Maurice Stans
Encyclopedia
Maurice Hubert Stans was an American
accountant
, high-ranking civil servant, Cabinet
member, and political organizer. He served as the finance chairman for the Committee to Re-elect the President
, working for the re-election of Richard Nixon
, and was a peripheral figure in the ensuing Watergate Scandal
.
Stans was born in Shakopee, Minnesota
, in 1908. He was the son of J. Hubert and Mathilda Nyssen Stans and graduated from Shakopee High School in 1925. The same year he began work as a stenographer and bookkeeper for a Chicago importer while attending evening classes at Northwestern University. In 1928 he joined the Chicago-based firm of Alexander Grant and Company, certified public accountants, and continued his part-time studies at Columbia University while working at the firm's New York City office.
He attended Columbia University
from 1928–1930. He was an executive partner with the Alexander Grant & Co. accounting firm in Chicago, Illinois from 1940 until 1955.
(as OMB was known before 1970) 1957–1958, director of the Bureau of the Budget 1958–1961; Secretary of Commerce
1969–1972. He was inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame
in 1960.
In 1961, Stans was one of the founders of the African Wildlife Foundation
.
's re-election campaign. Money that he raised for the campaign was clearly used to finance some of the illegal Watergate activities. However, Stans always maintained, and it has not been proven to the contrary, that he had no knowledge of the various Watergate crimes.
It was rumored Stans was the source for raising the million dollars in cash which Nixon kept in the White House
safe. This cash was used to pay Howard Hunt and the Cuban/engllish Watergate burglars. Stans raised the cash from a list of large contributors by threatening IRS audits.
He was indicted in 1973 for perjury
and obstruction of justice
, but was acquitted the following year.
He later authored a book, The Terrors of Justice: The Untold Side of Watergate, in which he detailed his side of the Watergate story.
at the Huntington Memorial Hospital
in Pasadena, California
. He was survived by his wife Penny, his daughter Terry, her husband Bill and their three children, his sons Steve and Ted, his grandchildren, Shelia and Peter, and Peter's wife Lois and their three children: Rebecca, Samantha and Deidre.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, high-ranking civil servant, Cabinet
United States Cabinet
The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, which are generally the heads of the federal executive departments...
member, and political organizer. He served as the finance chairman for 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...
, working for the re-election of 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 was a peripheral figure in the ensuing 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...
.
Early life
Shakopee, Minnesota
Shakopee is a city southwest of downtown Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Scott County. Located on the south bank bend of the Minnesota River, Shakopee and nearby suburbs comprise the southwest portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the thirteenth largest...
, in 1908. He was the son of J. Hubert and Mathilda Nyssen Stans and graduated from Shakopee High School in 1925. The same year he began work as a stenographer and bookkeeper for a Chicago importer while attending evening classes at Northwestern University. In 1928 he joined the Chicago-based firm of Alexander Grant and Company, certified public accountants, and continued his part-time studies at Columbia University while working at the firm's New York City office.
He attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
from 1928–1930. He was an executive partner with the Alexander Grant & Co. accounting firm in Chicago, Illinois from 1940 until 1955.
Civil servant, joins Cabinet
He later served as U.S. deputy postmaster general from 1955–1957; deputy director Bureau of the BudgetUnited States Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget is a Cabinet-level office, and is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States .The current OMB Director is Jacob Lew.-History:...
(as OMB was known before 1970) 1957–1958, director of the Bureau of the Budget 1958–1961; Secretary of Commerce
United States Secretary of Commerce
The United States Secretary of Commerce is the head of the United States Department of Commerce concerned with business and industry; the Department states its mission to be "to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce"...
1969–1972. He was inducted into the Accounting Hall of Fame
Accounting Hall of Fame
The Accounting Hall of Fame is an award "recognizing accountants who are making or have made a significant contribution to the advancement of accounting" since the beginning of the 20th century. Inductees are from both accounting academia and practice...
in 1960.
In 1961, Stans was one of the founders of the African Wildlife Foundation
African Wildlife Foundation
The African Wildlife Foundation , founded in 1961 as the African Wildlife Leadership Foundation, is an international conservation organization that focuses on critically important landscapes in Africa....
.
CRP, Watergate
In 1972, he resigned as Secretary of Commerce, to chair the finance committee of the Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP), Richard NixonRichard 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...
's re-election campaign. Money that he raised for the campaign was clearly used to finance some of the illegal Watergate activities. However, Stans always maintained, and it has not been proven to the contrary, that he had no knowledge of the various Watergate crimes.
It was rumored Stans was the source for raising the million dollars in cash which Nixon kept in 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...
safe. This cash was used to pay Howard Hunt and the Cuban/engllish Watergate burglars. Stans raised the cash from a list of large contributors by threatening IRS audits.
He was indicted in 1973 for perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
and obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
, but was acquitted the following year.
He later authored a book, The Terrors of Justice: The Untold Side of Watergate, in which he detailed his side of the Watergate story.
Death
Stans died in 1998 aged 90 following a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at the Huntington Memorial Hospital
Huntington Memorial Hospital
Huntington Hospital is a 635-bed not-for-profit hospital in Pasadena, California. It is named for Southern California businessman and booster Henry E...
in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. He was survived by his wife Penny, his daughter Terry, her husband Bill and their three children, his sons Steve and Ted, his grandchildren, Shelia and Peter, and Peter's wife Lois and their three children: Rebecca, Samantha and Deidre.