Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 038-159
Date: Wednesday, April 25, 1973 at 8:20 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Kleindienst, Richard G.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/038-159

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:01] Hello?
[0:01] Yes, sir.
[0:02] Nick.
[0:03] Yes, sir.
[0:04] Did you get your call to go to Nason?
[0:06] Yes, I did.
[0:07] What did you point out to him?
[0:10] Well, I pointed out to them, you know, the essential nature of it.
[0:18] What their strategy is right now is to try to persuade the judge that we ought to have this as a trial hearing.
[0:26] No one can tell the case is over until we have a hearing on this.
[0:31] making the basic representation that no evidence came into our possession.
[0:36] Let me say one other thing.
[0:40] I don't know how you can get this to the judge, but I think it's very important for him to know that this is a national security investigation of the highest importance it really is.
[0:51] You know that, and I know it.
[0:54] And that's what we would intend to do.
[0:58] But our primary objective is to
[1:01] You'll downplay it.
[1:03] You'll file over, have a post-trial hearing.
[1:07] A post-trial for the purpose of what?
[1:09] Well, to determine whether there was any tainted evidence.
[1:12] Well, that's the time to do it.
[1:15] Or do you agree?
[1:15] I don't know.
[1:16] Well, we need the disclosure of the judge now.
[1:19] What we want to do is to say, judge, here it is.
[1:23] No information came to the department under the law.
[1:26] We can't make that determination.
[1:30] We mean this to your attention.
[1:32] We would like the trial to go ahead and continue.
[1:35] If there's a leak of acquittal, that ends it.
[1:38] If there's a writing guilty, then we'll have a free trial hearing to determine whether there was any taking evidence.
[1:45] Now, on that point, though, and the acquittal and the arrest doesn't make a hell of a lot of difference, but the main point, Dick, is I just want Neeson to know that this is
[1:59] Very important national security investigation, which it was.
[2:03] He has been informed of that.
[2:05] You get the point, do you?
[2:07] Good deal.
[2:09] How it's played for this first go-around of the judge, I think we have to just use our tactics here.
[2:18] You mean Neeson will tell the judge, right?
[2:21] Yes, he will.
[2:23] You've got it across very strong to him that this is terribly important.
[2:27] Yes, I do.
[2:29] Okay.
[2:30] Sleep well, boy.
[2:31] Same to you.
[2:33] All right.
[2:33] See you there, Mr. President.
[2:36] What the hell?
[2:37] You know, people say they're peach depression.
[2:39] Well, then they get agnew.
[2:40] What the hell?
[2:43] Is that all right?
[2:44] There's not going to be anything like that, old boy.
[2:46] All right, boy.
[2:47] All right.
[2:47] Good night, sir.