▁his ▁running ▁mate . ▁That ▁year , ▁following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁wife , ▁Rib ico ff ▁married ▁Lo is ▁M ell ▁Math es , ▁who ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁" Case y ", ▁ ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁Senate , ▁Rib ico ff ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁Committee ▁on ▁Government ▁Oper ations ▁( 9 4 th ▁and ▁ 9 5 th ▁Congress es ) ▁and ▁its ▁successor ▁committee , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Senate ▁Committee ▁on ▁Government al ▁Affairs ▁( 9 5 th ▁and ▁ 9 6 th ▁Congress es ). ▁ ▁Future ▁U . S . ▁Senator ▁Joe ▁Lie ber man ▁worked ▁in ▁Rib ico ff ' s ▁Senate ▁office ▁as ▁a ▁summer ▁intern , ▁and ▁met ▁his ▁first ▁wife , ▁Betty ▁Ha as , ▁there . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁Rib ico ff ▁announced ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁ret ire ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁third ▁term . ▁President ▁Carter ▁released ▁a ▁statement ▁cred iting ▁Rib ico ff ▁with ▁having ▁" comp iled ▁a ▁distinguished ▁career ▁of ▁public ▁service ▁that ▁can ▁serve ▁as ▁model ▁of ▁dec ency , ▁comp ass ion ▁and ▁ability ." ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁Rib ico ff ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁Senate ▁and ▁took ▁a ▁position ▁as ▁special ▁coun sel ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁law ▁firm ▁of ▁K aye ▁Sch ol er ▁L LP ▁and ▁divided ▁his ▁time ▁between