John Newton Mitchell was the Attorney General of the United States from 1969 to 1972 under President Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...

. Prior to that, he was a noted New York municipal bond lawyer, director of Nixon's 1968 presidential campaign

Richard Nixon presidential campaign, 1968

The Richard Nixon presidential campaign of 1968 began when the former Vice President Richard Milhous Nixon of New York launched his successful run for President of the United States following a year of preparation and five years of political reorganization after defeats in the 1960 Presidential...

, and one of Nixon's closest personal friends; after his tenure as Attorney General, he served as director of Nixon's 1972 presidential campaign

United States presidential election, 1972

The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...

. Due to his involvement in the Watergate affair, he was sentenced to prison in 1977, serving 19 months.