Will Reid Wilson, Sr. (July 29, 1912 – December 14, 2005), was an American politician and lawyer who served as attorney general of Texas from 1957 to 1963.[1][2]
Wilson was a senior partner in a Dallas law firm and also served as a Texas state Supreme Court justice, and Texas attorney general. He was head of the Criminal Justice Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in the Nixon administration.
Role in Nixon Use of Justice Department Against Political Enemiesedit
Wilson was appointed by Attorney General John Mitchell in 1970 to supervise the Internal Revenue Service investigation into the tax returns of Alabama Gov. George Wallace, the governor's brother, Gerald Wallace, and financial supporters who had done business with the state of Alabama. Dubbed the Alabama Project by Mitchell, the oversight was a result of President Richard Nixon's keen interest in pressing for eventual indictment of George Wallace prior to the 1972 presidential election. (Wilson in 1970 had provided U.S. Rep. Gerald Ford with derogatory information about Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas in an effort to impeach or otherwise force Douglas to retire; Nixon had suggested to Wilson that he might be nominated to the court.) Shortly after Wallace decided to drop a third-party bid for president and focus on the Democratic nomination, the Nixon administration decided not to pursue the criminal case.[3]
Wilson was forced out of the Nixon administration after he became embroiled in a Texas stock scandal.
Referencesedit
^"Will Reid Wilson, Sr. (1912-2005)". Tarlton Law Center of University of Texas. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
^Carter, Dan T. (1995). The politics of rage : George Wallace, the origins of the new conservatism, and the transformation of American politics. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 400–414. ISBN0-684-80916-8. OCLC 32739924.
February 16, 2024
will, wilson, texas, politician, people, with, similar, names, william, wilson, disambiguation, will, reid, wilson, july, 1912, december, 2005, american, politician, lawyer, served, attorney, general, texas, from, 1957, 1963, will, reid, wilson, 41st, attorney. For people with similar names see William Wilson disambiguation Will Reid Wilson Sr July 29 1912 December 14 2005 was an American politician and lawyer who served as attorney general of Texas from 1957 to 1963 1 2 Will Reid Wilson Sr 41st Attorney General of TexasIn office 1957 1963GovernorAllan ShiversPrice DanielPreceded byJohn Ben ShepperdSucceeded byWaggoner CarrAssistant United States Attorney General Criminal DivisionIn office 1969 1971Texas Supreme Court Associate JusticeIn office 1951 1956Dallas County District AttorneyIn office 1947 1951Personal detailsBorn 1912 07 29 July 29 1912Dallas Texas U S DiedDecember 14 2005 2005 12 14 aged 93 Austin Texas U S Resting placeTexas State Cemetery in AustinPolitical partyDemocratic later RepublicanSpouseMarjorie Lou Ashcroft Wilson married 1948 1984 her death ChildrenTwoResidence s Austin TexasAlma materUniversity of OklahomaSouthern Methodist UniversityMilitary serviceAllegiance United StatesBranch service United States ArmyRankMajorBattles warsWorld War IICareer editWilson was a senior partner in a Dallas law firm and also served as a Texas state Supreme Court justice and Texas attorney general He was head of the Criminal Justice Division of the U S Department of Justice in the Nixon administration Role in Nixon Use of Justice Department Against Political Enemies editWilson was appointed by Attorney General John Mitchell in 1970 to supervise the Internal Revenue Service investigation into the tax returns of Alabama Gov George Wallace the governor s brother Gerald Wallace and financial supporters who had done business with the state of Alabama Dubbed the Alabama Project by Mitchell the oversight was a result of President Richard Nixon s keen interest in pressing for eventual indictment of George Wallace prior to the 1972 presidential election Wilson in 1970 had provided U S Rep Gerald Ford with derogatory information about Supreme Court Justice William O Douglas in an effort to impeach or otherwise force Douglas to retire Nixon had suggested to Wilson that he might be nominated to the court Shortly after Wallace decided to drop a third party bid for president and focus on the Democratic nomination the Nixon administration decided not to pursue the criminal case 3 Wilson was forced out of the Nixon administration after he became embroiled in a Texas stock scandal References edit Will Reid Wilson Sr 1912 2005 Tarlton Law Center of University of Texas Retrieved December 24 2008 Will R Wilson Sr obituary Austin American Statesman December 16 2005 Carter Dan T 1995 The politics of rage George Wallace the origins of the new conservatism and the transformation of American politics New York Simon amp Schuster pp 400 414 ISBN 0 684 80916 8 OCLC 32739924 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Will Wilson Texas politician amp oldid 1201682372, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
