Nixon White House Tapes — Conversation 039-045
Date: Sunday, June 3, 1973 at 7:06 PM
Participants: Nixon, Richard M. (President); Ziegler, Ronald L.
Recording device: White House Telephone
Source: https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/039-045

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 Do not cite it as authoritative.

[0:00] Hello?
[0:01] Yes, sir.
[0:02] One thing I would like you to check with Bazzard is that the story, as you know, does indicate that Dean says he Xeroxed his personal files.
[0:11] They didn't allow Haldeman or Ehrlichman to do that, you know.
[0:14] I want you to ask Bazzard, did Dean do it, and what happened to the other two, and call me back, okay?
[0:19] No, I know that.
[0:19] I've already checked.
[0:20] what he said.
[0:21] Dean was not permitted to Xerox any files.
[0:23] Had he done them earlier then?
[0:25] Because he said this in the story indicates that he did Xerox's files.
[0:29] If he Xeroxed files, it was while he was still here as counsel during the April period, and he did it without anyone's knowledge.
[0:36] But they probably did that.
[0:37] Well, but as Fred says, there's no way to really know that.
[0:41] But we do know, and it is a fact, that any time where Fred
[0:49] You know, where Dean has had access to his files on an equal basis with Bob and John.
[0:54] He has not been permitted to make any note.
[0:57] He's not been permitted to Xerox.
[0:59] He's not been permitted to write anything down.
[1:02] The same basis as Rob and John.
[1:05] Well, the thing tomorrow, though, is to get from me, and you tell them I want it.
[1:09] Yes, sir.
[1:10] First thing in the morning, I want a Xerox of all of Dean's files.
[1:13] It's not negative for everybody, but I want his files from February 27th on.
[1:17] Okay.
[1:18] Yes, sir.
[1:18] February 27th on, and that's what we said.
[1:20] From February 27th, but only with the president.
[1:22] I don't want to hear what he said to the other people, right now.
[1:25] Notes from the presidential meetings.
[1:30] Anything he had with the president.
[1:32] I want to see rocks of them.
[1:33] Now understand, if they come to me, there's no problem.
[1:35] They're getting out, you see.
[1:36] That's right.
[1:37] But I want to see rocks because I don't want them to go to Fred.
[1:40] I don't want them to go to Lynn.
[1:40] I don't want them to go to anybody else.
[1:42] But I must have them myself, see?
[1:44] Right.
[1:44] Yes, I will, and I'll have a meeting with him in the morning on the notes of all the things we've talked about.
[1:50] But I do know that they were—and I talked to Bob just a short time ago, and he raised this, too.
[1:56] And I said, Bob, the point—you know, he was not permitted to Xerox any files.
[2:01] He was not given anything.
[2:02] He was not permitted to write anything.
[2:04] Unless he'd done it earlier.
[2:06] Unless he did it, you know, in March or February.
[2:10] He may be just shooting things across the bow.
[2:14] in terms of, well, maybe he has something from an earlier period and all of his business about recording telephone calls.
[2:22] So it doesn't worry me.
[2:23] I have no telephone calls that I'm concerned about.
[2:24] That's right.
[2:26] But he's playing a much bigger bluff here than we think, you know.
[2:31] I think he is.
[2:32] I really think he is.
[2:33] That's right.
[2:34] but I want to see these things, and that's an order.
[2:37] Yes, sir, I understand.
[2:38] I want the dot, and I want them, and what the hell, these are my files.
[2:44] That's right.
[2:44] And I don't want any crapping around, and if they say, why are we getting Deans?
[2:47] I'm getting all of those articles, too, and Coulson's, okay?
[2:49] That's right, yes, sir.
[2:50] But I only want Deans tomorrow from the 28th on, anything with the president, okay?
[2:55] Yes, sir.
[2:57] Bye.