John Dean is a former attorney who gained international attention as White House Counsel to President Richard Nixon.

His notoriety stemmed from his involvement in the cover-up of the infamous “Watergate scandal,” the largest political scandal in world history.

Let’s read this article to know some interesting things about him.

John Dean Profile Summary
NameJohn Dean
Birth Date14 October 1938
Birth PlaceAkron, Ohio, USA
Age85 Years Old
HeightFeet & Inches: 5'7''
Centimeter: 170cm
Meter: 1.70m
WeightKilograms: 60kg
Pounds: 132Lbs
Net Worth$10 million dollars
ProfessionAttorney, Lawyer
SchoolStaunton Military Academy
UniversityColgate University, Georgetown University
Marital StatusMarried
WifeMaureen
ChildrenJohn Weasley Dean IV
NationalityAmerican

Who is John Dean?

John-Dean image
Photo by Steve Northup/Getty Images

John Dean was a former attorney who served as a white counsel to President Richard Nixon.

He got world media attention by covering up the world’s biggest political scandal, the “Watergate scandal,” and he was the witness to that scandal.

Suddenly he revealed the mastermind behind the scandal, and he pleaded guilty; thus, his jail sentence was reduced to 4 months.

However, the Supreme Court barred John Dean from practicing law.

John Dean’s testimony was some of the most-viewed new broadcasting in the history of the United States.

Because the mastermind behind the scandal was then-President Richard Nixon, Nixon resigned from office following his testimony.

Early Life of John Dean

John Dean was born on October 14, 1938, in Akron, Ohio, U.S. There is no information about his parents. His family, however, was relocated to Flossmoor, Illinois. John attended school there.

After completing the high school John Dean attended Staunton Military Academy.

John Dean had a lot of interest in the law. Thus, he joined Colgate University to pursue his law dream.

But he was forced to transfer to another college in Wooster to get his B.A. degree.

John attended Georgetown University Law Center to get his Doctorate in Jurisprudence.

There needs to be more information about his siblings’ or his parents’ professions. This section will be updated in the future.

John Dean Age

As of 2023, John Dean is currently 85 years old, having been born on October 14, 1938.

His life, spanning over eight decades, reflects a significant period in American history.

John Dean Career

John -Dean
Photo by UPI Color/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

John Dean started his career as a chief minority Republican counsel to the House Judiciary Committee at a Washington law firm, where he served for 2 years (1966–67).

Then he joined as an associate director at the National Commission on Reform of Federal Criminal Laws.

After that, John Dean entered the Nixon government’s judiciary as an associate deputy attorney general.

All his attorney skills and ways of tackling the problem impressed every law official. Richard Nixon, the then-US president, trusted John.

Thus, in 1970, President Nixon selected John Dean as White House counsel. “White House counsel” means they are the highest-ranking officials who advise the president on legal matters.

John Dean was not well-known until 1972 when Nixon appointed him as the lead special investigator for the Watergate scandal.

John knew the truth behind the scandal, so he covered up all the issues by not releasing the reports and findings of the committee.

Then the opposing political parties raised their concern with the president.

And Nixon was forced to fire John Dean. Then the historical political turmoil scenario in the United States began.

Role of John Dean in the Watergate Scandal

John Dean played a vital role in covering up the scandal for the president, but what is the Watergate scandal all about? We will not go into detail, as in a history class, but only see snippets of it.

Water Gate is the name of the headquarters building of the Democratic political party.

On June 17, 1972, five unidentified individuals broke into the Democratic Party office and stole vital documents and tapes.

What motivated them to act in this manner? Because it was election season, the Republican Party proposed incumbent Richard Nixon as president.

Well, the Democratic Party candidate was the enemy, so Richard Nixon felt that if we found any secret Democratic Party documents, they could use them to show the Democratic Party’s wrongdoings.

As a result, Nixon even directed the five men to spy on the Democratic candidates and install wiretaps to listen in on their private phone conversations.

But this is not the work of a real leader.

Anyhow, when the police arrested the burglars, they didn’t reveal their boss’s name (Richard Nixon) like in the movies. The burglars demanded a large sum of money, and John Dean was responsible for paying them.

This issue sparked much controversy for Nixon, who denied all accusations against him. And finally, Richard Nixon won the election. Unfortunately, the truth was revealed.

The Washington Post’s famous reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein investigated and revealed that many White House officials were involved in the case scandal, naming the operation “deep throat.”

The Nixon administration then faced numerous problems, and in June 1973, John Dean revealed Richard Nixon’s actions to the Senate team in his testimony for that case.

That concludes Richard Nixon’s presidential term.

John Dean was imprisoned for 4 months for covering up the story. But the irony is that Nixon never faced any criminal charges because he was pardoned by President Ford.

John Dean Net Worth

John Dean’s net worth is estimated to be around $10 million dollars as of 2023. After being released from prison, he wrote several books, including

  • Blind Ambition (1976).
  • Lost Honor (1982)
  • Worse than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush (2005)
  • The Rehnquist Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment That Redefined the Supreme Court (2001)
  • Warren G. Harding (2004), Conservatives Without Conscience (2006)
  • The Nixon Defense: What He Knew and When He Knew It (2014)

After his release from jail terms, John worked as an investment banker.

Even the movies that are released are based on the John Dean books, and then John Dean became a famous critic of political heads and appeared in many televisions’ political programs.

Thus, he turned into a respectable politician.

Also Read: Who is Kaja Kallas?

John Dean Personal Life

John Dean’s wife’s name is Maureen, and she is also a great book writer, even though she has published many books.

In October 1972, Maureen and John married, happily crossing their 52-year marriage milestone.

Maureen stood as a pillar of support during the life-scattered moments of John Dean; she supported his husband in all his phases.

At the time, Richard Nixon stated about John and Maureen’s relationship, “John is completely in love with Maureen; there are no bones about it.”

John Dean married Karla before Maureen, and they welcomed their son, John Weasley Dean IV.

Also Read: Jericka Duncan Biography

Physical Appearance of John Dean

John Dean’s height measurements are 5 feet 7 inches or 170 cm or 1.7m tall. And he weighs about 60 kg or 132 lbs.

He looks like a normal attorney with all the blazers and the shoes. John has influential charisma on his face.

The historical political personality’s story has come to an end.

Did you learn some new things from this article? What is it? Comment on it.

Next Read: Dan Bongino Biography

Write A Comment