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Quote by John Ehrlichman

“You want to know what this [war on drugs] was really all about? The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

Quote by John Ehrlichman

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John Ehrlichman
John Ehrlichman

John Ehrlichman (March 20, 1925 – February 14, 1999) was an American lawyer and political figure who served as Counsel to President Richard Nixon. He is best known for his central role in the Watergate scandal, which led to Nixon's resignation. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Ehrlichman studied at UCLA and Stanford Law School. He worked as a lawyer before joining Nixon's campaign team. As Domestic Affairs Advisor, he was involved in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. After being convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury, he served 18 months in prison. Following his release, he became an author and speaker, writing books including 'Witness to Power.' His life reflects the complexities of power, ethics, and law in American politics. more

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