Earl F. Landgrebe
Encyclopedia
Earl Fredrick Landgrebe was a politician and businessman. He served as an Indiana
state senator and United States representative for the 2nd district. Langrebe was from Valparaiso
in Porter County
, Indiana
. He is remembered unfavorably for his famous line at the Watergate hearings
: "Don’t confuse me with the facts." Landgrebe stuck with Richard Nixon
until the bitter end.
Landgrebe was born near Valparaiso in 1916, the son of Edward William Landgrebe and Benna Marie Landgrebe (née Broderman). He married Helen Lucille Field on July 12, 1936. He was elected to the state senate of Indiana in 1959 as a Republican
and served there until 1968. In that year, he was elected to represent Indiana's 2nd district in the House of Representatives
.
On August 5, 1974, Richard Nixon released certain documents revealing his orders to aides to hinder the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) investigation of the Watergate break-in
. When Landgrebe was asked on August 7 about the apparently unanimous support for impeachment of Nixon among his Republican colleagues following this disclosure, he said: "I'm going to stick with my President even if he and I have to be taken out of this building and shot." The next day, Richard Nixon announced his resignation. A few months later, Landgrebe was shown the door by his constituents. His re-election bid was derailed by Democrat
Floyd Fithian
.
After his defeat, Earl Landgrebe returned to his home in Valparaiso where he owned and managed Landgrebe Motor Transport Inc., a common carrier and freight hauling company. In February 1980, the Machinist Union was on strike at the Union Rolls Corporation in Valparaiso, Indiana. The former congressman personally confronted picketers with a tractor trailer. On February 13 he completed two trips into the Union Rolls plant to pick up and haul away merchandise. Both times, the Union unsuccessfully tried to prevent his entrance into the plant. On a third trip later that day, he was not so fortunate. Union members surrounded the truck. They swung clubs and broke mirrors and shattered glass. Landgrebe was showered with broken glass. A local sheriff broke up the incident.
On July 1, 1986 he died at home of a heart attack. He was 70 years old.
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state senator and United States representative for the 2nd district. Langrebe was from Valparaiso
Valparaiso, Indiana
Valparaiso is a city in and the county seat of Porter County, Indiana, United States. The population was 31,730 at the 2010 census, making it the 2nd largest city in Porter County.-History:...
in Porter County
Porter County, Indiana
Porter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2010, the population was 164,343. Much of the population growth has to do with the expansion of the Chicago Metropolitan Area eastward into Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. He is remembered unfavorably for his famous line at the Watergate hearings
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
: "Don’t confuse me with the facts." Landgrebe stuck with Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
until the bitter end.
Landgrebe was born near Valparaiso in 1916, the son of Edward William Landgrebe and Benna Marie Landgrebe (née Broderman). He married Helen Lucille Field on July 12, 1936. He was elected to the state senate of Indiana in 1959 as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and served there until 1968. In that year, he was elected to represent Indiana's 2nd district in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
On August 5, 1974, Richard Nixon released certain documents revealing his orders to aides to hinder the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) investigation of the Watergate break-in
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
. When Landgrebe was asked on August 7 about the apparently unanimous support for impeachment of Nixon among his Republican colleagues following this disclosure, he said: "I'm going to stick with my President even if he and I have to be taken out of this building and shot." The next day, Richard Nixon announced his resignation. A few months later, Landgrebe was shown the door by his constituents. His re-election bid was derailed by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Floyd Fithian
Floyd Fithian
Floyd James Fithian was a U.S. Representative from Indiana.Born and raised in Vesta, Nebraska, Fithian graduated from Vesta High School, 1947. He achieved his B.A., Peru State College, Peru, Nebraska, 1951; an M.A., University of Nebraska, 1955; and a Ph.D., University of Nebraska, 1964. He was a...
.
After his defeat, Earl Landgrebe returned to his home in Valparaiso where he owned and managed Landgrebe Motor Transport Inc., a common carrier and freight hauling company. In February 1980, the Machinist Union was on strike at the Union Rolls Corporation in Valparaiso, Indiana. The former congressman personally confronted picketers with a tractor trailer. On February 13 he completed two trips into the Union Rolls plant to pick up and haul away merchandise. Both times, the Union unsuccessfully tried to prevent his entrance into the plant. On a third trip later that day, he was not so fortunate. Union members surrounded the truck. They swung clubs and broke mirrors and shattered glass. Landgrebe was showered with broken glass. A local sheriff broke up the incident.
On July 1, 1986 he died at home of a heart attack. He was 70 years old.