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Administration Personnel, A-Z (7)
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Administration Personnel, A-Z (7)
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Sheila Weidenfeld's General Subject Files
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The original documents are located in Box 35, folder "Administration Personnel, A-Z
(7)" of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Some items in this folder were not digitized because it contains copyrighted
materials. Please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library for access to
these materials.
Digitized from Box 35 of the Sheila Weidenfeld Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
Jer. Hirst.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 9, 1974
Office of the White House Press Secretary
THE WHITE HOUSE
The President today announced the appointment of J.F. terHorst, of
Alexandria, Virginia, as Press Secretary to the President.
Mr. terHorst has been the Washington Bureau Chief for the Detroit News
since 1961. In 1946 he became a reporter for the Grand Rapids Press. He
joined the staff of the Detroit News in 1953, where he was the city and state
political writer until 1957. In 1958, he became a Washington correspondent
and became the bureau chief in 1961.
Mr. terHorst was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 11, 1922. He
received his A.B. from the University of Michigan and served as an
officer in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943 to 1946.
Mr. terHorst resides in Alexandria, Virginia, and is married to the former
Louise Roth. They have four children, Karen, Margaret, Peter and Martha.
#
#
#
Associated Press Photos
Jerald F. terHorst: Common English usage has returned to the press room
of the White House.
A Press Secretary
You Can Understand
By Jules Witcover
run into a rhubarb or two.
Last week he was criticized by some
The English language and civility-
newsmen for his handling of the an-
missing in action in the pressroom of
nouncement that former President
the Nixon White House have been
Nixon's lawyers, James D. St. Clair
found alive and well in the first 10
and J. Fred Buzhardt, had decided as
days of the new Ford administration.
one of their last acts that the White
PEOPLE
Tuesday, August 20, 197
TerHorst: A Press Secret ry You Can Understand
terHORST, From B1
one difference already is ob-
vious.
Then, on Saturday, stories
that the President had
In place of the bitterness
and open hostility that ex-
asked Jaworski to investi- isted between Ziegler and
former head of the church's
3D-
A few motorists slowed read the signs, smiled at the boys
domestic missions, and retired
and honked.
AM8A
West Missouri Bishop Edward R.
Young Jones contends that he put $285.16 in his route
Welles, now of Manset, Maine.
MC3R
collections into the bank's night depository on July 15.
Censure Possible
A few days later, his Oakland Tribune route manager asked
not
him about the receipts. They had never been credited at the bank.
Bishop Scott, in a letter
4TH
Dwayne Ames, manager of the branch, ordered a thorough
summoning bishops to the
A J F
C3'
check to see whether the deposit had got stuck somewhere in the
Chicago meeting, said the House
of Bishops would hear the posi-
B 2
depository.
"We have certain procedures to safeguard the deposits, and
tions of the three who violated
canon law and that the church
we've never had a problem like this," Ames said.
The bank manager said he has given young Jones advice on
"expected some word of clarifi-
$6.54
cation" from the house.
how to stop payment on any checks in the deposit. An attempt
to see whether any of them had been cashed showed none had
The group may adopt a resolu-
MTA)
tion of eensure against the three
B 2
yet turned up.
bishops. One proposal circulated
The banker called in a locksmith to make a thorough ex-
today could lead to an ecclesiasti-
G7
amination of the night deposit vault, still without success.
cal trial of the bishops.
BI
Danny says he has a witness who saw him make the deposit
The Rt. Rev. Harold B. Robin-
Associated Press Wirephoto
-Brian Hernandez, also 13, who sometimes substitutes for Jones
Elizabeth Taylor and constant escort Henry Wynberg leave per-
OF
son of the Western New York
on the route.
Diocese said he had collected
formance of "Lorelei," while Los Angeles press were being duped
01
The two eighth-graders decided to picket the bank and got
more than 25 signatures for a
with reports of their marriage. Spokesman for the actress termed
Danny's older brother, Rick, and John Mancha, another friend,
proposal that would initiate a
reports "absolutely false." Wynberg has been Liz' companion since
is
1.m
to help.
board of inquiry.
her divorce from Richard Burton.
An Old Press Secretary Judges the New: 'He 'II Do'
577
By JERRY GREENE
of the administration conduct and oper-
public learns about the activities of this
Sen. Russel Long (D-La.), chairman
TFT
IST
Washington, Aug. 14-The ten-
ations, of the current atmospherics.
newly promised wide-open White House
of the Senate Finance Committee, had
on
"It's a mixture of euphoria and real-
will be channeled through terHorst.
sion and the angry atmosphere
ity," Pierre shrugged.
been by for a convergence on health and
SIG
11
TerHorst, a Marine Corps captain in
trade bills. He was optimistic. There
per
2
that had clung to the White House
That was praise, coming from Salin-
World War II, has command dignity and
SH
press room for most of the last
ger, never noted for his love of any-
would be a chance for photographs of
ATT
presence-and a quick smile to speak of
couple of years had vanished. The
thing Republican. Then he raised an in-
a ready sense of humor.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ismail Fahmi
before lunch.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 19
The New York Times/Mike Lien
(Mr. ter Horst at his desk in the White House)
Labels himself an independent, although he believes in a conservative ideology
The President's Press Secretary
Jerald Franklin terHorst
Special to The New York Times
Horst, who leaves a trail of
sharp political insights. The
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 tobacco and matches wher-
new press secretary's back-
President Fordand.J. F. ter-
ever he wanders, even
ground and reputation as a
Horst, the new White House
smokes his pipe at breakfast.
White House correspondent
press secretary, share com-
The two men in the White
who has traveled the world
mon backgrounds, common
House were raised in Grand
with several Presidents has
me ass although ne Delieves in a conservative ideology
The President's Press Secretary
Jerald Franklin terHorst
Special to The New York Times
Horst, who leaves a trail of
sharp political insights. The
WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 tobacco and matches wher-
new press secretary's back-
President Ford and J. F. ter- ever he wanders, even
ground and reputation as a
Horst, the new White House smokes his pipe at breakfast.
White House correspondent
press secretary, share com-
The two men in the White
who has traveled the world
This Copy For
NEWS CONFERENCE
#8
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
WITH JERRY TER HORST
AT 12:54 P.M. EDT
AUGUST 15, 1974
THURSDAY
MR. TER HORST: I want to apologize again for
keeping you here until almost 1 o'clock. It seems like
not much has changed in the 11 o'clock briefing cycle (Laughter)
but I am assuring you it is not being done because I could
get out here earlier and I was just sitting back there
wondering what I was going to be doing.
A lot of things have happened this morning, as
you will shortly discover, and as we get a little better
organized here, I think we will find it coming closer to
11 rather than further away each day.
I have some schedule items here I should start
with. I think it would be a good idea if I could run
through everything I have and hold off all questions until
afterward.
The President was at work in the Oval Office
shortly after 7:30. You have had a report from the
participants in the breakfast meeting, and those of you
who may have missed that will be able to get the transcript
of the briefing by Senators Jackson, Ribicoff and Javits.
The President also has met with a number of staff
members this morning, including General Haig, General
Scowcroft, Secretary Kissinger, Ambassador Rumsfeld, Bob
Hartmann, myself and Counsellor Marsh. He will be meeting
with Counsellor Kenneth Rush before the economic meeting
this afternoon.
The President, as you know, has just met with
the county officials. You have had a briefing on that,
and the list has been posted of the participants.
As you also know, Counsellor Marsh has been sworn
into office formally. The President participated in that
swearing-in. I understand you have had a pool report on
that. You had Mr. Marsh out here.
MORE
#8
- 2 -
#8
At 2 o'clock this afternoon the President will
meet with his economic advisers, and we have posted that
list, which is essentially an expanded Quadriad session.
Later this afternoon, at 4:30, the President
will meet with Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
Caspar Weinberger to discuss the various national health
insurance proposals before the Congress.
At 5 this afternoon, the President will meet with
his transition group. The time of that meeting will
determine just who is there, and we will post that list
for you. But you already know the four members who are
the nucleus of the team -- Ambassador Rumsfeld, serving as
coordinator; Counsellor Marsh, Governor Scranton, and
Secretary Morton.
Tomorrow, as you know, the President will meet
with King Hussein, and that day climaxes with the State
Dinner, which the President and Mrs. Ford will host in
honor of His Majesty and Queen Alia.
Q
What time is that meeting?
MR. TER HORST: At the moment I don't have a precise
time on it, but we will post the schedule as soon as we
can, Ralph.
We will have details on the coverage of that
dinner sometime tomorrow, also.
I have no further schedule to give you, but I
think you can safely expect the President to remain in
the Washington area until he goes to Chicago Monday.
I have several other announcements.
The President has signed one bill, H.R. 15074,
the District of Columbia finance reform bill. We will post
details on that.
The President late last evening also vetoed
one bill by returning H.R. 11873 to the House of Represen-
tatives without his signature. In the veto message,
which you have been provided, the President pointed out
that this bill overlaps and duplicates many existing
programs and in his mind is an unnecessary addition to
Federal expenditures.
Q
What is the name of the bill?
MR. TER HORST: I think it has to do with
veterinarian animal research. We will post complete
details on this bill.
MORE
#8
- 3 -
#8
The President is transmitting to Congress
today an amendment to the United States-United Kingdom
agreement on defense uses of atomic energy. This
amendment extends the agreement, which is due to expire
on December 1, 1974, and I think you have the President's
letter of transmittal.
We will also have available in the Press Office
following the briefing three documents bearing on this:
the report of the Secretary of State, a joint report of
the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and the
Secretary of Defense, and the text of the amendment.
The First Lady has asked me to announce on her
behalf her selection of Nancy Howe as her personal
secretary. This is the first appointment to be announced
by Mrs. Ford for her staff in the East Wing. We will post
all the details, but I might just mention that Mrs. Howe
is a native of Lynchburg, Virginia, and her husband is a
Regular Army officer.
She has lived in many posts abroad, and she
previously worked for the White House Historical Association.
As you probably know, she has been working with Mrs. Ford,
serving as both secretary and appointments secretary, since
President Ford became Vice President.
Q
Will she have a press secretary?
MR. TER HORST: I presume that she will, yes,
and those announcements will come from Mrs. Ford when she
chooses.
I also want to announce today that the President
has named Philip W. Buchen as Counsel to the President in
charge of all White House legal matters. That is effective
from today on.
Q
Does he replace Fred Buzhardt?
MR. TER HORST: Mr. Buzhardt has not yet
resigned but he will resign. However, he is staying
aboard during this transition period.
MORE
#8
- 4 -
#8
Q
What about Leonard Garment?
MR. TER HORST: It is my understanding that Mr.
Garment is not directly connected with the Legal Counsel's
Office and hasn't been for some time.
President Ford also wanted me to call attention to
the statement yesterday that was released by the State
Department that the United States disapproves of the Turkish
military action on Cypress and strongly urges immediate
compliance with the relevant United Nations cease fire
resolution.
Q
The President is urging this?
MR. TER HORST: The President is calling the atten-
tion of the Turkish Government and the world community to the
statement released yesterday by the State Department which
is as I just described it.
Q
But the subject of "strongly urges", is that
the President or the statement?
MR. TER HORST: That is the President saying he
strongly urges.
Q
Where does the end of the quote come then in
the statement from the State Department?
MR. TER HORST: This is not a quotation from the
President. The statement is a statement by the President.
Q
Is it the United States or the President
personally who is strongly urging compliance?
MR. TER HORST: Both.
Q
Can we say today that, "The President today
strongly urges -- "?
MR. TER HORST: Precisely, Ralph.
Q. That is the point. of it?
MR. TER HORST: That is the point of it.
Many of you weren't here for the briefing that
Senators Jackson, Javits and Ribicoff held on their meeting
with the President on the trade bill, but you will have the
transcript, and in addition to that, I wish to point out that
the President is personally involved in the negotiating process
that is ongoing with the Members of the Senate on the trade bill
and that he feels progress is being made on this very important
piece of legislation.
MORE
#8
- 5 -
#8
I think I am ready for your questions.
Q
How is he personally involved in the negotiations?
Could you explain that a little further?
MR. TER HORST: As the Senators themselves explained in
rather great detail this morning, because of President Ford's
direct involvement with them in the negotiating process, the
expection is, or the hope is, that the substance of the
Jackson amendment can be preserved in some form of compromise
that will meet Congressional approval and a Presidential signa-
ture.
Q
Jerry, can that be a quote that is being made
on this very important piece of legislation? Is that what
the President said?
MR. TER HORST: No, that is my statement describing
the President's role.
Q
Can you discuss with us the two or three
reports this morning which purport to give the President's
thinking on long-range planning of decentralization of
Government, post-Cabinet and staff changes? We have many
conflicting reports on this subject.
MR. TER HORST: I think, Ralph, the best procedure,
and it is the one I strongly recommend, is that we allow the
President a little bit more time to gather all the input from
these people with whom he is dealing on the subject of
transitional matters and then we will be able to talk, I hope,
clearly and succinctly, but I just cannot stand here and
comment on this person's opinion and that person's opinion
because in the end it is going to be the President's opinion
that counts.
Q
Does the President feel any resentment about
his various advisers pleading their cases publicly?
MR. TER HORST: No, I would not say there is any
resentment on his part. He feels that the people he has working
for him are responsible people or he wouldn't have asked them
to come aboard, but on the other hand, that doesn't necessarily
mean the President by any means approves statements that appear
in the paper that haven't come out of the Oval Office.
So I really caution you against unnecessary speculation
by various so-called -- well, you have used them in your stories,
I won't characterize them from here -- because this whole thing
is still in process. Decisions have not yet been made. They
will be made but they have not been made.
MORE
#8
- 6 -
Q
Jerry, it is getting a little tough for us to
tell the difference between the necessary speculation and
the unnecessary speculation.
MR. TER HORST: Well, when I was out in the room it
never seemed to be too much of a problem. We just continued to do
it anyway. (Laughter.)
Q
Jerry, are you saying not to anticipate any
early changes in the Cabinet?
MR. TER HORST: I am not. referring, Russ, specifically
to the Cabinet or the staff of the White House or any place
else in any specific matter. I am just saying the President,
as he said, has asked everybody to remain aboard. Thus far
everybody is remaining aboard with the exception of changes
that we said we would announce as they occur.
MORE
#8
- 7 -
#8
Q
There is a report this morning that General
Haig will remain, but will be given a job other than White
House Chief of Staff. Can you comment on that?
MR. TER HORST: As of last night, the President
said he wanted General Haig to remain as Chief of Staff
for the duration.
Q
One report this morning is that Governor
Scranton has indicated to the President that contrary to
his previous statements on the subject, he is now willing
to stay in the Federal Government. I am wondering if
the Governor has made that expression to the President.
MR. TER HORST: I am not certain that he has
personally given the President such a statement, but I
am sure that at this stage of the transition the President
would welcome good talent from anyone, particularly if it
comes from a person who wants to volunteer it.
Q
Jerry, would you please reconcile the
President's pledge of an open and candid Administration
on Friday with his attempt to gut the Freedom of Information
Act on Tuesday?
MR. TER HORST: I am not aware that any gutting
is going on.
Q
I quote from an open session. "Three House
Republican Members of the House Senate Conference on the
amendment to the Freedom of Information Act said they had
received phone calls earlier in the day from Deputy
Attorney General Lawrence Silberman requesting a delay
in the conference because the Department of Justice could
not support the amendment."
In the open session, Senator Edward M. Kennedy,
Democrat of Massachusetts, said he had received a phone
call from Attorney General Saxbe during which Saxbe said
he had spoken with the President. Saxbe said the Department
of Justice could not support the Senate version of the
amendment, asked for a conference delay and strongly
implied that Ford would be prepared to veto the legislation
if Congress now passes it.
That is what I am going on.
MR. TER HORST: I appreciate your version. Thank
you very much.
Q
That is on the open record.
MORE
#8
- 8 -
#8
MR. TER HORST: The President's position is
that as the new President of the United States, not only
on this particular bill, but on others, if he has an oppor-
tunity to make input, as you know, as he says, he believes
in being a conciliator and a compromiser, and he prefers
not to veto bills that Congress proposes if there is a
possible way of bridging differences and making them
acceptable both to the Executive branch and the Congress.
As the new President, he intends to generally,
without my trying to be too specific, follow the pattern
of working with the respective committees on bills that
look like they might be a problem to the Administration
and see if it is possible at all to reconcile those
differences before they become locked in concrete.
Q What is the problem here? What problem does
President Ford see with the bill that he is threatening to
veto?
MR. TER HORST: I think I will have to, at this
point, let the Cabinet officers who worry about the
legality of legislation like that speak for the Adminis-
tration. I have given you the President's outlook and
the policy he intends to follow, and I think you will find
the Cabinet officers will be governed by that.
Q
Will the President support former President
Nixon's veto of the $23 billion agriculture appropriations
bill; in other words, will he ask this Congress to sustain
that veto?
MR. TER HORST: It is my understanding that the
President does support President Nixon's veto of that.
However, he is hoping that it will be possible in the course
of time for Congress to rewrite the bill, in effect, and
preserve key elements which obviously must move forward.
Q
Could you tell us, Jerry, on your statement
that General Haig would remain for the duration, is that
the duration of the Administration or the duration of the
transition? Which duration is that?
MR. TER HORST: The President has not defined the
term to me, so I can't define it for you. However, I have
used the word for an "indefinite" duration, if that
helps you any. I don't know, but it is the President's
intention to convey strongly that he wants Al Haig to
remain aboard as his Chief of Staff.
Q
Jerry, do you think it is conceivable that
the President meant the duration of the transition?
MR. TER HORST: I am certain he wants him to
remain on as long as General Haig figures he can be of
service to the President and the President feels the
same. I really can't push that word around because the
President hasn't defined it to me.
MORE
#8
- 9 -
#8
Q
Back in the old days to say that the
President was going to be remaining in the Washington
area for the weekend meant he was going to Camp David.
Does it mean that in these days?
MR. TER HORST: No, it does not. I can't give
you guidance on that. I can say for BACKGROUND purposes,
not for attribution, I couldn't rule out Camp David, but
I know of no such plans to go there. I think it will be
commuting between here and the residence in Alexandria.
Q
Can you tell us more about this new head
of the Legal Counsel Office, how big his team will be
and who he is?
MR. TER HORST: Mr. Buchen was just named today,
and I am sure that he will have his own thoughts and his
own plans on how he ought to develop that office.
Q Is he a former law partner?
MR. TER HORST: This has happened rather swiftly
this morning and late this morning, so I don't have the
usual biographical material to distribute to you, but I
can give you a ready reference to him.
Mr. Buchen is a native of Sheboygan, Wisconsin,
and he attended the University of Michigan Law School
during the same time President Ford was attending the Yale
Law School. It so happened they met this way: President
Ford took several summer sessions at the University of
Michigan Law School one year, and he was a member of the DKE
fraternity. That is Delta Kappa Epsilon, I am pretty sure.
Philip Buchen was also a member of the same fraternity,
and they roomed together that summer.
That was their first association, both as law
students. Before the war, after President Ford's graduation
from law school and Mr. Buchen's graduation from law
school, they formed a law partnership in Grand Rapids,
Michigan.
It only lasted six months because Mr. Ford was
then called into service. Then after the war, they did
not go back to that original law firm, but both joined
one of the larger law firms in Grand Rapids, the same
law firm.
MORE
#8
- 10 -
#8
Q
Do you have a date when they roomed together?
MR. TER HORST: I am not sure I have a precise
date in mind, but some time in the late 30's.
Q
How does the President feel about the pending
G.I. bill which would increase benefits by 23 percent?
MR. TER HORST: The President has that bill under
serious study by members of the White House staff and no
decision has been made on it by the White House to my knowledge
at this point.
Q
Jerry, do you happen to know when you say
"serious study by the White House staff", exactly who that
is? Specifically, would it be in the Domestic Council and
OMB?
MR. TER HORST: It would be in the Domestic Council
area and probably OMB, also.
Q
Are you any closer to knowing when the President
will name a Vice President?
MR. TER HORST: I have a feeling that it is probably
not going to occur as rapidly as the President had hoped it
would.
Q
Do you think it will be this week?
MR. TER HORST: If it is not late this week, it will
probably go over until early next week. (Laughter.)
Q
Don't commit yourself. (Laughter.)
Q
Who is he conferring with on the staff?
MR. TER HORST: I hope someone who speaks more
clearly than I just did. (Laughter.)
Q
Who is he conferring with?
MR. TER HORST: He is conferring with himself, to be
frank with you. He is not ready to make the announcment. I
don't even know if he has narrowed the list. It is something
he is discussing with himself in his own way and he has told
us when he has made the decision he will call us in and then
he will decide which will be the proper format to accomplish
the forwarding of the nomination to Congress.
Q
Has he been through the recommendations that he
requested?
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#8
- 11 -
MR. TER HORST: I am sure he has been through many
of them already, yes.
Q
Did he discuss this with former President
Nixon on the telephone?
MR. TER HORST: No, that was purely a social call.
Q
Yesterday you told us that the White House
Counsel apparently in consultation with the Special Prosecutor
and the Justice Department had made a decision on the tapes
being the personal property of Mr. Nixon. Apparently the
Special Prosecutor says they were called but not consulted.
You also said that we might get a guy from the White
House Counsel's Office to brief us on that. I was just wondering
about all three of those areas?
MR. TER HORST: It was impossible for me to obtain an
attorney to come here and brief you on this yesterday, or even
today for that matter. However, as you are probably aware,
Mr. Buzhardt and Mr. St. Clair before he left, together reached
an informal opinion, not written, but one based on precedent in
law, that all of the tapes are the property of the former
President.
I think I inadvertently clouded the role of the
Watergate prosecutor. I think I used the words that this
decision has been reached as a collective judgment. That
implied affirmative participation by the Watergate prosecutor
and that is in error.
What actually occurred is that the Buzhardt-St. Clair
opinion was presented to the Prosecutor's Office to see whether
they concurred or objected and they had no objections. I think
that takes care of all three, Charley.
Q
Will it be possible to get somebody to brief at
some future date, if not now?
MR. TER HORST: I doubt it, particularly since
Mr. Buchen is aboard as a new man, President Ford's man. He is
just trying to get the office together.
Mr. Buzhardt will be leaving shortly, after a transition
period has occurred, and maybe at some time in the future
Mr. Buchen would address himself to all of this but I wouldn't
try to speak for him and I don't know.
Q
Will Mr. Buchen review the decision now in light of
Mr. Buzhardt's and St. Clair's intimate involvement in the tapes?
MORE
#8
- 12 -
#8
MR. TER HORST: I can't tell you. I will have to
leave it up to Mr. Buchen to run the legal office.
Q
Does the President approve this decision by
the two lawyers and is this a final decision?
MR. TER HORST: The President did not participate in
the decision-making process.
Q
Is there a chance he would reverse this?
MR. TER HORST: I can't give you any firm yes or
no on that but I would strongly doubt it.
Q
Jerry, didn't you say yesterday that he
concurred?
MR. TER HORST: I think I said yesterday he concurred
in the decision. He did not participate, but he concurred.
Q
He approves, in other words?
MR. TER HORST: If you want to define it that way,
I will stand by that.
Q
Can you give us the circumstances of Buzhardt's
resignation? It sounds like it was rather hasty today.
MR. TER HORST: It wasn't hasty. Mr. Buzhardt, as you
know, has not been in the best of health for some time. He
has indicated previously that he hoped to leave the assignment
he had here but he had agreed to stay on during the Nixon
Administration and serve as continuity for the legal office
during the transition from the Nixon Administration to the
Ford Administration, but the President felt this morning that
it was important that his own appointee and his own counsel --
a man in whom he has great faith and trust -- immediately take
over the affairs of the legal office.
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Q
Was there any event that oaused him to think
that this morning?
MR. TER HORST: I am not aware of that.
Q
There seems to be quite a stir created by
this decision to turn the tapes back to Mr. Nixon, and I
wondered if you know whether the White House got telephone
calls or telegrams on this as a great many people in the
press did? Do you know?
MR. TER HORST: I just have no knowledge of that,
Pete. I really do not.
Q
Jerry, will the 145 tapes subpoenaed by
the House Judiciary Committee be turned over?
MR. TER HORST: Well, the ruling by Mr. St.
Clair and Mr. Buzhardt is that all of the tapes are the
property of the President, including those now in the
custody of the court and the Special Prosecutor's Office,
and when they have finished with them those, too, would
revert to the possession of the former President.
Q
In this informal opinion, the precedent
seems clear, but what laws provide for the United States
Government to turn over the property it has paid for and
produced, to a private citizen?
MR. TER HORST: Apparently, I am told -- and you
can check it out with the legal profession -- but I am told
that there is no law touchong on this subject, but the
precedent goes all the way back, I believe, almost
to George Washington's time.
Q
Jerry, I have a question that relates to
this, and it also bears on press policy as it develops,
which a lot of us are very interested in, of course.
Yesterday, when we asked about the possibility of a
briefing with the lawyers, you said you would try, and
someone asked if you would urge them to appear, and you
said, "I certainly will. I will tell them there are a
lot of questions I cannot answer."
I am curious to know what happened in the meantime.
Did someone tell you this whole thing should just be
dropped, or what happened?
MR. TER HORST: I kept my pledge to you. I
told the legal office that we would very much like to have
somebody out here and brief you fully on that if they
cared to do that because there was a great interest
in this room in that happening. And they made their own
decision that they preferred not to do it.
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Q
Who made the decision?
MR. TER HORST: I can't tell you that.
Q
Did the President get involved in that?
MR. TER HORST: The President was not involved
in this in any shape, manner or form.
Q
Did that matter of the tape have anything
to do with the immediate acceptance of Buzhardt's resig-
nation today?
MR. TER HORST: I can't address myself to that,
I really can't, because the President this morning said
that he wanted to name Mr. Buchen as his legal counsel,
and that has been done.
Q
Jerry, is there a letter from the President
to Fred Buzhardt that we can have accepting his resignation?
MR. TER HORST: He has not resigned today. He
will resign. He is going to stay aboard for the necessary
transition period, as I have explained here, at Mr. Buchen's
request, but Fred has indicated that he wishes to leave, and
when he actually does leave, we will announce it and
provide you all the information we can.
Q
What are you thinking about, two or three
weeks?
MR. TER HORST: I really don't know. They will
probably work that out between them.
Q
Will he go back to the Defense Department?
MR. TER HORST: I don't know that, either. This
will be something Mr. Buzhardt will have to decide himself.
Q
Where is Mr. Buchen now, Jerry?
MR. TER HORST: Mr. Buchen is here, and he is
in the Legal Office.
Q
Is there cause and effect between your
urging and Buzhardt leaving -- your urging them to brief
us, and Fred Buzhardt's resignation?
MR. TER HORST: I can't give you any guidance
on that. I am having a difficult enough time trying to
gain control of my own assignments in the Press Office without
trying to worry about what is happening in other departments.
Q
Do you know of a connection?
MR. TER HORST: I know of no connection.
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Q
Speaking of your assignment, is Jack
Hushen coming over?
MR. TER HORST: I think tomorrow we will have
some announcements regarding the Press Office and its
staffing that may be of interest to you, and I would like
to wait until then.
Q
You told us, I believe, in connection
with the briefing on the tapes question yesterday that the
Justice Department also had a role in these deliberations.
You didn't mention them today. Did they in fact have a
role or did they not?
MR. TER HORST: They did not have an active
role.
Q
Were they advised of the decision and asked
if they wanted to dissent or how did it work or don't you
know?
MR. TER HORST: Neither Mr. Buzhardt nor Mr.
St. Clair, Marty, gave me any guidance as to whom they
talked to in the process of reaching their decision.
Q
Have any of the tapes now been moved into
the custody of Mr. Nixon?
MR. TER HORST: No, the tapes, as I have said
before, and as they have been, are in the protective
custody of the Secret Service.
Q
Could you raise this matter with the
President about getting Buzhardt out here for the briefing
inasmuch as he is still on the staff?
MR. TER HORST: No, I did not.
Q
No, I mean, would you, please?
MR. TER HORST: I don't think that is necessary.
The President has just named himself a new counsel. I
think that now all those matters I am going to leave
to Mr. Buchen and he can speak with the full authority of
the President when he feels it is time to speak.
Q
On this matter, do the White House lawyers
not want to talk about the tapes because they really don't
have the time or because they just wish it would go
away and they don't want to discuss it publicly?
MR. TER HORST: They didn't give me reasons for
their decision.
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Q
Jerry, you are leaving very open the tying
in of Buzhardt's departure with the tapes, following in
the aftermath of the ruling.
MR. TER HORST: I can't draw conclusions for you.
Q
But it is an open question.
MR. TER HORST: I can't help you on that, Helen.
Q
I am just asking you te tell me what
happened. Is there a tie-in?
MR. TER HORST: I can't help you on making that
kind of a judgment. It is not my role. All I know is that
the President said he wanted today for me to announce to
you that he has asked Philip Buchen to be his legal
counsel, and that I have done, and from now on that
matter is going to be in Mr. Buchen's hands.
Q
In a situation where you go to someone
on the White House staff and say, as Press Secretary, that
you think a certain briefing should be held and the person
that you are telling that to says he doesn't think it
should be, does he then have the final say, or is there
someone who would arbitrate this? To what extent do you
set press policy?
MR. TER HORST: I set press policy, but I don't
set legal policy. And I can only make recommendations to
the people who are in the various offices on things I think
they should do. And if they disagree then in their area
in which they are supposedly expert, that has to be their
decision.
Q
Was it explained to you by them that the
act of having such a briefing would constitute a setting
of legal policy?
MR. TER HORST: I didn't get into the question of
legal policy, no, and they didn't give me their answers,
but their answer was not responding to my request, and that
was the situation.
Q
Could you speak to Mr. Buchen about this
situation?
MR. TER HORST: Yes, I have talked to Mr. Buchen,
and he has assured me that he is going to devote full-
time to the President's White House legal problems from
here on in, and he is in the office now.
Q
I am talking about the tape situation.
Will Mr. Buchen ask Mr. Buzhardt, since it is a legal
problem, to come out and explain the decision?
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MR. TER HORST: Mr. Buchen is now in charge of
all those matters, as well as the ongoing legal work of
the White House, and I will have to leave it up to him.
He is just aboard.
Q
Will you go to Mr. Buchen and ask him to
ask Mr. Buzhardt to come out and explain?
MR. TER HORST: Why don't I do this: Why
don't I relay to Mr. Buchen your interest in having
some kind of briefing on this subject and see what response
I can bring back to you.
Q
Jerry, are you saying that Watergate is no
longer a part of the White House legal problem at all?
MR. TER HORST: Watergate has never been a
problem with the Ford Administration. We ended that when
the Ford Administration came into office, and the President,
as I have said before, strongly feels that it is time to
move forward from where we have been and see if we can
accomplish the things that the country needs doing, and
that he wants to do for the country.
Q
During this period you make it sound as
though Mr. Buzhardt is almost a free agent.
MR. TER HORST: Mr. Buzhardt is staying aboard to
help Mr. Buchen during this transition period from one
legal counsel to another, and I am sure Mr. Buzhardt's
future will be something that they will talk about between
them. I can't really say much more thanthat, in any event.
Q
Jerry, perhaps I am confused. Maybe you
have answered this question, but with the coming of Mr.
Buchen, is there now going to be a review of the policy
on these tapes?
MR. TER HORST: I would think that is something
Mr. Buchen is going to have to decide in his own way. I
just can't tell you that. The appointment has just been
made.
He probably hasn't spent more than 15 minutes to
an hour in the Legal Office, so it would be very unfair
for me to try to commit him to something that he has just
taken on.
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Q
Could we have Mr. Buchen come out here and
answer for himself?
MR. TER HORST: I said I would convey my request that
there was urgent desire that there be a briefing on this matter
and I will so do that.
Q
This unwritten opinion by Mr. St. Clair and
Mr. Buzhardt which you call a ruling, as if it were engraved
in bronze ----
MR. TER HORST: That is my word, not theirs. I may
have used that inadvertently. Let's call it an opinion. I
would prefer to call it an informal opinion.
Q
The fact is that the tapes are now in the
custody of agents of the President, the Secret Service, and
if there are additional tapes subpoenaed by the prosecutor --
you may want Watergate to go away, but won't it be President
Ford's decision as to what to do with those, based, I presume,
on Mr. Buchen's advice?
MR. TER HORST: I presume in that event that Mr.
Buchen and the Special Prosecutor's Office would work that out.
Q
Jerry, there must be a way, I would expect any
time the White House, the President turns over any information
or any material to a private citizen or any other agent to
catalogue that information so that he will know what he is
turning over. In this case will there be any effort to
ascertain the completeness of the tapes before they are turned
over to President Nixon? Otherwise there will be no way of
knowing just what happened while they were in Mr. Ford's
custody.
MR. TER HORST: Marty, I think we should save these
questions in the hope that I can produce someone here who
can brief you responsively on it because obviously I can not.
I am a press secretary, not a lawyer, and I have not been
involved in the current or previous discussions on this whole
subject and it would be not to your advantage for me to try to
do it.
Q
Is there a timetable for removing the Nixon
documents from Government property?
MR. TER HORST: I am not aware that there is, but I
hate to be bound by it because I am not familiar with all the
details of the Transition Act which covers the transition from
one Administration to another.
Q
Jerry, the county officials said today that the
President would veto the mass transit bill if it comes in at
$20 billion and he proposed a compromise between the $10 billion
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that the Administration proposes and that $20 billion.
Does he have a figure in mind where he wouldn't
veto the bill?
MR. TER HORST: The President, on that particular
bill, on the urban mass transit bill, yesterday instructed
Bill Timmons to lend Administration support to the Harsha
amendments. Congressman Harsha is the ranking Republican
on the committee, and it is my understanding that the Harsha
amendments would have the effect of reducing the price tag
on the bill from, I think, $20 billion to $11 billion.
Q
Jerry, will the economic advisors have a
briefing after their meeting with the President at 2:00?
MR. TER HORST: I will have to check and see.
Q
Can you say whether the President will announce
a new V. A. Director in his Monday speech?
MR. TER HORST: That is quite possible. I would
anticipate he certainly would talk to the veterans on matters
of their concern and I wouldn't rule that out.
Q A follow-up question: Is the fact that the G.I.
benefits bill is under serious study related to the same
reason he has vetoed or indicated vetoes on the others, that
it would be high spending and therefore --
MR. TER HORST: As all matters like this come before
the President, the President obviously is trying seriously to
obtain a balanced budget and he has said himself many times
he is in favor of reductions wherever possible in Federal
spending.
On the other hand, he is also very much aware of
the concerns and needs of veterans which he feels are critical,
and must be solved, and therefore he is hoping to find some
way in which he and the Congress can work together to see if
they can accomplish both objectives.
Q Excuse me, you said "trying to obtain a balanced
budget." These are all fiscal '75 appropriations. You mean
he is trying to obtain a balanced budget in fiscal '75?
MR. TER HORST: Often, as you know, Ted, once
things start in one year they tend to continue on in the
following year and there is always an accumulative effect of
any bill with money tied to it, so the serious review is going
on in the hope that both the objectives of the bill and the
President's desire to keep some firm rein on the budget process
can be met.
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Q
What is the President doing on Cyprus besides this
warning?
MR. TER HORST: He has conferred with Dr. Kissinger.
Dr. Kissinger has been very active both personally and as
Secretary of State in attempting to bring the two parties back
together again under a cease fire arrangement that will stick
and of course under the operative United Nations resolution.
Q
On the Vice President thing, to get back to
that for a minute, has the President ordered any background
checks yet on any of the possibilities?
MR. TER HORST: I am not aware that has been done.
THE PRESS: Thank you, Mr. Press Secretary.
END
(AT 1:40 P.M. EDT)
staff-
to Horst
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 9, 1974
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT
UPON APPOINTING
J. F. TERHORST
AS
PRESS SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT
THE BRIEFING ROOM
1:04 P.M. EDT
Good morning.
Number one, it is a nice opportunity this morning
to get reacquainted with many of you who suffered with me
when I was over here with Ev Dirksen, and subsequently with
Hugh Scott, so let me say that I look forward to meeting
new faces, and it is a pleasure to see those I have known
before.
I have two profound announcements to make.
We will have one of yours as my Press Secretary,
Jerry terHorst. We will, of course, have Paul Miltich and
Bill Roberts with Jerry. We haven't worked out all the
titles and responsibilities, but that will be our team, and
I hope and trust that they can work with you as well as
Paul and Bill have worked with the people I have been working
with.
The second one is -- the second very profound
announcement -- I understand that where many of you are
standing there is a swimming pool. And you know my great
interest in aquatic activities. (Laughter)
I haven't made a firm decision yet. I don't
know whether we should solicit your recommendations or
whether we should just confine it to the National Security
Council or some other very important body. (Laughter)
Let me say again, I do look forward to working
with you. We will have, I trust, the kind of rapport and
friendship which we had in the past. And I don't ask you
to treat me any better than I would expect in reverse.
We will have an open, we will have a candid
Administration. I can't change my nature after 61 years.
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Page 2
So, all I can say is thank you for your
kindnesses in the past, your reporting, good and bad,
mistakes and maybe a few pluses, and I say again, good
luck to you, and thanks for the opportunity of seeing you
this morning.
I should tell you that Jerry terHorst was,
along with several others, responsible for my first
political success. He and another very fine reporter from
Grand Rapids connived to help me get a little extra space
in the Grand Rapids press, and I am just delighted to have
Jerry with us here on this occasion.
END
(AT 1:07 P.M. EDT)
Usery
UP-056
(USERY)
WASHINGTON (UPI) -- PRESIDENT FORD ANNOUNCED TODAY HE IS
NOMINATING W.J. USERY TO BE LABOR SECRETARY, SUCCEEDING JOHN DUNLOP
WHO RESIGNED IN DISAGREEMENT OVER VETOED LABOR LEGISLATION.
FORD MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE OVAL OFFICE WITH USERY, THE
50-YEAR-OLD DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL MEDIATION SERVICE, BY HIS SIDE.
FORD PRAISED USERY'S "LONG EXPERIENCE AND TREMENDOUS RECORD" IN
DEALING WITH CONTROVERSIAL LABOR DISPUTES IN THE MEDIATION SERVICE
AND SAID THAT THIS BACKGROUND "QUAL IF IED HIM SUPERBLY" FOR THE
CABINET POST.
HE TOLD USERY THAT HE WAS ASSUMING A "VERY TOUGH JOB" AND FORECAST
THE YEAR AHEAD WOULD SEE LABOR-MANAGEMENT DISPUTES IN THE RUBBER,
AUTO AND TRUCKING INDUSTRIES.
IN RESPONSE, USERY THANKED THE PRESIDENT AND SAID IT WAS A "GREAT
HONOR" TO SERVE HIM IN THE CABINET. "I ASSURE YOU I WILL DO MY VERY
BEST," HE SAID, AGREEING WITH FORD "IT WILL BE A TOUGH JOB."
BUT, HE ADDED, "I'M AN OPTIMIST."
HE TOLD REPORTERS THAT HE BELIEVES THAT HE HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE
LABOR MOVEMENT IN THIS APPOINTMENT.
UPI 01-22 11:52 AES
Ford's staff is so relaxed about who's about on it,
03
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in Monday Government to honor once one a month of their to exchange information
meet about about opportunities for women.