Robert Mardian; Attorney Caught Up in Watergate Scandal

Robert C. Mardian, left, takes the oath of office from Justice Potter Stewart. Attorney General John N. Mitchell and Mardian's wife Dorothy are at center. (1970 Photo By Ken Feil -- The Washington Post)

Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times, The Washington Post and other newspapers, and the federal investigation of that leak is generally regarded as the start of the Nixon administration's abuses of power.

Mr. Mardian told the Senate committee that he learned the day after the Watergate break-in that there was a budget for "dirty tricks and black advance," but he didn't understand that "black advance" meant an attempt to disrupt the advance operations of political opponents.

Mr. Mardian was born in Pasadena, Calif., the youngest son of Armenian immigrants. He attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, but his studies were interrupted by World War II. He served in the Navy, assigned to a sub-chaser in the Aleutian Islands. After the war, he graduated from the University of Southern California Law School in 1949.

He went into the private practice of law in Pasadena, later joining Wesco Financial Corp., and was executive vice president and general counsel for its subsidiary, Mutual Savings and Loan Association, from 1962 to 1969.

He served as western regional director for Sen. Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign in 1964 and was chairman of Ronald Reagan's state advisory committee during his 1966 California gubernatorial campaign. In 1968, he became western states co-chairman for Nixon's presidential campaign.

After Nixon took office in 1969, Mr. Mardian became general counsel to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. In 1970, he was appointed by Nixon as executive director of the Cabinet Committee on Education after he wrote a memo to the HEW secretary suggesting that school desegregation guidelines be relaxed but not announced publicly. His suggestion was not taken. Later in 1970, Mr. Mardian was confirmed by the Senate as an assistant attorney general.

In April 1972, Mr. Mardian became the attorney for the Committee to Re-Elect the President and became embroiled in the Watergate scandal. He left government work in November 1972, moving to Phoenix to join his brothers in the family construction business. He retired in 2002 and resided there, with a summer home in California.

A year ago, he told the Arizona Republic that he was shocked by news that W. Mark Felt, the second-in-command of the FBI, was Deep Throat, the secret source of Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward. Felt "betrayed his position," Mr. Mardian told the Phoenix newspaper.

"He was in a position of authority at the FBI, investigating a matter, and the last thing in the world he should be doing is giving information to a newspaper," Mr. Mardian was quoted as saying. "I just can't imagine him doing what he did. He's the last person in the world who should have brought it to light."

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Dorothy Mardian of Phoenix; three sons, Robert C. Mardian Jr. of Dana Point, Calif., William D. Mardian of San Clemente and Blair A. Mardian of Kona, Hawaii; two brothers; a sister; and 10 grandchildren.