John Dean

John Dean is an American author, attorney, investment banker, convicted felon, and former counsel to President Richard Nixon. John Dean hired the notorious Plumbers unit, ordered the Watergate break-in without consulting Nixon and later turned states evidence to help topple Nixon. Nixon helped Dean cover up his crimes, which led to Nixon being charged with obstruction of justice on Dean's testimony. Dean is considered a hero on the left, whereas Nixon supporters generally regard him as an unscrupulous snitch and weasel.

Mr. Dean plead guilty to charges of obstruction of justice in 1973 in a trial related to the Watergate scandal. He testified against other Watergate conspirators, including H. R. Haldeman, John Erlichman, and John Mitchell.

Since his incarceration, Dean is the author of several books, including:

• Broken Government (2007)
• Conservatives Without Conscience (2006)
• Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush (2004)
• The Rehnquist Choice: The Untold Story of the Nixon Appointment that Redefined the Supreme Court (2001)

He is the co-author, with Arthur Schlesinger, of Warren G. Harding (2004), from The American Presidents series (Times Books).