Description
The materials of the William E. Timmons collection cover the period from January 1969 to August 1974. During this period Mr.
Timmons served first as Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs (1969-1970) under Bryce Harlow and then
as Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs (1970-1974). Mr. Timmons served in this position until President Nixon’s
resignation on August 9, 1974. The materials in this collection are arranged into seven series including Subject Files, Legislative
Files, Inter-Office Memoranda, Correspondence, Chronological Files, Personnel Files and Reference and Research Files.
Background
William Evan Timmons was born on December 27, 1930 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After graduating from the Baylor Military Academy
in 1949, Mr. Timmons worked for the Provident Insurance Company until he joined the United States Air Force in 1951. He served
in the Air Force until 1955 and took part in the Korean War. After leaving the Air Force, Mr. Timmons worked as an aide for
Senator Alexander Wiley. He worked for Senator Wiley until 1961 during which time he earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree
from Georgetown University in 1959. In 1962, Mr. Timmons worked as the Administrative Assistant to Representative Bill Brock
and held this position until 1968. He was Congressman Brock’s Campaign Manager in 1962, 1964 and 1968. In 1965, Mr. Timmons
was selected as the Outstanding Young Republican by the National Young Republicans.
In 1968, Mr. Timmons worked as the Director of Congressional Relations for the Nixon-Agnew campaign and after the election
of Richard Nixon, he became the Deputy Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs working for Bryce Harlow. In 1970,
after Bryce Harlow left the Nixon White House, Mr. Timmons became the Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs.
Mr. Timmons held this position for the entire Nixon Presidency and he continued on as the Assistant to the President for Legislative
Affairs for President Gerald R. Ford after President Nixon’s resignation,. In 1975, Mr. Timmons left the Ford Administration
and, along with former White House staff member Tom Korologos, established the lobbying firm Timmons and Company. Timmons
and Company became one of the top lobbying firms in Washington D.C. representing companies such as the Chrysler Corporation
and Bristol-Myers. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter named Mr. Timmons to the Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations. Mr.
Timmons then served as an advisor to Ronald Reagan during his 1980 presidential campaign and he was in charge of Congressional
Relations for the Reagan transition team after Ronald Reagan’s election. He was appointed to the U.S.-Japan Advisory Commission
in 1986. In 2008, Mr. Timmons worked for the presidential campaign of John McCain preparing a transition team in case Mr.
McCain won the election. Mr. Timmons also served as the Republican National Convention Manager for the conventions of 1972,
1976, 1980 and 1984. He was a convention advisor for George H.W. Bush in 1988 and George W. Bush in 2000.
William Timmons and his wife Mimi have three children and nine grandchildren. They currently reside in Bethesda, Maryland.
Extent
157 linear feet, 11 linear inches; 361 boxes
Restrictions
Most government records are in the public domain, however, this series includes commercial materials, such as newspaper clippings,
that may be subject to copyright restrictions. Researchers should contact the copyright holder for information.
Availability
Collection is open for research. Some materials may be unavailable based upon categories of materials exempt from public release
established in the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974.