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Conversation: 884-003

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Start Date: 20-Mar-1973 10:29 AM

End Date: 20-Mar-1973 10:46 AM

Participants:

Nixon, Richard M. (President)Scott, HughZiegler, Ronald L.Arends, Leslie C.Timmons, William E.

Recording Device: Oval Office

884-003.mp3

NARA Description:

On March 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Hugh Scott, Ronald L. Ziegler, Leslie C. Arends, and William E. Timmons met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:29 am to 10:46 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 884-003 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid:

Conversation No. 884-3

Date: March 20, 1973
Time: 10:29 am - 10:30 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Hugh Scott and Ronald L. Ziegler.

       Congressional relations
            -Speech
            -Freshman Congress members
                  -Congressional leaders
                  -New ideas

Leslie C. Arends and William E. Timmons entered at 10:30 am.

       Watergate
            -John W. Dean's testimony
                  -Cooperation
                  -Story in newspaper
            -White House cooperation
                  -Guidelines
                               -3-

     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                        Tape Subject Log
                         (rev. June-2010)
                                                Conversation No. 884-3 (cont’d)



      -Appearance of White House staff before Watergate
-Executive privilege
-Scott's statement
-John W. Dean, III's testimony
      -Cooperation
      -Story in newspaper
-Scott and Arends' statements
      -White House cooperation
             -Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI]
             -Grand Jury
      -Guidelines
      -Appearance of White House staff before Congressional committees
             -Comparison with Sherman Adams
             -Dean
                   -Legal status
                   -Written interrogatories
             -Alger Hiss case precedent
                   -Harry S Truman's order
                         -J. Edgar Hoover
                   -Earl Browder
                   -Truman's orders to FBI
             -Separation of powers
                   -Samuel J. Ervin, Jr.
                   -Compared to Supreme Court
                         -William O. Douglas
                               -Pornography decision
                   -Confidentiality of aides
             -Emphasis on positive positions of administration
-Television
-Power of committees
      -Scott's research
             -Power of Subpoena
                   -Precedents
      -Senate's powers
             -Vote of Senate to compel testimony
-Court test
      -Separation of powers
      -Delays
                                      -4-

            NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                              Tape Subject Log
                               (rev. June-2010)
                                                       Conversation No. 884-3 (cont’d)



     -White House cooperation
           -Full disclosure
           -Guidelines
           -Republican complaints
     -Public relations
           -Problems
           -Need for Republican Congressmen to help

Public relations
      -Food costs
      -Milk producers
             -Cattle growers
             -President's support
             -Support for President
             -Wilbur D. Mills, Robert C. (“Bob”) Wilson
             -President's moves on diary and meat imports
                   -Stockpiles
                   -Repeal of tariffs
      -Food costs
             -President's actions against special interests
                   -Emphasis on successes
      -Budget issues
             -Need for restraint
                   -Cost of living
                   -Tax increase
             -President's vetoes
                   -Reasons
             -Defense spending
             -Increased appropriations for vocational rehabilitation
             -Higher taxes
             -President's increases
      -Appropriations
             -Pete V. Domenici, James L. Buckley, William E. Brock III
             -Veto support
             -Jacob Javits
             -George D. Aiken
             -Republican support for President's veto
                   -Democratic support
                                                 -5-

                     NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

                                        Tape Subject Log
                                         (rev. June-2010)
                                                            Conversation No. 884-3 (cont’d)



                                 -Harry F. Byrd, Jr.
              -Cost of living
                    -Higher taxes
                    -Fluctuations
                           -Farmers
                    -Increases in future
                    -Price freeze
                           -Policy
                                 -Labor
                    -Stockpile releases
                           -Malaysia, Bolivia
                           -Lumber

        Congressional relations
             -Republican leadership
                   -Expression of concerns to President
                         -Gerald R. Ford

        Watergate
             -White House disclosures
             -Cooperation of White House
                  -Concern for separation of powers

Scott et al. left at 10:46 am.