December 6, 1973 – Gerald R. Ford Selected by Congress to Become Vice President after Resignation of Spiro Agnew

On October 10, 1973, President Richard Nixon’s vice president, Spiro Agnew, resigned and then pleaded no contest to criminal charges of tax evasion and money laundering, part of a negotiated resolution to a scheme in which he accepted $29,500 ($228,847 in 2020 dollars) in bribes while governor of Maryland.

Nixon’s advisors in Congress reportedly told Nixon he had no other choice but Gerald R. Ford.

Ford was nominated to take Agnew’s position on October 12, the first time the vice-presidential vacancy provision of the 25th Amendment had been implemented. The United States Senate voted 92 to 3 to confirm Ford on November 27. On December 6, 1973, the House confirmed Ford by a vote of 387 to 35. After the confirmation vote in the House, Ford took the oath of office as vice president.

Ford became President upon Richard Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974. He was the only President of the United States who was never elected President nor Vice-President by the Electoral College.

President Gerald R. Ford