The Nixon pardon was highly controversial, and Gallup polling showed that Ford's approval rating fell from 71 percent before the pardon to 50 percent immediately after the pardon. Critics derided the move and said a 'corrupt bargain' had been struck between the men. In an editorial at the time, The New York Times stated that the Nixon pardon was a 'profoundly unwise, divisive and unjust act' that in a stroke had destroyed the new president's 'credibility as a man of judgment, candor and competence'. Ford's close friend and press secretary, Jerald terHorst, resigned his post in protest. The pardon would hang over Ford for the remainder of his presidency, and damaged his relationship with members of Congress from both parties. Against the advice of most of his advisers, Ford agreed to appear before a House Subcommittee that requested further information on the pardon. On October 17, 1974, Ford testified before Congress, becoming the first sitting president since Abraham Lincoln to do so.