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Conversation 707-008

TapeTape 707StartWednesday, April 12, 1972 at 11:22 AMEndWednesday, April 12, 1972 at 11:33 AMTape start time00:35:13Tape end time00:35:42ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President);  Bull, Stephen B.Recording deviceOval Office
AI Summary

President Nixon and Stephen B. Bull discussed a controversial Justice Department lawsuit challenging Texas’s established ten-mile fishing rights, which conflicted with prior legislative and judicial precedents. Concerned by the political implications and the inquiries from Texas Supreme Court Justice Price Daniel, Nixon directed Bull to investigate the origin and rationale behind the filing. The President expressed frustration with the litigation, emphasizing the need to clarify why the administration pursued a suit that appeared to contradict settled state maritime boundaries.

TexasFishing rightsJustice DepartmentMaritime lawPrice DanielLitigation
AudioNARA Description

On April 12, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:22 am and 11:33 am. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 707-008 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 707-8

Date: April 12, 1972
Time: Unknown between 11:22 am and 11:33 am
Location: Oval Office

The President met with Stephen B. Bull.

     The President's schedule
          -Meeting with John D. Ehrlichman

Bull left at an unknown time before 11:33 am.
Transcript (AI-Generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Do not cite this transcript as authoritative. Consult the Finding Aid above for verified information.

The Justice Department has filed a suit against the state of Texas on fishing rights to get into that tide line spot again.
We're claiming apparently that the three mile limit applies to fishing rights, even though the courts and the Congress have established that Texas has ten mile rights.
I'm not sure.
He called us a whole lot.
Price Daniels, who is now Justice of the Supreme Court in Texas, is in town, wrote to you and wanted to see you about this, and then he called the county saying, saying, so we've got to, I think, go in and try to find out where the hell it is or who brought it and what it was.
But the county's point is the suit should have never been brought.
The title, in spite of the settle long ago, it should be left that way.
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