Purnell, Elizabeth2025-04-082025-04-082025-02https://unbscholar.lib.unb.ca/handle/1882/38276In the aftermath of Watergate, President Gerald R. Ford nominated Dr. Edward H. Levi as Attorney General (AG) of the United States. Ford hoped Levi’s appointment would symbolize a new tradition of an independent AG. As the nation’s chief law officer and member of the Cabinet, the AG had become enormously influential since the position’s creation in 1789. However, politics and ambiguous language concerning the roles and responsibilities of the AG did much to undermine the AGs independence. Ford, hoping the AG’s character alone would restore the office’s integrity, sought an AG who embodied independence, integrity, and professionalism. This thesis argues that although Levi epitomized these three traits, they did not ensure his success in establishing long-lasting structural reforms necessary to insulate the position from politicization and secure a nonpartisan AG in perpetuity.v, 102electronicenhttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2master thesisCorke, Sarah-JaneHistory