917-44

Conversation No. 917-44

Date: May 14, 1973
Time: 6:28 pm - 7:27 pm
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Ronald L. Ziegler.

Watergate

-News story regarding the President’s San Clemente home

-Leonard Garment

-Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.

-Lyndon B. Johnson [?]

-Possible sources

-Frank DeMarco, Jr.

-Robert H. Abplanalp and Charles G. (“Bebe”) Rebozo


Alexander M. Haig, Jr. entered at an unknown time after 6:28 pm.

Watergate
 -48-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-2012)

Conversation No. 917-44 (cont’d)

-John W. Dean, III’s Huston Plan documents
-Possible contents
-[First name unknown] Barnlow [sp?], security expert
-Judge John J. Sirica
-National security
-Barnlow [?]
-Classification
-Sirica
-COMINT

-Risk

-Dean’s knowledge

-Justice Department

-Sirica

-E. Howard Hunt, Jr.
-Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]
-Possible contents
-Hunt
-Break-in at Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office
-Elliot L. Richardson
-Special Prosecutor
-Testimony in confirmation hearings
-Telephone calls from Garment and Haig
-Henry E. Petersen
-Possible indictments
-Grand jury testimony
-Conflicts
-Dean

-Connections to White House

-Possible indictments of John N. Mitchell and Jeb Stuart Magruder

-Ervin Committee hearings
-Nixon Foundation
-Robert H. Finch
-H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman’s and telephone call to Taft Schreiber
-John D. Ehrlichman’s telephone call to Leonard K. Firestone
-Timing of Haldeman and Ehrlichman’s possible appointments
-Haldeman’s conversation with the President concerning Schreiber
-Possible financial help for Haldeman and Ehrlichman
 -49-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. June-2012)

Conversation No. 917-44 (cont’d)

-Peter M. Flanigan

-Schreiber

-Abplanalp and Rebozo

-Flanigan

-Obstruction of justice

-Defense fund


-Richardson
-Special Prosecutor
-White House suggestions
-Bella S. Abzug
-Unknown person
-Warren Christopher
-Edmund G. (“Pat”) Brown
-Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters

-Testimony, May 14

-Possible effects
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-President
-Role in CIA inquiry
-Burglars
-W[illiam] Stuart Symington’s comment
-Haldeman, Ehrlichman
-News story regarding San Clemente home

-Howard H. Baker, Jr.

-Garment

-Telephone calls to Ervin Committee
-President’s reaction

Ziegler left at 6:42 pm.

Watergate
-Walters

-Testimony

-Conversation with Haig

-Rehearsals of testimony with Haig and J. Fred Buzhardt, Jr.
-Testimony
 -50-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. June-2012)

Conversation No. 917-44 (cont’d)

-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Possible role in cover-up
-Richard M. Helms
-L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III
-Conversations with Gray concerning CIA involvement
-Conversation with Helms
-Memoranda of conversation [Memcons]

Ziegler entered at 6:46 pm.

Watergate
-News story regarding President’s San Clemente home
-Ziegler’s conversation with Garment
-Garment’s conversation with Thompson
-Baker and Ervin
-White House response
-Possible statements, May 5
-Financing arrangements
-Trust for Nixon Foundation
-Abplanalp and Rebozo
-Adjoining property
-Nixon Foundation
-DeMarco
-Orange County land files
-Purchase of fifteen acres
-Cost
-President’s interest
-Trust for Nixon Foundation
-Purpose
-Cemetery
-San Clemente and Yorba Linda

Watergate

-Garment’s conversations

-Thompson and Samuel Dash

-Walters

-Testimony, May 14

 -51-

NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Tape Subject Log
(rev. June-2012)

Conversation No. 917-44 (cont’d)

-Possible effect
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Dean
-President
-Memcons
-Dean
-Testimony
-Ervin Committee counsel, May 14
-Grand jury, May 15
-Possible response by Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Armed Services Committee
-Possible financial help for Ehrlichman and Haldeman
-Nixon Foundation
-Flanigan
-Walters
-Testimony, May 14
-Request for papers
-National security
-Availability of notes
-Possible copies
-Helms and William E. Colby
-Psychiatrist’s report on Daniel Ellsberg
-Colby
-Confirmation
-Helms
-Forthcoming conversation with Buzhardt
-Helms’s conversation with the President concerning CIA involvement
-Walters
-Testimony, May 14
-Possible effects
-President
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Dean
-Legal liability for Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-CIA involvement
-President’s views
-Bernard Barker and Hunt
 -52-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. June-2012)

Conversation No. 917-44 (cont’d)

-White House knowledge
-Mitchell and Magruder
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Helms
-Walters
-Meeting with Gray
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Possible testimony before Ervin Committee
-Armed Services Committee
-Participants’ actions
-Motives

-James W. McCord, Jr.

-White House response
-Protection of presidency
-Charges against Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Possible indictments

-Petersen’s view

-Dean

-Possible immunity

-Possible evidence against others

-Documents

-Timing of opening

Haig left at 7:08 pm.

Watergate

-Possible effect on the President

-President’s innocence

-White House response
-News story regarding President’s San Clemente home
-Public reaction
-President’s activity
-White Paper
-Frequency and type of Television [TV] appearances
-Dean
-Lawrence M. Higby
-Conversation with the President
 -53-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. June-2012)

Conversation No. 917-44 (cont’d)

-Haldeman’s grand jury testimony

Haig talked with the President between 7:12 pm and 7:13 pm.

[Conversation No. 917-44A]

[Begin telephone conversation]

[See Conversation No. 46-32]

[End telephone conversation]

Watergate
-Dean’s documents
-Timing of opening
-Possible contents
-Higby’s view

Haig entered at 7:14 pm.

Watergate
-Walters
-Haldeman and Ehrlichman
-Helms
-Dean
-Conversation with Gray
-Gray’s conversation with the President
-Possible testimony
-Memcons
-National security and executive privilege
-Affidavit to Armed Services Committee
-Possible effects
-Haig’s previous conversation with Buzhardt
-Dean’s documents
-Sirica

Haig left at 7:19 p.m.
 -54-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. June-2012)

Conversation No. 917-44 (cont’d)


Watergate
-White House response

-Adherence to strategy

-Haig

-Buzhardt

-Garment

-News story regarding President’s San Clemente home
-Ervin

Ziegler talked with Garment at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:27 pm.

[Conversation No. 917-44B]

[Begin telephone conversation]

[See Conversation No. 46-33]

[End telephone conversation]

Watergate

-News story regarding President’s San Clemente home

-Ziegler’s previous conversation with Garment
-Ervin Committee
-Garment’s conversation with Thompson
-Efforts to reach Ervin
-Ziegler’s possible statement, May 15

Ziegler’s schedule

-Press briefing


The President and Ziegler left at 7:27 pm.
 -55-


NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM


Tape Subject Log

(rev. June-2012)