Letters to Hal Stoltz from Mark Hatfield and Wendell Wyatt
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of two letters to Hal Stoltz of Portland, Oregon, one written by U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield and one by U.S. Representative Wendell Wyatt, both dated November 16, 1973. They are in response to letters Stoltz had written to Hatfield and Wyatt (not included in the collection) regarding recent developments in the Watergate scandal and the potential impeachment of U.S. President Richard Nixon. Hatfield expresses distress at Nixon's firing of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox and the related resignations of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus, and stresses the need for a special prosecutor free from executive pressure. Wyatt writes that he had repeatedly stated that Nixon ought to release audio tapes of White House conversations, and says that the release of the tapes will influence the direction Congress takes. Both letters thank Stoltz for having shared his opinions.
Dates
- Creation: 1973 November 16
Creator
- Stoltz, Hal (Harold D.), 1943-2023 (Correspondent, Person)
- Hatfield, Mark O., 1922-2011 (Correspondent, Person)
- Wyatt, Wendell William, 1917-2009 (Correspondent, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Biographical Note
Harold D. "Hal" Stoltz (1943-2023) was born in Wendell, Idaho, and grew up in Jerome, Idaho. He earned a degree in sociology from the University of Puget Sound in 1965. Soon after, he was drafted into the U.S. Army; he mainly served in Würzburg, Germany. After his two-year tour, he worked for the Boy Scouts of America in Portland, Oregon. He later earned a master's degree in counseling from Lewis & Clark College, and worked as a high school counselor in Newberg, Oregon, and then at Bothell High School and Woodinville High School north of Seattle, Washington. Stoltz was passionate about the history of the fur trade in the Pacific Northwest, and participated in living history activities for the Champoeg Historical Pageant and at Fort Clatsop.
Source: Information provided by Greg Stoltz, Hal Stoltz's son, in 2023.
Historical Note
In 1972, members of United States President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign organization, Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP), burglarized the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate Complex in Washington, D.C., to photograph documents and install listening devices. Police caught and arrested five burglars. The Nixon campaign unsuccessfully tried to cover up its involvement with the break-in, and actively impeded the investigation. The attempted cover-up included an incident known as the "Saturday Night Massacre," when on October 20, 1973, Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, who had subpoenaed the administration for audio recordings of conversations in the White House, and Richardson resigned in protest. Nixon then ordered Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelhaus to fire Cox, and Ruckelshaus also resigned, before Nixon successfully had Solicitor General Robert Bork fire Cox. On October 30, 1973, Congress began impeachment proceedings against Nixon. In August 1974, when incriminating evidence had made impeachment and conviction almost certain, Nixon resigned.
Sources: "Watergate scandal," Wikipedia, accessed September 13, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate_scandal; "Saturday Night Massacre," Wikipedia, Wikipedia, accessed September 13, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Night_Massacre
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder in shared box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Letters from U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield (1922-2011) and U.S. Representative Wendell Wyatt (1917-2009) to Hal Stoltz of Portland, Oregon, regarding the possible impeachment of U.S. President Richard Nixon for his actions in the Watergate scandal. In October 1973, Nixon's attempt to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox led to the resignation of Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus before Solicitor General Robert Bork carried out Cox's dismissal. The U.S. Congress began the impeachment process ten days later. In August 1974, Nixon resigned from office to avoid impeachment and conviction.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Greg Stoltz, September 2024 (RL2024-064).
Genre / Form
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the letters to Hal Stoltz from Mark Hatfield and Wendell Wyatt
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey A. Hayes
- Date
- 2024
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org