Attorney General Elliot Richardson served in the United States government during the early 1970s. He is best known for his role in the Watergate scandal, where he famously refused to fire special prosecutor Archibald Cox when ordered to do so by President Richard Nixon. This act of defiance led to his resignation in 1973, a pivotal moment in American political history. Before his tenure as Attorney General, Richardson held various positions, including Under Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. He was also a prominent figure in Massachusetts politics, serving as the state's Attorney General and later as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.