Agnew's Trouble: Investigation to Resignation

August 6--Vice President Spiro T. Agnew announced that he was under investigation for possible violations of criminal law, including bribery, tax fraud, extortion and conspiracy.

August 8--Agnew said in a nationally televised press conference that he had "nothing to hide" and "no expectation of being indicted." The vice president also stated he had no intention of resigning. Deputy press secretary Gerald L. Warren said that the investigation was "no reason for the President to change his attitude about the vice president or his confidence in the vice president."

August 10--Federal investigators subpoenaed records of Agnew's two-year administration as governor and "any and all" financial records of his gubernatorial campaign.

August 14--Agnew made personal finance records available to the U.S. attorney's office in Baltimore, Md., and volunteered to answer the investigators' questions.

Press secretary Warren said that Nixon was "interested in making sure that all appropriate steps" were being taken by the investigators.

August 18--A federal judge in Virginia, Walter E. Hoffman, was appointed to oversee the Agnew case, after all nine federal judges in Maryland had disqualified themselves.

August 21--Agnew, in a nationally televised statement, denounced leaks to the press, blaming them on officials in the Justice Department who "have decided to indict me in the press whether or not the evidence supports their position."

August 22--President Nixon defended Agnew in a San Clemente, Calif., news conference. He said, "My confidence in Agnew's integrity has not been shaken."

August 23--A grand jury in Baltimore indicted Agnew's successor as Baltimore County Executive, N. Dale Anderson, on 39 counts of bribery, extortion, and conspiracy.

September 25--Agnew and Nixon met privately for the fourth time since early August. Afterwards the vice president asked the House to conduct an inquiry into the charges against him.

The Dow Jones news service reported that the Justice Department had tentatively agreed to allow Agnew to plea guilty to a minor charge in return for Agnew's resignation.

September 26--House Speaker Carl Albert (D.-Okla.) said the House would take no action on the request "at this time."

September 27--The federal grand jury in Baltimore began hearing evidence against Agnew.

September 28--Agnew's attorneys sought to halt the grand jury proceedings on grounds that a vice president cannot be indicted while in office.

September 29--Agnew declared he would not resign if indicted.

October 3--Judge Hoffman gave Agnew's attorneys authority to conduct an investigation into alleged Justice Department leaks. President Nixon backed Agnew's refusal to resign if indicted as "altogether proper."

October 5--The Justice Department argued that a sitting vice president can be indicted and tried on criminal charges

October 8--Seven subpoenas were served on newsmen regarding leaks in the probe, while the Justice Department called allegations that it was responsible for the leaks "frivolous."