WASHINGTON 鈥� G. Gordon Liddy, a mastermind of the Watergate burglary and a radio talk show host after emerging from prison, died Tuesday at age 90 at his daughter's home in Virginia.
His son, Thomas Liddy, confirmed the death but did not reveal the cause, other than to say it was not related to COVID-19.
Liddy, a former FBI agent and Army veteran, was convicted of conspiracy, burglary and illegal wiretapping for his role in the Watergate burglary, which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. He spent four years and four months in prison, including more than 100 days in solitary confinement.
鈥淚鈥檇 do it again for my president,鈥� he said years later.
Liddy was outspoken and controversial as a political operative under Nixon. He recommended assassinating political enemies, bombing a left-leaning
One of his ventures 鈥� the break-in at Democratic headquarters at the Watergate building in June 1972 鈥� was approved. The burglary went awry, which led to an investigation, a
Liddy also was convicted of conspiracy in the September 1971 burglary of the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the
After his release from prison, Liddy became a popular, provocative and controversial radio talk show host. He also worked as a security consultant, writer and actor. His appearance 鈥� piercing dark eyes, bushy moustache and shaved head 鈥� made him a recognizable spokesman for products and TV guest.
On air, he offered tips on how to kill federal firearms agents, rode around with car tags saying 鈥淗20GATE鈥� (Watergate) and scorned people who
Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, George Gordon Battle Liddy was a frail boy who grew up in a
鈥淚f an entire nation could be changed, lifted out of weakness to extraordinary strength, so could one person,鈥� Liddy wrote in 鈥淲ill,鈥� his autobiography. His personal story was intriguing enough that 鈥淲ill鈥� was the basis of a TV movie in 1982 starring Robert Conrad.
As a boy Liddy decided it was critical to face his fears and overcome them. At age 11, he roasted a rat and ate it to overcome his fear of rats. 鈥淔rom now on, rats could fear me as they feared cats,鈥� he wrote.
After attending Fordham University and serving a stint in the Army, Liddy graduated from the Fordham University Law School and then joined the FBI. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress from New York in 1968 and helped organize Nixon鈥檚 presidential campaign in the state.
When Nixon took office, Liddy was named a special assistant to Treasury and served under Treasury Secretary David M. Kennedy. He later moved to the White House, then to Nixon鈥檚 reelection campaign, where his official title was general counsel.
Liddy was head of a team of Republican operatives known as 鈥渢he plumbers,鈥� whose mission was to find leakers of information embarrassing to the Nixon administration. Among Liddy鈥檚 specialties were gathering political intelligence and organizing activities to disrupt or discredit Nixon鈥檚 Democratic opponents.
While recruiting a woman to help carry out one of his schemes, Liddy tried to convince her that no one could force him to reveal her identity or anything else against his will. To convince her, He held his hand over a flaming cigarette lighter. His hand was badly burned. The woman turned down the job.
Liddy became known for such offbeat suggestions as kidnapping war protest organizers and taking them to Mexico during the Republican National Convention; assassinating investigative journalist Jack Anderson; and firebombing the Brookings Institution, a left-leaning
Liddy and fellow operative Howard Hunt, along with the five arrested at Watergate, were indicted on federal charges three months after the June 1972 break-in. Hunt and his recruits pleaded guilty in January 1973, and James McCord and Liddy were found guilty. Nixon resigned on Aug. 9, 1974.
After the failed break-in attempt, Liddy recalled telling White House counsel John Dean, 鈥淚f someone wants to shoot me, just tell me what corner to stand on, and I鈥檒l be there, OK?鈥� Dean reportedly responded, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we鈥檝e gotten there yet, Gordon.鈥�
Liddy claimed in an interview with CBS' 鈥�60 Minutes鈥� that Nixon was 鈥渋nsufficiently ruthless鈥� and should have destroyed tape recordings of his conversations with top aides.
Liddy learned to market his reputation as a fearless, if sometimes overzealous, advocate of conservative causes. His syndicated radio talk show, broadcast from Virginia-based WJFK, was long one of the most popular in the country. He wrote
In the mid-1990s, Liddy told gun-toting radio listeners to aim for the head when encountered by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. 鈥淗ead shots, head shots,鈥� he stressed, explaining that most agents wear bullet-resistant vests under their jackets. Liddy said later he wasn鈥檛 encouraging people to hunt agents, but added that if an agent comes at someone with deadly force, 鈥測ou should defend yourself and your rights with deadly force.鈥�
Liddy always took pride in his role in Watergate. He once said: 鈥淚 am proud of the fact that I am the guy who did not talk.鈥�
Will Lester, The Associated Press
