Conversation: 427-012
Prev:  427-011 Next: 427-013Start Date: 16-Apr-1973 4:55 PM
End Date: 16-Apr-1973 6:01 PM
Participants:
Nixon, Richard M. (President); Rogers, William P.; Sanchez, Manolo; Ehrlichman, John D.; White House operator; Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President); Rogers, Adele (Langston); Ziegler, Ronald L.; Recording Device: Old Executive Office Building
NARA Description:
On April 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, William P. Rogers, Manolo Sanchez, John D. Ehrlichman, White House operator, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, Adele (Langston) Rogers, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:55 pm to 6:01 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 427-012 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid:
Conversation No. 427-12 Date: April 16, 1973 Time: 4:55 pm - 6:01 pm Location: Executive Office Building The President met with William P. Rogers. Greetings Manolo Sanchez entered at 4:55 pm. Refreshments Sanchez left at 4:55 pm. Watergate -President’s situation -Advisory role fulfillment -Attorney General -Henry E. Petersen -Richard G. Kleindienst -Difference from traditional role -John W. Dean, III -March 21, 1973 meeting -Jeb Stuart Magruder -23- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 427-12 (cont’d) -H. R. (“Bob”) Haldeman, John D. Ehrlichman -Petersen -John N. Mitchell, Magruder -Possible testimony -Effect on Haldeman’s position -Question of disposition of money -Conversation -Dean -Petersen -President’s schedule -Organization of American States [OAS] -White House correspondents event -Speech to building trades union officials April 16, 1973 -Proposed action -Leonard Garment -Dean’s negotiations with prosecutors -White House staff involvement -The President’s query to Dean -Response -Dean report -President’s role -Limitation to investigation -Magruder -Mitchell -Responsibility -E. Howard Hunt, Jr. -Ehrlichman -Petersen -Dean’s possible testimony -L. Patrick Gray, III’s custody of materials from safe -Recollection on transfer -Material political, not Watergate -Transfer to Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] William Rogers’ schedule -Dinner -Spiro T. Agnew -24- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 427-12 (cont’d) The President talked with the White House operator at an unknown time between 4:55 pm and 5:45 pm. [Conversation No. 427-12A] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 38-72] [End telephone conversation] Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:55 pm. President’s schedule -Evening outing on Sequoia -Rogers -Arrangements Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:45 pm. William Rogers talked with Agnew at an unknown time between 4:55 pm and 5:45 pm. [Conversation No. 427-12B] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 38-73] [End telephone conversation] Schedule -Adele Rogers Watergate -Dean -Defense -25- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 427-12 (cont’d) William Rogers talked with Adele Rogers at an unknown time between 4:55 pm and 5:45 pm. [Conversation No. 427-12C] [Begin telephone conversation] [See Conversation No. 38-75] [End telephone conversation] Watergate -White House staff roles -Ehrlichman -Responsibilities -National security leaks -Daniel Ellsberg -Hunt’s operation -Testimony -Mitchell, Dean, Magruder -Haldeman -G[eorge] Gordon Liddy -Ehrlichman -Materials from Hunt’s safe -Relevance to Watergate -Transfer to Gray of FBI -Dean’s claim to act as agent only -Ehrlichman, Haldeman, Mitchell -Cover-up -Placement of blame on Haldeman and Ehrlichman -Lawyer Charles Shaffer -Ehrlichman’s log of meetings with Dean -Non-Watergate subjects -The President’s estate -Dean -Responsibility for investigation -Post-Watergate break-in activities -26- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 427-12 (cont’d) -Funds for accused burglars -Dean’s conversation with Haldeman -Request for money -Herbert W. Kalmbach -Dealings with defendants -Paul L. O’Brien -Liddy -E. Howard Hunt, Jr., Dorothy Hunt -Reasons for giving money -Mitchell -Campaign period post-June 1972 -Possible effect of allegations -Effect -Ervin Committee -Compounding of problem -Instructions to defendants -Lawyer for Cubans -Henry B. Rothblatt -Responsibility for money disbursement -Haldeman, Kalmbach -Ehrlichman -Dean -Haldeman -Petersen The President talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 4:55 pm and 5:45 pm. [Conversation No. 427-12D] [Begin telephone conversation] Watergate -President’s meeting with Rogers -Money [?] -Purpose -Ehrlichman’s knowledge -27- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 427-12 (cont’d) President’s schedule -Sequoia Watergate -Activities -Magruder, Mitchell -Petersen -Materials from Hunt’s safe [End telephone conversation] Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 4:55 pm. Sports coat Sanchez left at an unknown time before 5:45 pm. Watergate -Materials from Hunt’s safe -Reason for characterization as non-Watergate related material -Dean as source of information -FBI Rogers talked with Ehrlichman at an unknown time between 4:44 pm and 5:54 pm. [Conversation No. 427-12E] [Begin telephone conversation] Watergate -Recollection of activities -Magruder -Transfer of materials to FBI -Gray [End telephone conversation] -28- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 427-12 (cont’d) Watergate -Materials from Hunt’s safe -Transfer by Dean to Gray -Characterization of material -Dean -Petersen -Possible White House action -Timing effect -Dean -Alleged pre-break-in conversation with Haldeman about proposed intelligence gathering plan -Culpability -Haldeman, Dean -Fund -Kalmbach -Pre-election action by defendants -Silence -Press -White House staff’s relation to 1972 campaign staff -Money -Mitchell -Dean-Haldeman meeting about intelligence gathering plan -Disapproval of plan -Petersen’s interpretation of inaction -Haldeman’s lack of role in campaign -Dean’s role -Magruder’s testimony -Mitchell -Haldeman -Role in campaign -Separation of White House from campaign -Campaign finances -Liddy’s proposals on intelligence gathering -Mitchell -Role in campaign -Haldeman, Ehrlichman -Vulnerability -29- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. October-2012) Conversation No. 427-12 (cont’d) -President’s conversation with Petersen -Possible indictments -Dean -Actions -Agent of President -Haldeman, Ehrlichman -Position -Retention of lawyer -Petersen’s conversation with President -Haldeman, Ehrlichman -Possible indictments -Magruder’s forthcoming testimony -Promise by Ervin Committee -Possibility of guilty plea -Judge John J. Sirica -Dean -Position -Magruder statement -Grand jury Rogers’ car -Arrangements Watergate -Kleindienst Ronald L. Ziegler entered at an unknown time after 4:55 pm. Car Press relations The President, Rogers, and Ziegler left at 6:01 pm. -30- NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM Tape Subject Log (rev. June-2010)