Yesterday, in a story about a judicial committee’s recommendation that Bill Clinton be disbarred in Arkansas, the New York Times reported that Richard Nixon was disbarred in New York. But the Los Angeles Times said Nixon resigned from both the New York and California bars. Which report is correct?
Nixon resigned from the California bar and the U.S. Supreme Court bar after stepping down from the presidency in 1974. He tried to resign from the New York bar as well, but it would not accept his resignation unless he would acknowledge that he could not successfully defend himself against charges of obstruction of justice. Nixon refused to do this, and after an investigation, the New York state court went ahead with disbarment. Nixon did not contest the action, which became official in July 1976.
