John H. Taylor (pastor)
Encyclopedia
The Reverend John H. Taylor is the former post-Chief of Staff
to Richard Nixon
, former President of the United States
, and served as the Executive Director of the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation. Taylor had served as director of the privately-owned and funded Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace prior to it joining the federal presidential libraries
system, and becoming the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. Taylor is also an Episcopal
ian priest
, and currently serves as the Vicar
of St. John's Episcopal Church and School, located in Rancho Santa Margarita
, Orange County
, California
.
, Michigan
, Taylor held a position as a newspaper reporter. He later moved to California and worked for former President Richard Nixon in 1979. He became the former president's post-Chief of Staff in 1984, and served in that role until 1990. Taylor married Kathy O'Connor in 2002. O'Conner had served as Nixon's post-Chief of Staff from 1990 until the former president's death in 1994.
and Nixon's involvement in it. Taylor acknowledged, "The entire record of Watergate needs to be viewed through the prism of [the] Vietnam [War]... Richard Nixon was a war-time president. He will still be criticized for his actions but the criticism will be fairer when viewed in that light."
A controversy erupted in 1996, however, between Taylor and President Nixon's daughters Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower
. Taylor had requested that control of the library be taken from the Nixon family and placed with a 24-member board of directors. Both sisters were opposed, although Julie Nixon Eisenhower changed her position and supported Taylor's notion; control was eventually granted to Taylor after a legal battle. During that period, a plan to reunite the president's scattered records was undertaken, but largely fell apart due to a court case regarding a $14 million donation from a close friend of President and Mrs. Nixon, Bebe Rebozo.
This issue would be resolved, however, beginning in 2003, when the United States Congress
voted to repeal a law that prevented President Nixon and his family from controlling presidential records dating from 1969 to 1974. Taylor labeled it as "a first step in abolishing the anomaly" of Richard Nixon being the only president between Herbert Hoover
and Bill Clinton
without a government-operated library.
During his time as director, Taylor was paid $145,500 in 2000, the highest of any director of a presidential library. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
's grandson, and son-in-law to President Nixon David Eisenhower
said of Taylor's job performance, "It's a very well-run library, and John Taylor is a phenomenal director."
took full control of the Richard Nixon Library; this included replacing Taylor as director with Timothy Naftali
, a presidential historian. As Executive Director of the Foundation, Taylor's position remained similar to that of which he previously held, although the foundation is only responsible for Nixon's pre- and post-presidential papers, library grounds, and event space; the National Archives controls the exhibits themselves.
Taylor announced his resignation in February 2009.
. He currently serves full time in that capacity.
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to 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...
, former President of the United States
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....
, and served as the Executive Director of the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation. Taylor had served as director of the privately-owned and funded Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace prior to it joining the federal presidential libraries
Presidential library
In the United States, the Presidential library system is a nationwide network of 13 libraries administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries, which is part of the National Archives and Records Administration...
system, and becoming the Richard Nixon Presidential Library. Taylor is also an Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
ian priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, and currently serves as the Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of St. John's Episcopal Church and School, located in Rancho Santa Margarita
Rancho Santa Margarita, California
Rancho Santa Margarita is a city in Orange County, California. One of Orange County's youngest cities, Rancho Santa Margarita is a master planned community set upon rolling hills. Most neighborhoods in Rancho Santa Margarita are within various homeowners associations...
, Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Early life and career
Born in DetroitDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Taylor held a position as a newspaper reporter. He later moved to California and worked for former President Richard Nixon in 1979. He became the former president's post-Chief of Staff in 1984, and served in that role until 1990. Taylor married Kathy O'Connor in 2002. O'Conner had served as Nixon's post-Chief of Staff from 1990 until the former president's death in 1994.
Director of the Nixon Library
Taylor was appointed Director of the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace while still working for the former president. His tenure consisted of the growth and expansion of the library, as well as the fostering and preservation of Richard Nixon's presidential legacy. In 1999, Taylor sought to enhance the former's president's image when he authorized the release of 124 Nixon-era White House tapes regarding the Watergate scandalWatergate 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...
and Nixon's involvement in it. Taylor acknowledged, "The entire record of Watergate needs to be viewed through the prism of [the] Vietnam [War]... Richard Nixon was a war-time president. He will still be criticized for his actions but the criticism will be fairer when viewed in that light."
A controversy erupted in 1996, however, between Taylor and President Nixon's daughters Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower
Julie Nixon Eisenhower
Julie Nixon Eisenhower is the younger daughter of 37th U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon, and sister to Patricia Nixon Cox....
. Taylor had requested that control of the library be taken from the Nixon family and placed with a 24-member board of directors. Both sisters were opposed, although Julie Nixon Eisenhower changed her position and supported Taylor's notion; control was eventually granted to Taylor after a legal battle. During that period, a plan to reunite the president's scattered records was undertaken, but largely fell apart due to a court case regarding a $14 million donation from a close friend of President and Mrs. Nixon, Bebe Rebozo.
This issue would be resolved, however, beginning in 2003, when the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
voted to repeal a law that prevented President Nixon and his family from controlling presidential records dating from 1969 to 1974. Taylor labeled it as "a first step in abolishing the anomaly" of Richard Nixon being the only president between Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
without a government-operated library.
During his time as director, Taylor was paid $145,500 in 2000, the highest of any director of a presidential library. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
's grandson, and son-in-law to President Nixon David Eisenhower
David Eisenhower
Dwight David Eisenhower II is an American author, public policy fellow, and eponym of the U.S. Presidential retreat, Camp David. He is the grandson of the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D...
said of Taylor's job performance, "It's a very well-run library, and John Taylor is a phenomenal director."
Nixon Library Foundation
Taylor served as director of the library until July 11, 2007, when the National Archives and Records AdministrationNational Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
took full control of the Richard Nixon Library; this included replacing Taylor as director with Timothy Naftali
Timothy Naftali
Timothy Naftali is the director of the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, a post he assumed in 2007 when control of the library was transferred from the Richard Nixon Foundation to the National Archives and Records Administration...
, a presidential historian. As Executive Director of the Foundation, Taylor's position remained similar to that of which he previously held, although the foundation is only responsible for Nixon's pre- and post-presidential papers, library grounds, and event space; the National Archives controls the exhibits themselves.
Taylor announced his resignation in February 2009.
Pastoral work
Taylor was ordained as an Episcopal priest in January 2004, after studying at the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont. He was subsequently named Vicar of St. John's Episcopal Church and School of Rancho Santa Margarita, California, in 2004 by the Right Reverend J. Jon BrunoJ. Jon Bruno
J. Jon Bruno is the Episcopal Bishop of Los Angeles.-Early life and education:Joseph Jon Bruno was born in Los Angeles November 17, 1946 to Dorothy and Joseph J. Bruno...
. He currently serves full time in that capacity.