Spiro Agnew was the 39th Vice President of the United States from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. A Republican, Agnew was born in Baltimore to a US-born mother and a Greek immigrant father. He became a lawyer, then held minor political offices before his election in 1962 as Baltimore County Executive. In 1966, he was unexpectedly elected Governor of Maryland, and was a surprise choice as Richard Nixon's running mate at the 1968 Republican National Convention. Initially regarded as a progressive, Agnew moved to the right after his election, appealing to conservatives who were wary of stances taken by Nixon, and also gained their applause for attacking the news media for bias. He had accepted kickbacks during his time in Maryland, and he was investigated for corruption in 1973. He pleaded no contest to tax evasion and resigned from office. Despite his fall he is regarded as a significant contributor to the Republican Party's move to the right. (Full article...)