Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 46 › Conversation 046-035

Garment & Ziegler on Watergate and Ervin Committee

Monday, May 14, 1973 · 7:27 PM–8:15 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsGarment, Leonard; Ziegler, Ronald L.Conversation046-035 on Tape 46StartMonday, May 14, 1973 at 7:27 PMEndMonday, May 14, 1973 at 8:15 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 046-035 ↗

AI Summary

Leonard Garment and Ronald Ziegler discuss coordinating a response to an unfounded news story circulating via United Press International regarding the Ervin Committee. Garment reports that Senator Howard Baker denied the story's validity and clarifies that investigator Carmine Bellino is in Washington rather than California. The two agree that the committee must expedite their public rebuttal of the claims to align with the White House briefing schedule, with Ziegler emphasizing the need for a more urgent administrative response.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Mr. Garland.
Yeah, Ron.
Yeah, man.
Number one, he said that he told this reporter for UPI that there was nothing to this story.
They had no such information.
Number two, Carmine Molino, who has been an investigator in California, is not there, but is here in Washington.
They have nobody in California now.
Number three, they have no information at all about any such matter.
Number four...
trying to locate Irvin and hasn't been able to get him.
He thinks he may be able to get him after 9 o'clock tonight.
He said that they will take us up at their 9 o'clock meeting tomorrow morning with imputation and a statement at their meeting at 11 o'clock or 11.15 stating that the story is untrue.
They have no basis for it, no facts known to justify it and kicking the story.
I suggest that they could do that sooner, but in any event, if
came to that, they should bear in mind your briefing schedule.
Good, because...
Which is what, noon, I said?
Well, about 11 o'clock, because if they, if it takes them, if it takes them from 5 o'clock the night before until, let's say, 10.30 the next day, then, you know, you made the point to them that they're hoping for a certain chastisement on that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, that is incredible.
Right.
Well, let him go.
That's fine.
Don't let him just go.
I wouldn't even say anything more to them.
That's right.
Tell them where your briefing schedule was, and they should be able to move their goddamn asses to the point of being able to react quickly.
That's right.
Okay.
Okay, good.
I'm going out to dinner.
If you need me as an operator, we'll know where to get me.
All right, fine.
All right, fine.

NARA Description

On May 14, 1973, Leonard Garment and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 046-035 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 46-35

Date: May 14, 1973
Time: Unknown between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm
Location: White House Telephone

Leonard Garment talked with Ronald L. Ziegler.

[See also Conversation No. 436-15B]

     Watergate
          -Howard H. Baker, Jr.’s [?] conversation with Garment
          -Baker’s conversation with United Press International [UPI] reporter
          -Carmine Bellino’s location
          -Knowledge
          -Sam J. Ervin, Jr.’s location
          -Ervin Committee meeting, May 15

     Garment’s schedule

Also recorded on May 14, 1973

  • 046-033 7:19 PM · 2 min — Ronald L. Ziegler, White House operator, President Richard M. Nixon, and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:19 pm and 7:26 pm.
  • 046-034 7:27 PM · 44 sec — Ronald L. Ziegler and Leonard Garment talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-036 7:27 PM · 11 sec — Ronald L. Ziegler and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-037 7:27 PM · 2 min — Ronald L. Ziegler and Lawrence M. Higby talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-038 7:27 PM · 19 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 046-039 7:27 PM · 4 min — Ronald L. Ziegler, Leonard Garment, and President Richard M. Nixon talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.
  • 436-015 7:27 PM · 1 hr 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon, Ronald L. Ziegler, Leonard Garment, and Lawrence M. Higby met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 7:27 pm to 8:15 pm.
  • 917-045 7:27 PM · 3 min — President Richard M. Nixon and unknown person(s) met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 7:27 pm and 8:15 pm.

All 102 conversations from May 14, 1973 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 046-035, May 14, 1973. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/046-035 (accessed October 22, 2026).