Governor of Illinois, Richard B. Ogilvie (January 13, 1969 – January 10, 1977)
Ogilvie was the 35th governor of Illinois and was best known for his modernizing reforms of his state government. Besides the introduction of a state income tax, state constitutional convention, and spending on social programs, most people during his tenure would say that he is best remembered for his role in helping the Equal Rights Amendment get ratified in Illinois in 1974.
Decades after his term, sometime during the 21st Century, it was discovered through a declassified report that a deal was brokered between NASA, the Ted Kennedy Administration, and the Illinois State government. In exchange for Ogilvie’s support for the ERA and his guaranteed re-election against Dan Walker in 1972, NASA would create a new contract in 1973 with a different manufacturer with Kirkland Aerospace*, instead of its usual choice. It was through Kirkland* that a faulty LH2 valve was used and caused the Apollo 23 disaster, contradicting the official report.
Although the release of the report did cause controversy, its credibility was questioned when it was revealed that the author was Wernher von Braun, a disgraced former NASA engineer who was fired when his connections with the Nazi German government was exposed during the 1969 Special Congressional Committee on the Soviet Moon Landing.
Sources:
1) Episode 2 and 6 of FAM, Season 1
2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_B._Ogilvie
3) https://www.nga.org/governor/richard-buell-ogilvie/
4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment
*Despite what the FAM wiki says and based on what I could find, I think it was known as Sundstrand Corporation at the time, not Kirkland (A different company created later in the future?) Can anyone very? There’s more than one aerospace company in Rockford. https://www.rrstar.com/article/20120727/news/307279922
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