Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 38 › Conversation 038-059
Ehrlichman phone call on Watergate scandal and L. Patrick Gray
Sunday, April 15, 1973 · 10:16 PM–11:15 PM ET · White House Telephone · 19 sec
AI Summary
John D. Ehrlichman requested that the White House operator connect him to Acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray at his private residence. The call was initiated during a period of intense scrutiny regarding the Watergate investigation. This brief interaction served solely as a logistical effort to establish a direct, off-hours line of communication with Gray.
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On April 15, 1973, John D. Ehrlichman and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:16 pm and 11:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 038-059 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 38-59
Date: April 15, 1973
Time: Unknown between 10:16 pm and 11:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone
John D. Ehrlichman talked with the White House operator.
Telephone call to L[ouis] Patrick Gray, IIIAlso recorded on April 16, 1973
- 038-056 8:26 PM · 18 sec — H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 8:26 pm and 9:15 pm.
- 038-057 9:17 PM · 14 sec — President Richard M. Nixon, White House operator, and John D. Ehrlichman talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 9:17 pm and 9:39 pm.
- 038-058 9:39 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 9:39 pm to 9:41 pm.
- 038-060 10:16 PM · 2 min — John D. Ehrlichman and L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:16 pm and 11:15 pm.
- 038-061 10:16 PM · 14 sec — John D. Ehrlichman, White House operator, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:16 pm and 11:15 pm.
- 038-062 10:16 PM · 2 min — John D. Ehrlichman and L[ouis] Patrick Gray, III talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:16 pm and 11:15 pm.
- 038-063 10:16 PM · 24 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 10:16 pm and 11:15 pm.
- 038-064 11:45 PM · 8 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Henry E. Petersen talked on the telephone from 11:45 pm to 11:53 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 038-059, April 16, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-059 (accessed October 12, 2026).