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Saturday, December 20, 2008

Jack McCahill


Well, the Class of '57 lost another member. I had an email a little earlier today from Dumpy who told me about Jack. I don't know how Dumpy found out but after we graduated a bunch of us (Dumpy, Karpy, Joe Pruce, Jack, to name a few) used to hang out at The Ranch so I imagine one of them found out. Dumpy said Jack died of heart failure and COPD. I searched, found his obit in a paper in DC and copied it below. May he rest in peace.

Take care all.

Wallie P.

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 Thursday, December 18, 2008; B07

John A. McCahill White House Special Assistant

John A. "Jack" McCahill, 69, a lawyer who, as special assistant to the president during the Nixon administration, dealt with the Watergate tapes, died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease Dec. 13 at his home in Falls Church.

Mr. McCahill served as deputy assistant in the office of the special counsel in the White House, working for James St. Clair. He was one of the lawyers who argued before the courts on matters involving the audiotapes recorded by President Richard M. Nixon in the Oval Office, which became key evidence in the Watergate scandal. He also helped shape strategy for the presidential defense during the House impeachment hearings, as well as Nixon's defense in related proceedings.

During the Ford administration, he was named general counsel to the President's Commission on Olympic Sports and worked on the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, which required the U.S. Olympic Committee to provide athletic programs for the disabled.

He then turned to private law practice, serving as special legislative counsel to the U.S. Olympic Committee and representing several sports federations. He later became a defense lawyer in a number of white-collar civil and criminal cases and litigated for foreign countries.

John Allen McCahill was born in Canonsburg, Pa., and graduated from Columbia University. He received a law degree from Catholic University in 1969. He was an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and prosecuted more than 100 cases in D.C. Superior Court.

An avid skier, he also loved to sing, cook Italian meals and attend opera. He also liked to seek out Chinese restaurants in cities around the world.

He was separated from his wife, Julie Parker McCahill.

Survivors include a daughter, Melissa McCahill Deerin of Chevy Chase; and three grandchildren