10 October 2008

Culture Spot 07: On this day...October 10

On this day in 1973, Spiro Agnew, Vice President of the United States under President Nixon, resigned after having been formally charged with accepting bribes and federal income tax evasion. He is the only US Vice President to have resigned because of criminal charges. His resignation resulted in the implementation of the US Constitution's 25th amendment for the first time. Under that amendment, President Nixon nominated the House Minority Leader, Gerald Ford to Vice Presidency which was approved by the US Senate. Ford of course became president when Nixon later resigned the presidency making President Gerald Ford the only non-elected president in US history. The 25th amendment was evoked for a second time when Ford nominated Nelson Rockefeller to follow him in the vice presidency.

Vocabulary

to resign - démissionner
formally charged - mis en examen
a bribe - un pot-de-vin
tax evasion - la fraud fiscale
the implementation - la mise en application

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