Bill Ruckelshaus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1st and 5th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | |
| In office May 15, 1983 – February 7, 1985 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Deputy | Alvin L. Alm |
| Preceded by | Anne Gorsuch Burford |
| Succeeded by | Lee M. Thomas |
| In office December 4, 1970 – April 30, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Deputy | Robert W. Fri |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Russell E. Train |
| 13th United States Deputy Attorney General | |
| In office July 9, 1973 – October 20, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Joseph Tyree Sneed III |
| Succeeded by | Laurence Silberman |
| Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation | |
| Acting April 30, 1973 – July 9, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | L. Patrick Gray (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Clarence M. Kelley |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division | |
| In office January 20, 1969 – December 4, 1970 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Edwin L. Weisl Jr. |
| Succeeded by | L. Patrick Gray |
| Member of the Indiana House of Representatives from the 26th district | |
| In office November 9, 1966 – November 6, 1968 | |
| Preceded by | Multi-member district[1] |
| Succeeded by | Multi-member district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Doyle Ruckelshaus July 24, 1932 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | November 27, 2019 (aged 87) Medina, Washington, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | John C. Ruckelshaus (brother) John Ruckelshaus (nephew) |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom (2015) Seattle Aquarium Medal (2004) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1953–1955 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
William Doyle Ruckelshaus (July 24, 1932 – November 27, 2019) was an American attorney and government official.
Ruckelshaus served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 1966 to 1968, and was the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division from 1969 to 1970. He was also the first Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 1970 to 1973, after being nominated by Richard Nixon. He returned to the position from 1983 to 1985, as the fifth Administrator of the EPA, during the Reagan administration. In 1973, he was also the acting FBI Director.
While serving as US Deputy Attorney General in October 1973, in what became known as the "Saturday Night Massacre,"[2] Ruckelshaus and US Attorney General Elliot Richardson resigned from their positions rather than obey the order of US President Richard Nixon to fire the independent special prosecutor, Archibald Cox, who was tasked with investigating Nixon's role in the Watergate scandal.
- ^ "Indiana Political History Database: State Representatives from Marion County". Capitol & Washington. March 3, 2015.
- ^ Andrews, Evan. "What Was the Saturday Night Massacre?". HISTORY. Retrieved March 4, 2021.