William Ruckelshaus: The Principled Resister With a Second Act
During my tenure as attorney general, I had the portraits of four predecessors, including Elliot Richardson, hanging in my large conference room. But in my smaller personal office, I kept a picture in my desk of Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus and his wife walking out of the Justice Department on the evening of the “Saturday Night Massacre” in 1973. Like so many of the women and men I had the pleasure of working with at the department, I revered Ruckelshaus for the courage he showed by resigning in principle, rather than buckling to political pressure.
The Department of Justice, at its best, holds a unique position in the federal government. Senior officials are appointed by the president, but they serve, first and foremost, the interests of the American people. They take these offices not to enjoy their trappings, nor to wield power, nor to put personal beliefs above the interests of the nation. Their service is to a mission to ensure that every American is treated equally under the law.
While they were serving together at the Justice Department, Ruckelshaus, who passed away in November, and Richardson were forced to make one of the most consequential decisions ever faced by any public servants in the history of our nation. In October 1973, President Richard Nixon ordered each of them to fire Archibald Cox, the Watergate special prosecutor who had made a legitimate request for evidence from the White House. Nixon, of course, knew that the evidence Cox sought would unravel his claims of innocence in the Watergate scandal and likely lead to the end of his presidency. Rather than taint their offices and the institution they led by following a politically motivated and potentially unlawful order to obstruct justice, Ruckelshaus and Richardson held fast to their oath of office. By resigning, they demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the values that underlie our democracy. They showed the American people and demonstrated to history that, through their action, no one in America—not even the president who appointed them—was above the law.
History has treated Ruckelshaus—appropriately—very kindly. His example is a guide for all of the selfless, dedicated women and men who have served, and do serve, the American people at the Justice Department. Of the many lessons we should take from his career, I hope one in particular resonates with those serving at this moment in Washington. A decade after the Saturday Night Massacre, Ruckelshaus’ reputation was not diminished, nor was he ostracized by his own political party. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan asked him to return to lead the Environmental Protection Agency—an agency that Ruckelshaus had helped to get off the ground in 1970—to restore trust in a place that was in crisis because of mismanagement. At the EPA, like at Justice, Ruckelshaus was driven by facts and the public good, which led to emissions standards for cars, banning DDT and dealing with the smog that was choking American cities. There can be a reward for those who put principle and patriotism above partisanship and ideology. There is—I still believe—a second act in America for those who do the right thing.
Our national conception of who constitutes an American patriot is often too narrowly focused. There is no doubt in my mind that Ruckelshaus deserves that title. He was driven by patriotism. He understood that our founding documents only have meaning when those who have sworn to protect and defend them, through their actions, give life to those words. That’s why he remains a legendary figure at the Justice Department—and will be for as long as the institution exists. Today, more than ever, we need the patriotism and mettle that William Ruckelshaus personified to guide those who have the responsibility and honor of working at the highest levels of our government.
