President Ford’s Pardon of Richard M. Nixon: a 40-Year Retrospective
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Ann Arbor, MI
Ken Gormley, Dean of Law at Duquesne University recounted the gripping story of President Fords unexpected pardon of Richard Nixon, revealing facts that are largely unknown to history. Sharing these facts, Gormley adds that, indeed, those who questioned President Fords decision may reevaluate that assessment. The program included clips of Benton Becker, who served as Special Counsel to President Ford and was personally sent by Ford to California to negotiate the terms of the Pardon with Richard Nixon. The evening also featured a special Tom Brokaw recollection piece about this dramatic moment in American history, and Gormleys own filmed interview with President Ford. This interview, occurring several years before Fords death, included the former president discussing his reasons for pardoning Nixon, knowing that it might cause him to lose the presidency in 1976. These dramatic events formed the subject of an informative and fascinating discussion.
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