Henry E. Petersen was a career Justice Department official who played a central role in the early stages of the Watergate investigation. During the Nixon administration, he served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division from January 1969 until January 1972, when he was promoted to Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. In this latter role, which he held through the remainder of the taping period and until his resignation in December 1974, Petersen directed the initial federal probe into the Watergate break-in and frequently briefed President Nixon on the investigation's progress, drawing later scrutiny for sharing inside information with the White House.
On February 7, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon, United States Attorneys, Treasury Department officials, and Justice Department officials, including Whitney N. Seymour, Jr., William D. Keller, James R. Thompson, Jr., Harold H. Titus, Jr., Louis C. Bechtle, Ralph Guy, Jr., Joseph L. Tauro, James L. Browning, Jr., Richard L. Thornburgh, George Beall, Herbert J. Stein, Anthony J. P. Farris, Eldon B. Mahon, Stan Pitkin, John W. Stokes, Jr., Donald O'Connor, Harry D. Steward, Robert W. Rust, James L. Treece, Gerald J. Gallinghouse, Daniel Bartlett, Frederick Coleman, Sidney I. Lezak, William Smitherman, William W. Milligan, David J. Cannon, John L. Briggs, Wayman G. Sherrer, James M. Sullivan, Jr., F. L. Peter Stone, Richard G. Kleindeinst, Myles J. Ambrose, Henry E. Petersen, Jerris Leonard, John E. ("Jack") Ingersoll, Harlington Wood, Jr., Eugene T. Rossides, John F. Hanlon, Egil ("Bud") Krogh, Jr., Geoffrey C. Shepard, the White House photographer, and members of the press, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House from 11:54 am to 12:18 pm. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 090-001 of the White House Tapes.
On March 13, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Republican Congresional leaders, including James T. Lynn, Joseph T. Sneed, Hugh Scott, Robert P. Griffin, John G. Tower, Norris Cotton, Wallace F. Bennett, William E. Brock, III, Gerald R. Ford, Leslie C. Arends, John B. Anderson, William J. ("Jack") Edwards, John J. Rhodes, Barber B. Conable, Jr., Robert C. ("Bob") Wilson, David T. Martin, Samuel L. Devine, George H. W. Bush, Roy L. Ash, John D. Ehrlichman, William E. Timmons, Kenneth R. Cole, Jr., Richard K. Cook, Thomas C. Korologos, Ronald L. Ziegler, Donald E. Santarelli, Henry E. Petersen, and the White House photographer, met in the Cabinet Room of the White House at an unknown time between 8:39 am and 11:00 am. The Cabinet Room taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 118-001 of the White House Tapes.
On April 15, 1973, Richard G. Lugar and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:12 pm and 2:22 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-041 of the White House Tapes.
On April 15, 1973, Henry E. Petersen, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, Charles N. Shaffer, and Earl J. Silbert talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-048 of the White House Tapes.
On April 15, 1973, Henry E. Petersen, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 4:00 pm and 5:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-047 of the White House Tapes.
On April 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 8:14 pm to 8:18 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-052 of the White House Tapes.
On April 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 8:25 pm to 8:26 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-055 of the White House Tapes.
On April 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 9:39 pm to 9:41 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-058 of the White House Tapes.
On April 15, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 11:45 pm to 11:53 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-064 of the White House Tapes.
On April 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry E. Petersen, White House operator, and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:39 pm to 3:25 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 427-002 of the White House Tapes.
On April 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 8:58 pm to 9:14 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-082 of the White House Tapes.
On April 16, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 8:58 pm to 9:14 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 427-017 of the White House Tapes.
On April 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry E. Petersen, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 2:46 pm to 3:49 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 898-021 of the White House Tapes.
On April 18, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 2:50 pm to 2:56 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-101 of the White House Tapes.
On April 19, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry E. Petersen, Stephen B. Bull, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 10:12 am to 11:07 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 902-003 of the White House Tapes.
On April 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 11:32 am to 11:40 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-129 of the White House Tapes.
On April 20, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met in the Oval Office of the White House from 11:32 am to 11:40 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 903-011 of the White House Tapes.
On April 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Stephen B. Bull, and Henry E. Petersen met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 8:50 am and 9:17 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 904-006 of the White House Tapes.
On April 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry E. Petersen, and Stephen B. Bull talked on the telephone from 8:56 am to 9:01 am. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-137 of the White House Tapes.
On April 25, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 5:37 pm to 6:45 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 430-023 of the White House Tapes.
On April 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, Richard G. Kleindienst, John D. Ehrlichman, Henry E. Petersen, Ronald L. Ziegler, Stephen B. Bull, and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:59 pm to 9:03 pm. The Old Executive Office Building taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 431-009 of the White House Tapes.
On April 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 5:56 pm to 6:17 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-015 of the White House Tapes.
On April 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 7:12 pm to 7:14 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-025 of the White House Tapes.
On April 26, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Richard G. Kleindienst, and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 7:44 pm to 8:02 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-027 of the White House Tapes.
On April 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 4:31 pm to 4:35 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 045-036 of the White House Tapes.
On April 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met in the Oval Office of the White House from 4:31 pm to 4:35 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 906-010 of the White House Tapes.
On April 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen met in the Oval Office of the White House from 5:37 pm to 5:43 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 906-017 of the White House Tapes.
On April 27, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, Henry E. Petersen, Stephen B. Bull, Ronald L. Ziegler, and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House from 6:04 pm to 6:48 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 906-023 of the White House Tapes.
On April 28, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 9:13 am and 9:25 am. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 164-010 of the White House Tapes.
On April 28, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone at Camp David at an unknown time between 7:06 pm and 7:11 pm. The Camp David Study Table taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 164-024 of the White House Tapes.