the impression that politics is not for them," he country out of this thing," he said. said. UNL political science Prof. Arthur B. Winter Moss Democratic State Committee said the would "take the heat off of Dyas, resignation I : ; chairman agreed, "In the minds of many President Nixon," and allow him to restore citizens it is of the a usual confidence in the part same, government. Former Vice President occurrence in politics. Spiro Agnew 'It's not the same though, those arc pretty More Agnew on Page 2 Senate questions budget; suggests 2 for lawyer post By Susanne Schafer recommendations were adopted after prolonged sponsorship for purchasing the books through the ASUN senators and executives tussled over budget discussion and debate. university library. problems until lato into the evening Wednesday night. At the request of Sen. Rob Christoffersen, the If approved by the Board of Regents Friday, Bruce Funding the Women's Resource Center library, president of the hockey club, the $100 allotment Hamilton and Douglas German of the Lincoln law black cultural activities and the child care center were granted the club was raised an additional $125. firm Hamilton and German, will take positions as the the subject of debate which lasted until press time for The Afro-America- Collegiate Society was given UNL student lawyers a week from Monday. the Daily Nebraskan. an additional $225 for films and a workshop. The Jed Buechler, chairman of the ASUN legal rights After floating the report of the legal aid committee original amount recommended was $450, which committee, presented the names as the on the student lawyer, the Senate heard the brings their total recommendation to $675. recommendations of his committee to the Senate at recommendations of the budget committee on Expenditures for the child care center, the Wednesday's meeting. expenditures lor student organizations. Women's Resource Center, and the rowing team still No office hours have yet been set, but 16 to 22 Representatives of Outreach, the hockey club, the occupied the senators later than 10 p.m. hours per week will be expected, he said. Oct. 22 is A fro American Collegiate Society, the Young One of the most contested issues for a number of the target date for setting up the office in ASUN Democrats, the rowing team and the child care center groups was the funding of library books for the headquarters. came before the Senate requesting increases in their Women's Resource Center and the Afro-America- n No formal contract has been signed with Gentian individual budget recommendations. Collegiate Society. Sen. Brian Waid and Sen. Dave and Hamilton because the regents are the foimal

the budact had nassod bv -- . . ASUN ASUN vice Maik Although not been v , thn Thurber strongly contested supplying monies contractors, president Hoeger Senate at press time, a number of changes in the for books if the groups did not seek faculty explained.