Nixon, Reagan and the Rehnquist File

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In summary, Nixon and Reagan ordered the monitoring of witnesses set to provide critical testimony about former Chief Justice William Rehnquist. The Nixon White House ordered the FBI to run background checks on witnesses in Renquist’s initial Senate confirmation hearing, and the Reagan administration told the FBI to check on the witnesses and find out what they planned to say. The FBI obtained the names from then-assistant attorney general John Bolton. Nixon and Reagan used the FBI for political purposes, and it is legal. It's been known that Nixon was using FBI surveillance and had tried (or was successful) in using IRS to go after his 'enemies'. The end result is that the background of the potential nominee is known and any criminal background is taken
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Nixon, Reagan Ordered Spying on Rehnquist Witnesses
And finally, newly-released FBI documents reveal both the Nixon and Reagan administrations ordered the monitoring of witnesses set to provide critical testimony about former Chief Justice William Rehnquist. In 1971, the Nixon White House ordered the FBI to run background checks on witnesses in Renquist’s initial Senate confirmation hearing. When Renquist was nominated to chief justice fifteen years later, the Reagan administration told the FBI to check on the witnesses and find out what they planned to say. The FBI obtained the names from then-assistant attorney general John Bolton.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/04/155257
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1167818524831
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6722187

So Nixon and Reagan used the FBI for political purposes. Is that legal?
 
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That's the beauty of presidential justice; by the time the crimes are declassified, everyone involved is long dead!
 
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For background checks and investigations inside our boarders, who should do the investigating? I believe every background check done on me has been done by the FBI.
 
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Gokul43201 said:
So Nixon and Reagan used the FBI for political purposes. Is that legal?
NO! It was known that Nixon was using FBI surveillance and had tried (or was successful) in using IRS to go after his 'enemies'. Basically Nixon (and J. Edgar Hoover) used the FBI to illegal domestic surveillance. I don't remember that being an issue with Reagan, but I am not surprised - same kind of mentality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixon's_Enemies_List

http://www.colorado.edu/AmStudies/lewis/2010/water.htm

It would seem that successive republican administrations have actively worked to further undermine the Constitution and American democracy.
 
  • #5
FredGarvin said:
For background checks and investigations inside our boarders, who should do the investigating? I believe every background check done on me has been done by the FBI.

I'm not sure it's always been the same, but I think the Defense Security Service normally does background checks for security clearances. The exception would be for confidential clearances, which some agencies (including the FBI) do on their own.

Rehnquist was being nominated to be Supreme Court Justice, not to work with classified material, so having folks in the FBI do the investigation wouldn't be unreasonable.
 
  • #6
BobG said:
Rehnquist was being nominated to be Supreme Court Justice, not to work with classified material, so having folks in the FBI do the investigation wouldn't be unreasonable.
Does it not depend on the purpose of the investigation?

Can the President, for instance, use the FBI to dig up slime on his Presidential challenger?
 
  • #7
It's not really the purpose of the FBI, but let's be real here. Part of the advantage of being an incumbent in any race is that you're able to improperly use whatever resources you have at your disposal. A state senator that raised money for a mayor in a key city in his district can make sure that city services do nothing to help, and everything to annoy, his challenger, including police harassment, if he wants. Just tell them to tow his campaign vehicles for every single possible infraction. It's perfectly lawful. How are you going to stop something like that? It's just the way politics works, stupid as it is.
 
  • #8
Gokul43201 said:
Does it not depend on the purpose of the investigation?

Can the President, for instance, use the FBI to dig up slime on his Presidential challenger?

Yes, it does depend on the purpose and the extent of the investigation. It would make sense to screen a potential nominee even if the primary motivation is to avoid having embarrassing information coming up during the confirmation hearings. The end result is that the background of the potential nominee is known and any criminal background is taken into consideration when deciding whether to go ahead and nominate the person.

It probably wouldn't be a bad idea for anyone running for public office, although that would get expensive. Voters would have a better idea of the kind of person they're voting for. Generally, candidates would prefer the voters know as little about them as possible except what they personally release as part of their campaigns. Most candidates from both parties usually even refuse to participate in surveys such as Project Vote Smart, which only wants info on the politicians' positions on public issues they are likely to have influence on; not private background info.

In Rehnquist's case, interviewing someone that might be a witness at the confirmation hearing would just be a thorough background check of Rehnquist - better to hear bad news from someone likely to testify against him early before committing to the nomination. Doing background checks of the witnesses is going beyond and does look like misuse of the FBI to eliminate troubling witnesses.
 

1. Who were Nixon, Reagan, and Rehnquist?

Nixon, Reagan, and Rehnquist were all prominent figures in American politics during the 20th century. Richard Nixon served as the 37th President of the United States from 1969 to 1974, while Ronald Reagan served as the 40th President from 1981 to 1989. William Rehnquist was a lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1972 to 1986, and as the 16th Chief Justice from 1986 until his death in 2005.

2. What is the "Rehnquist File"?

The Rehnquist File refers to a collection of documents and materials related to William Rehnquist's nomination and confirmation to the Supreme Court in 1971. These documents include his nomination letter, FBI background investigation, and transcripts of his confirmation hearings.

3. How are Nixon, Reagan, and Rehnquist connected?

Nixon nominated Rehnquist to the Supreme Court in 1971, and Reagan nominated him to be Chief Justice in 1986. Rehnquist also served as an advisor to Nixon's presidential campaign in 1968 and as a legal advisor to the Reagan administration in the 1980s.

4. What was the role of the Supreme Court during Nixon and Reagan's presidencies?

The Supreme Court plays a crucial role in interpreting the Constitution and ruling on important legal issues. During Nixon's presidency, the Supreme Court issued several landmark decisions, including Roe v. Wade and United States v. Nixon. During Reagan's presidency, the Court made significant rulings on issues such as affirmative action and separation of church and state.

5. Why is the Rehnquist File important?

The Rehnquist File provides valuable insights into the nomination and confirmation process of a Supreme Court Justice. It also sheds light on the political and legal climate during Nixon and Reagan's presidencies, as well as Rehnquist's role in shaping the Court's decisions. Additionally, the Rehnquist File has been referenced in more recent Supreme Court nominations, making it an important historical document for understanding the Court's history and processes.

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