Dwight Chapin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dwight L. Chapin (born December 2, 1940) was Deputy Assistant to the President Richard M. Nixon.

Chapin was born in Wichita, Kansas. He studied at the University of Southern California, graduating in 1963. When Nixon ran for California Governor in 1962, Chapin, then a student at USC, was a paid Field Man and worked with the volunteer organization. After the 1962 campaign while still at USC he was hired by Bob Haldeman to work at the J. Walter Thompson Company in Los Angeles.

Chapin was part of Nixon's Presidential campaign from 1967 to 1968, serving as Nixon's Personal Aide.

He was Special Assistant to the President (1968-71) and then Deputy Assistant (1971-73). He was appointment secretary, responsible for scheduling presidential activities and appointments. He was also in charge of the White House television office. Chapin also oversaw the hiring and supervising of the Presidential advance men, and headed that group in 1969 to prepare for Nixon's trip to the People's Republic of China. In 1973 Chapin was named one of the Jaycees Ten Outstanding Young Men of the year for his work on the historic China trip.

Chapin hired Donald Segretti to disrupt the campaigns of Democratic Presidential hopefuls during the 1972 Presidential primary season through acts of political "sabotage" - known as the "dirty tricks" campaign. Chapin was asked to find a "Dick Tuck" prankster to perform the "dirty tricks" by H.R. Haldeman, Nixon's Chief of Staff and the President.

Donald Segretti, Chapin's former college room mate, was hired by Chapin in September 1971.. Segretti later testified about the activities including Chapin's supervisory role. Chapin denied any detailed knowledge of Segretti or the activities that Segretti undertook during grand jury testimony. Segretti told the Grand Jury..."When Dwight hired me he made it clear he was hiring me because I was a lawyer and would know what was legal and what was not." [This is why Chapin was never indicted for any of Segretti's activities.]

In 1974 Chapin was found guilty of lying to the grand jury for making "false and misleading statements" and served 9 months in the Lompoc prison (August 10, 1975 to April 2, 1976). After his release he worked for W. Clement Stone Enterprises in Chicago and from 1977-79 published a magazine called Success Unlimited. Chapin then went to work for the International Public Relations firm of Hill and Knowlton in Chicago. Later Chapin had assignments in Geneva, Switzerland; Tokyo, Japan and Hong Kong where he was Magaging Director, Asia for Hill and knowlton.

In 1986 Chapin started Chapin Enterprises. The firm provided consulting services to many prestigious companies and associations. He is now a real estate broker in East Hampton, New York.