The so-called “Saturday Night Massacre” took place on October 20, 1973. It ended with three “deaths” on the night, but led inexorably to a significantly bigger casualty down the line, eventually claiming the scalp of President Richard Nixon. Nixon had urged Attorney General Elliot Richardson (died 1999) to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox (died 2004) as Watergate allegations continued to belie the prez. Richardson refused and resigned immediately, leading Nixon to ask Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus to perform the same task. He too tended his resignation that night, leading it to Solicitor General Robert Bork (died 2012) to give Cox his marching orders. It was the first time the White House’s grasp of the narrative had collapsed so publicly and saw a massive increase of public opinion in favour of impeaching Tricky Dicky. Ruckelshaus returned to the White House in 1983 at the EPA under the request of Ronald Reagan, and his death is the first of two in quick succession for Gipper theme team Oh Ronnie Where Art Thou?
William Ruckelshaus
July 24, 1932 – November 27, 2019
Died aged 87 (unique hit)