John Ehrlichman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Ehrlichman
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Official portrait, 1972
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| White House Domestic Affairs Advisor | |
| In office November 4, 1969 – April 30, 1973 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Pat Moynihan (Urban Affairs) |
| Succeeded by | Melvin Laird |
| White House Counsel | |
| In office January 20, 1969 – November 4, 1969 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Larry Temple |
| Succeeded by | Chuck Colson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Daniel Ehrlichman
March 20, 1925 Tacoma, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | February 14, 1999 (aged 73) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Karen Hilliard |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA) Stanford University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  U.S. Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Unit | .png){kind=small} Eighth Air Force |
| Battles/wars |
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John Daniel Ehrlichman (born March 20, 1925 – died February 14, 1999) was an American political helper. He worked for President Richard Nixon as his main advisor on domestic issues. This meant he helped with things happening inside the United States. He also served as the White House's top lawyer, known as the White House Counsel.
Ehrlichman was very important in shaping Nixon's plans for the country. He helped the President understand different issues. He also encouraged Nixon to support projects that helped protect the environment. However, Ehrlichman was also a key person in the events that led to the Watergate scandal. This scandal involved a break-in and other illegal activities. For his role, Ehrlichman was found guilty of certain actions and spent time in prison.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Ehrlichman was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1925. His parents were Lillian and Rudolph Ehrlichman. His family followed the Christian Science faith. In 1931, his family moved to southern California.
John was a very active young person. He became an Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank in Boy Scouts. He also received a special award called the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He finished high school at Santa Monica High School in 1942. After high school, he studied at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for one year.
Military Service and Early Career
When he was 18, in 1943, John Ehrlichman joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. This was during World War II. He became a navigator on a B-24 bomber plane. He flew with the Eighth Air Force in Europe. For his bravery and skill, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Sadly, his father had also joined the military earlier. His father was a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He died in a plane crash in 1942.
After the war, Ehrlichman used the G.I. Bill to continue his education. This program helped soldiers pay for college. He went back to UCLA and earned a degree in political science in 1948. Then, he went to Stanford Law School and became a lawyer in 1951.
He moved to Seattle and joined a law firm. He became a partner there. He was known for his work with land use and city planning. He helped improve things in Seattle, like cleaning up Lake Washington. He worked as a lawyer until 1969. His experience with environmental issues was very helpful later in his career at the White House.
Working in Politics
John Ehrlichman first worked with Richard Nixon on his presidential campaign in 1960. Nixon did not win that election. He also helped Nixon in his campaign for governor of California in 1962, which was also unsuccessful. Later, Ehrlichman helped with Nixon's successful presidential campaign in 1968.
After Nixon won, Ehrlichman became the White House Counsel. This meant he was the President's main lawyer. After about a year, he became the Chief Domestic Advisor. This made him a very close advisor to President Nixon. He and his good friend H. R. Haldeman were often called "The Berlin Wall." This was because their names sounded German. Also, they often kept other advisors from reaching President Nixon directly.
Ehrlichman also helped create a group called "The Plumbers." This group was formed to stop secret information from being leaked to the public. They were involved in the events that led to the Watergate scandal.
In 1973, the Watergate investigations began. Ehrlichman and Haldeman resigned from their positions on April 30, 1973.
Time in Prison
John Ehrlichman was found responsible for certain actions related to the Watergate scandal. He was found guilty of conspiracy and obstruction of justice in 1975. He was sentenced to prison. In 1977, his sentence was shortened. He chose to go to prison even before all his appeals were finished. He served 18 months in a federal prison. Because of his conviction, he was no longer allowed to practice law.
Life After Politics
After leaving prison, John Ehrlichman worked in different jobs. He worked for a quality control company. He also became a writer and artist. He wrote several books, including a novel called The Company. This book was later made into a TV miniseries. He also wrote a book about his time in the Nixon administration called Witness To Power.
Ehrlichman died in Atlanta in 1999. He had complications from diabetes. Before he passed away, he worked on a documentary about Watergate.
In the Media
John Ehrlichman has been shown in movies. He was played by J. T. Walsh in the film Nixon. He was also played by Wayne Péré in the movie Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House.
Books by John Ehrlichman
- The Company (1976) - A novel
- The Whole Truth (1979) - A novel
- The China Card (1986) - A novel
- Witness to Power: The Nixon Years (1982) - His memoir about working for Nixon
See also
- Presidency of Richard Nixon
