Former United States press secretary Jerald terHorst dies at age 87

April 2, 2010

Former United States press secretary Jerald terHorst has died at the age of 87. TerHorst was President Gerald Ford’s first press secretary and served in the position for a month in 1974. The cause of death was announced as congestive heart failure. He resigned from his position over President Ford’s decision to pardon former President Richard Nixon after the Watergate scandal. TerHorst said that he could support President Ford’s decision if men who evaded service in the Vietnam war as a matter of conscience were pardoned.

TerHorst wrote in his resignation letter to President Ford, “I must inform you that I cannot in good conscience support your decision to pardon former President Nixon even before he has been charged with the commission of any crime.” He continued to say that “As your spokesman, I do not know how I could credibly defend that decision.”

After his resignation terHorst returned to Detroit and had a successful career as a journalist.