Gordon C. Strachan
Encyclopedia
Gordon Creighton Strachan (born July 24, 1943 in Berkeley, California
) was an aide to H.R. Haldeman, Chief of Staff for U.S.
President
Richard Nixon
and a figure in the Watergate scandal
.
Strachan graduated from the University of Southern California
with a B.A. in International Relations in 1965. He obtained his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley
Boalt Hall School of Law in 1968. From 1968 until 1970 he worked for the New York City
law firm of Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander
, the same firm Nixon worked for before he ran for the presidency again in 1968.
Strachan, who was recruited by Dwight L. Chapin, came to the White House
in 1970 and initially worked as a staff assistant to Herbert G. Klein
but was assigned to be H.R. Haldeman's liaison to the Committee to Re-elect the President
(CRP) when it was formed in March 1971. CRP would become the center of the Watergate scandal. His duties at CRP focused on areas that he had previous experience with; as an advance man during 1970 mid-term election campaigns, he oversaw political operations. He testified as such before the Senate Watergate Committee and stated that John Dean
oversaw all political intelligence-gathering, including the Watergate break-in, at CRP.
However, G. Gordon Liddy
has claimed in his book Will, and in a sworn deposition, that Strachan was aware of political intelligence-gathering that Liddy was undertaking, including the Watergate break-in. Liddy claims that Strachan discussed the poor quality of the intelligence gathered from the first successful Watergate break-in, and that Liddy told him they were "going back in" to correct the technical problems with the monitoring devices. Dean withheld this information from Haldeman and John Ehrlichman
, which led to the White House adopting the erroneous position that no one in the White House had involvement, and that it was all contained within CRP. In a 1997 interview with Tom Clancy
for the video Eye of the Storm, John Ehrlichman
stated Strachan "knows a lot, that he's not telling."
Strachan was indicted along with other White House
staffers on March 1, 1974, but all charges against him were dropped on June 10, 1975.
He moved to Utah
in 1975, and served as a clerk for Berman & Giauque in Salt Lake City
. In 1977 his license to practice law was restored in Utah, and he was elevated to a lawyer at the firm, until he left for a partnership at Prince, Yeates & Geldzahler. He now is the principal at his own law firm, Strachan Strachan & Simon P.C., in Park City, Utah. His practice is mainly focused on antitrust
litigation in the ski
industry. He served on the Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Games
, and is also general counsel to the United States Ski and Snowboard Association
. He is the author of several articles on law.
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
) was an aide to H.R. Haldeman, Chief of Staff for U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
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...
and a figure in the Watergate scandal
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...
.
Strachan graduated from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
with a B.A. in International Relations in 1965. He obtained his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
Boalt Hall School of Law in 1968. From 1968 until 1970 he worked for the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
law firm of Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander
Mudge Rose Guthrie Alexander & Ferdon
Mudge Rose Guthrie Alexander & Ferdon was a prominent New York City law firm tracing its origin back to 1869. The firm is known best as the legal launching pad of Richard M. Nixon. For the period during which Nixon was a senior partner, the firm was renamed to Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie &...
, the same firm Nixon worked for before he ran for the presidency again in 1968.
Strachan, who was recruited by Dwight L. Chapin, came to the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in 1970 and initially worked as a staff assistant to Herbert G. Klein
Herbert G. Klein
Herbert G. Klein was best known as United States President Richard Nixon's Executive Branch Communications Director....
but was assigned to be H.R. Haldeman's liaison to the Committee to Re-elect the President
Committee to Re-elect the President
The Committee for the Re-Election of the President, abbreviated CRP but often mocked by the acronym CREEP, was a fundraising organization of United States President Richard Nixon's administration...
(CRP) when it was formed in March 1971. CRP would become the center of the Watergate scandal. His duties at CRP focused on areas that he had previous experience with; as an advance man during 1970 mid-term election campaigns, he oversaw political operations. He testified as such before the Senate Watergate Committee and stated that John Dean
John Dean
John Wesley Dean III is an American lawyer who served as White House Counsel to United States President Richard Nixon from July 1970 until April 1973. In this position, he became deeply involved in events leading up to the Watergate burglaries and the subsequent Watergate scandal cover-up...
oversaw all political intelligence-gathering, including the Watergate break-in, at CRP.
However, G. Gordon Liddy
G. Gordon Liddy
George Gordon Liddy was the chief operative for the White House Plumbers unit that existed from July–September 1971, during Richard Nixon's presidency. Separately, along with E. Howard Hunt, Liddy organized and directed the Watergate burglaries of the Democratic National Committee headquarters in...
has claimed in his book Will, and in a sworn deposition, that Strachan was aware of political intelligence-gathering that Liddy was undertaking, including the Watergate break-in. Liddy claims that Strachan discussed the poor quality of the intelligence gathered from the first successful Watergate break-in, and that Liddy told him they were "going back in" to correct the technical problems with the monitoring devices. Dean withheld this information from Haldeman and John Ehrlichman
John Ehrlichman
John Daniel Ehrlichman was counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon. He was a key figure in events leading to the Watergate first break-in and the ensuing Watergate scandal, for which he was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury...
, which led to the White House adopting the erroneous position that no one in the White House had involvement, and that it was all contained within CRP. In a 1997 interview with Tom Clancy
Tom Clancy
Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. is an American author, best known for his technically detailed espionage, military science, and techno thriller storylines set during and in the aftermath of the Cold War, along with video games on which he did not work, but which bear his name for licensing and...
for the video Eye of the Storm, John Ehrlichman
John Ehrlichman
John Daniel Ehrlichman was counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon. He was a key figure in events leading to the Watergate first break-in and the ensuing Watergate scandal, for which he was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury...
stated Strachan "knows a lot, that he's not telling."
Strachan was indicted along with other White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
staffers on March 1, 1974, but all charges against him were dropped on June 10, 1975.
He moved to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
in 1975, and served as a clerk for Berman & Giauque in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
. In 1977 his license to practice law was restored in Utah, and he was elevated to a lawyer at the firm, until he left for a partnership at Prince, Yeates & Geldzahler. He now is the principal at his own law firm, Strachan Strachan & Simon P.C., in Park City, Utah. His practice is mainly focused on antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
litigation in the ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
industry. He served on the Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Games
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
, and is also general counsel to the United States Ski and Snowboard Association
United States Ski and Snowboard Association
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding. Founded in 1905, the century-old organization provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders from over 400 member clubs who share an Olympic...
. He is the author of several articles on law.