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Conversation: 425-010

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Start Date: 28-Mar-1973 12:45 PM

End Date: 28-Mar-1973 1:45 PM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")White House operatorCamp David OperatorDean, John W., III

Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building

425-010.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 28, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Camp David operator, and John W. Dean, III met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 425-010 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 425-10

Date: March 28, 1973
Time: 12:45 pm - 1:45 p.m.
Location: Executive Office Building

The President met with H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman.

       Watergate
            -John D. Ehrlichman
                  -Conversation with John W. Dean, III
            -Jeb S. Magruder's story
            -Responsibility for plan
                  -E. Howard Hunt, Jr., G. Gordon Liddy, Charles W. Colson
            -Colson's calls to Magruder
                  -Lawrence F. O'Brien information
                  -Hunt and Liddy with Colson
                  -Frederick C. LaRue with Magruder
            -O'Brien information
                  -Florida convention
            -Liddy
                  -Connection with Gordon C. Strachan
            -Wire tap information
                  -Notes given to James W. McCord, Jr. by Baldwin [first name unknown]
                  -Liddy's copies
                        -Magruder
                        -White House
                               -Strachan, Colson
                  -Strachan's conversation regarding approval of plan
                        -Haldeman
                        -The President
                        -John N. Mitchell
                  -White House knowledge
                        -Colson, W. Richard Howard, Strachan and Haldeman
                                             -5-

                  NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Sep.-2010)
                                                             Conversation No. 425-10 (cont’d)



                         -Colson
                         -Howard
                         -Strachan
                         -Haldeman
            -Strachan's story
                  -Haldeman's knowledge
            -Mitchell's conversation with Haldeman
                  -Dean's agreement with Magruder prior to Magruder's testimony
                         -Subjects discussed during January 1972 meetings in Mitchell's office
                  -Magruder's story
                         -Herbert ("Bart") Porter
                               -Conversation with Dean regarding forthcoming testimony
                               -Disbursement of cash to Liddy
            -Dean
                  -Subornation of perjury
                         -Magruder
                         -Porter
                  -Role of Mitchell and their lawyers
                  -Mitchell's and Magruder's testimony regarding meetings on intelligence
proposals
                 -Haldeman's request to come to Washington, DC
            -Magruder's story
                 -Meetings in Mitchell's office
                 -Liddy
                       -Presentation
                       -Budget authorization
                       -Mitchell
                       -Magruder
                       -Dean
                       -Colson
                       -Magruder's authority
            -Liddy
                 -Employment by Magruder
                 -Firing by Magruder
                 -Strachan's order to Magruder
            -Magruder's story
                 -Porter's forthcoming testimony on cash payments
                       -Pre-April 1972 payments
                                             -6-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                     Tape Subject Log
                                      (rev. Sep.-2010)
                                                             Conversation No. 425-10 (cont’d)



                        -Colson
                        -Howard
                               -Purchase of books
                               -Effort to increase sales of Edith Efron's book
                        -Colson
                        -Edward M. (“Ted”) Kennedy mailing in New Hampshire
                               -Authorization
                  -Liddy's work, January-March 1972
                  -Colson's statement about President's ordering mailing
                        -Mitchell
                  -Testimony on meetings in Mitchell's office
                        -Dean's influence
                        -Liddy's role in committee
                        -Magruder's diary showing several meetings
                  -Mitchell's story of post-Watergate meetings regarding forthcoming
testimony on Liddy
                  -Meetings
                        -Credibility of witnesses
                        -Subjects discussed
                               -Prior knowledge of Watergate
                        -Rejection of plan
                               -Liddy's and McCord's work on budget
                        -$250,000 for Liddy
                  -Credibility
                        -Fear of exposure of perjury
                               -Colson
                                     -Previous testimony
                               -Strachan
                               -Dean
             -Magruder
                  -Family
                        -Money
                        -Reassurance by Mitchell and Haldeman

Haldeman talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 12:45 pm and 1:45
pm.

[Conversation No. 425-10A]
                                           -7-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                    Tape Subject Log
                                     (rev. Sep.-2010)
                                                          Conversation No. 425-10 (cont’d)




[See Conversation No. 44-48]

[End of telephone conversation]

Haldeman talked with the Camp David operator at an unknown time between 12:45 pm and 1:45
pm.

[Conversation No. 425-10B]

[See Conversation No. 44-49]

Haldeman talked with John W. Dean, III at an unknown time between 12:45 pm and 1:45 pm.

[End of telephone conversation]

       Watergate
            -Magruder's concerns
            -Colson
                  -Involvement
                        -Magruder
                        -Mitchell
                  -Campaign irregularities
                  -Mitchell
            -Ehrlichman
                  -View of testimony before Ervin Committee
                        -Senior White House staff
                        -Providing information
                  -Grand jury
            -Magruder
            -Dean
                  -Possible denial of involvement
                  -Liddy
                  -Possible testimony regarding Watergate
                        -White House involvement
                        -Others' involvement
                        -Lawyer-client privilege
            -Colson
                                -8-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                        Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. Sep.-2010)
                                               Conversation No. 425-10 (cont’d)



      -Possible challenges to testimony
            -Magruder
            -Strachan
-Dean
      -Possible immunity
-Mitchell
      -Involvement in Watergate
      -Meetings with Liddy
      -Testimony
      -Magruder's story
            -Perjury
            -Effect on Mitchell
            -Jail
                   -Fears
-Los Angeles Times article
      -Ervin Committee investigation of political activities
            -Suit in California
-$65,000 payment to unknown person
-Ervin Committee
      -Richard G. Kleindienst
      -McCord
      -Kleindienst
            -Ervin and Howard H. Baker, Jr.
      -William E. Timmons's role as White House Congressional liaison
      -Dean
      -John G. Tower
      -Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.'s vote
      -Edward J. Gurney and Baker
      -Weicker's interest
            -Haldeman
      -Committee staff's opinion
      -Weicker
      -Donald H. Segretti
      -White House cooperation
            -Effect
            -TV
            -Kleindienst's efforts
            -Public hearings
                                -9-

      NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                        Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. Sep.-2010)
                                               Conversation No. 425-10 (cont’d)



            -Question of executive privilege
            -White House staff members
                  -Majority and minority counsel
                  -Committee members
      -Dean
            -Role as White House counsel
            -Possible testimony
      -Exercise of privilege
            -Colson
            -Haldeman
                  -Hearsay
                  -Notes
                  -Diary
      -Magruder's date book
      -Strachan and Dean
      -Haldeman
            -Record-keeping
            -Strachan
            -Campaign records kept for President
-Dean
      -Conversations with Haldeman
            -TV cameras
                  -Suggestions for handling
            -Timing
                  -Dean's conversations with Mitchell and Magruder
      -Testimony
            -Need to be truthful
            -Role as White House counsel
                  -Privilege
-Magruder
      -Perjury
            -Defense
                  -Orders from Colson
      -Money given to Colson for mailing
            -Authorization
            -Committee for Kennedy write-in New Hampshire
-Hunt
      -Ronald L. Ziegler's concern
                                             -10-

                   NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                      Tape Subject Log
                                       (rev. Sep.-2010)
                                                             Conversation No. 425-10 (cont’d)



                   -Testimony
                         -Charges against Colson regarding Watergate break-in
                   -Possible explanation of Colson's activities
                         -Lawrence F. O'Brien's activities
                               -Howard Hughes
                               -International Telephone and Telegraph [ITT]
             -Kleindienst
                   -Schedule
                   -California

Haldeman left at 1:45 p.m.