On October 10, 1973, Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned from office after being charged with tax evasion and other offenses. He entered a no-contest plea to a single tax charge as part of a deal that ended further prosecution. The case grew out of investigations into bribery and kickback schemes tied to his time as Maryland governor. Agnew’s resignation created a serious political problem during the Watergate era. President Richard Nixon nominated Gerald Ford as the new vice president under the 25th Amendment. The episode contributed to public distrust of political leaders during the 1970s.
