Video: 'SYND 22-8-73 VICE PRESIDENT AGNEW PRESS STATEMENT ON HIS INDICTMENT'

(Thursday, August 2, 1973) — U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew was formally notified today that he was under federal investigation, unrelated to the Watergate scandal, for possible violations of bribery, conspiracy and tax fraud.

Agnew was accused of taking kickbacks from contractors during his time as Baltimore County Executive and Governor of Maryland.

Video: 'SYND 22-8-73 ATTORNEY GENERAL ELLIOT RICHARDSON REPLIES TO SPIRO AGNEW ALLEGATIONS'

The payments had continued into his time as vice president, but they had nothing to do with the Watergate scandal, which had by this time engulfed the Nixon administration but in which he was not implicated.

Agnew would publicly proclaim his innocence on Aug. 8, 1973, holding a press conference at which he called the allegations “damned lies.” But on Oct. 10, 1973, he would plead no contest to a single felony charge of tax evasion and resign from office.

U.S. President Richard Nixon would replace him with House Republican leader Gerald Ford.