Maureen Dean (born Maureen Elizabeth Kane; October 10, 1945) is an American writer and former political figure, best known as the wife of John Dean, the White House counsel involved in the Watergate scandal. She testified before the Senate Watergate Committee and authored Mo: A Woman's View of Watergate (1975), a memoir offering a personal perspective on the scandal.
Maureen Elizabeth Kane was born on October 10, 1945, in Los Angeles, California. She attended Notre Dame Girls' Academy and later studied at Santa Monica City College.
Before her involvement in Watergate, Dean worked as a media consultant and writer. In 1975, she published Mo: A Woman's View of Watergate, which became a notable firsthand account of the scandal from a spouse's perspective. The book was reviewed in outlets including The Atlantic, which called it "a rare glimpse into the human toll of political crises."
During the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973, Dean became a public figure through her televised presence alongside her husband. She later testified before the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, providing insights into John Dean's cooperation with investigators. Her testimony addressed her awareness of the scandal's unfolding, including her husband's warning about a "rough situation" prior to their marriage. In 2022, she reappeared in media coverage during the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, participating in interviews about the scandal's legacy.
Dean married John Dean on October 13, 1972, three months before the Watergate trials began. Her previous marriages to George Owen (annulled) and Michael William Biner (ended by his death) were documented in Senate records. The Deans have no children and reside in Beverly Hills.