Typescript of President Gerald Ford’s Pardon of Richard Nixon, Signed in 1979

After over a decade of assassination, war, scandal, and impeachement, there was a grim sense of national dysfunction and disunity right up to the day that Richard Nixon resigned the presidency. When Vice President Ford took office, he made a statement to the nation, saying “My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” The nation responded by breathing a collective and palpable sigh of relief. A month later he pardoned Richard Nixon, a very controversial move that was widely questioned at the time. Ford stated he did so in order to help the nation heal, and to avoid having it diverted from moving forward for years as a prosecution and trial of Nixon would have done. Critics felt that the disgraced president should have been held accountable for any crimes he may have committed, just as would a private citizen.

Typed Pardon Signed, Washington, September 8, 1974. “Richard Nixon became the thirty-seventh President of the United States on January 20, 1969… His term in office continued until his resignation on August 9, 1974…As a result of certain acts or omissions occurring before his resignation from the Office of President, Richard Nixon has become liable to possible indictment and trial for offenses against the United States. Whether or not he shall be so prosecuted depends on findings of the appropriate grand jury and on the discretion of the authorized prosecutor. Should an indictment ensue, the accused shall then be entitled to a fair trial by an impartial jury…It is believed that a trial of Richard Nixon, if it became necessary, could not fairly begin until a year or more has elapsed. In the meantime, the tranquility to which this nation has been restored by the events of recent weeks could be irreparably lost by the prospects of bringing to trial a former President…The prospects of such trial will cause prolonged and divisive debate over the propriety of exposing to further punishment and degradation a man who has already paid the unprecedented penalty of relinquishing the highest elective office of the United States.

“Now, therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9,1974.” Ford has signed and dated this, a souvenir copy of one of the key documents of the 1970s, November 5, 1979.

Ford began his term in office with very high ratings, part of the inevitable sigh of relief on the public’s part as Nixon left office, and the Watergate affair was no longer dominating the presidency and the news. But his honeymoon was short-lived, as after the pardon his job approval ratings plummeted. Some believe it cost Ford the 1976 election, though that is by no means certain.