Laird, Melvin Robert (1922-...), served as secretary of defense under President Richard M. Nixon from January 1969 to January 1973. In June 1973, he became counselor to the president for domestic affairs. Laird left in January 1974 to become a senior counselor of the Reader's Digest Association. Laird had previously spent 16 years in the United States House of Representatives, where he was an influential Republican Party leader.