Max Lee Friedersdorf (July 7, 1929 – May 31, 2020) was an American federal administrative bureaucrat, reporter, diplomatic ambassador and corporate president serving as deputy assistant, secretary in the Presidential administrations of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.

[2] From 1961 to 1970 Friedersdorf served as administrative assistant and press secretary to Congressman Richard L. Roudebush.

Friedersdorf served as Staff Director of the Senate Republican Policy Committee from January 1977 until his appointment as Chair of the Federal Election Commission in February 1979.

He left the Commission on December 16, 1980, to accept the position of Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs to President-elect Reagan.

[6] [7] Friedersdorf later stated that he expected the Reagan tax package to have the momentum to move forward, without undue influence of sympathy due to the incident.