Federal judge Wiggins dies in Las Vegas

Sunday, March 5, 2000 | 9:45 a.m.

Federal appeals court Judge Charles Wiggins, who as a California congressman in the 1970s was among President Nixon's staunchest defenders before urging him to resign, died Thursday night. He was 72.

Wiggins, who died of cardiac arrest at a Las Vegas hospital, was appointed in 1984 to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco. He had been a senior judge on the court and lived in Las Vegas for the last 3 1/2 years.

"Chuck Wiggins was a dearly beloved colleague and a true friend of the court," said Procter Hug Jr., the court's chief judge. "We'll miss his dedication and hard work, but most of all, we'll miss his friendship, his political insights and his wise counsel."

Wiggins, a Republican from the Southern California district once represented by Nixon, served in the House of Representatives from 1967 to 1979.

He was considered Nixon's strongest defender on the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate hearings in 1974. He later switched positions and called for Nixon's resignation or impeachment.

The defection of the respected congressman was regarded as a key factor in the final erosion of Nixon's support on Capitol Hill and Nixon's decision to resign.

In August 1974, after Nixon acknowledged lying about his role in the Watergate coverup, Wiggins announced he was ready to vote for impeachment on Article 1, alleging obstruction of justice.

Three days later, Nixon resigned.

More than two decades later, Wiggins told the House Judiciary Committee that charges against President Clinton were too narrow to warrant impeachment.

He advised the committee to send articles of impeachment to the House floor, but said lawmakers should kill the process at that point.

During his tenure in Congress, Wiggins served on a commission that recommended splitting up the nine-state 9th Circuit, which includes Nevada and California.

After spending a few years on the appeals court, Wiggins changed his position and became a strong proponent of keeping the 9th Circuit intact.

Wiggins went on senior status, a sort of semi-retirement, in 1996. Because Wiggins was a senior judge, no replacement will be selected.

A 1956 graduate of the University of Southern California School of Law, he later served as mayor of El Monte, Calif.

Survivors include wife Betty of Las Vegas, two sons, three stepchildren, a sister and 10 grandchildren.

A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas. Wiggins, who served in the Army during World War II and the Korean War, will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.