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1552700
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April 29, 1974 - Cabinet, Haig, St. Clair (Watergate)
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1552700
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document
title
April 29, 1974 - Cabinet, Haig, St. Clair (Watergate)
citationUrl
creators
Morton, Rogers C. B., 1914-
Bush, George, 1924-2018
Haig, Alexander Meigs, 1924-2010
Scowcroft, Brent, 1925-
collections
Memoranda of Conversations (Nixon and Ford Administrations)
Nixon Administration Memoranda of Conversations
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Department of Justice. Watergate Special Prosecution Force. 5/25/1973-6/20/1977
Cabinet meetings
Watergate Affair, 1972-1974
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29
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1974-04-29
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4
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1974
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day
29
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1974-04-29
month
4
year
1974
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nara-archive
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1
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156d4e7af05cc437
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File scanned from the National Security Adviser's Memoranda of Conversation Collection at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
CONFIDENTIAL
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS:
he Cabinet
General Alexander Haig
J ames St. Clair
Major General Brent Scowcroft
[ The President not present. Secretary
Kissinger was in Geneva. ]
DATE AND TIME:
Monday, April 29, 1974
7:30 p.m.
PLACE :
Haig: Let me go over the essential issue with the Judiciary Committee.
The first demand was for ten tapes. The President abided by the
Appellate Court decision. The Court gave 4-1/2 of those to the
Judiciary Committee. We delivered 19 tapes to Jaworski along
with the additional material.
We voluntarily turned over to the Judiciary Committee all the material
given to Jaworski.
Then they asked for 42 tapes. We asked for specificity. Three weeks
later they were more specific. We answered and said we had to review
the tapes to decide how much to provide. That did not sit well, and a
subpoena issued. It is due tomorrow. The President will respond with
the transcripts of all relevant material comprising the President's
knowledge and actions with respect to Watergate. It is in 49 volumes.
The tapes have been cleaned up to take out bad language and comments
about people to the extent it could be done without jeopardy to evidence.
All this material will be made public tomorrow. It will be a bombshell
to the American people. There is some tough stuff in the tapes which
could not be eliminated. You will have to "hunker down" on some of it.
CONFID ENTIAL
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958, SEC. 3.5
GERALD
NSC MEMO, 11/24/98, STATE DEPT. GUIDELINES
'Y
lah
MARA DATE 8/5/04
CONFIDENTIAL
- 2 -
How will anyone know we didn't doctor the tapes The President
will offer to the Chairman and Minority Member to come to the
White House to listen and verify the accuracy of the transcripts.
This is on subpoenaed tapes. On the voluntary documents, they
can hear the part we are turning over.
Why not let the staff listen? The President listened to it all and he
won't give it to paid officials who will try to put hookers on it.
Everything pertinent to the President's knowledge and actions is
here. There is no need for further turnovers. Material is ex-
culpatory, troublesome, and devastating to Dean.
It will be persuasive to the American people -- not to the press who
will try the devil theory on the material. It will be so to any
fair-minded person, however.
Read this material -- I think then you will be able to stand up and
be heard. If we don't make it this time, time is very short. Now
is the time to turn this around.
St. Clair: Why is it necessary for the President to take this step?
Otherwise he would be getting into an even longer credibility gap,
because it looked like he was hiding something, because the President
could never prove what was enough.
How do we prove we have nothing to hide ? The President decided to
let the people know what there is and make it public. The transcripts
tell it like it is it reads believably. The case will ride or fall on
this presentation.
There are already requests for 142 tapes above what has already
been requested.
The subpoena tactically was important for us. They knew they wanted
more, but were stampeded into going now. We will give them what
they asked -- if it exists -- and whatever more is required to get
out the full story. This should satisfy the demands.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
- 3 -
No President has ever given such material. It is confidential --
and it should also demonstrate the need for executive privilege.
We have cleaned them up. They are ambiguous but they carry a clear
message: (1) The President did not know about the coverup prior
to March 21. [Mr. St. Clair read the excerpts where Dean said
the President didn't know and where the President said the coverup
was wrong. And the President was not informed the payments were
made until a month later.
The charge is the President was involved in the coverup since as
early as September '72. This is clearly impossible -- as Dean
says. Since that has been established, the charge has shifted to the
charge that President did not move to prosecute the case. This is
wrong, because the President asked Dean for a report. Dean was
unable to do it so the President asked Ehrlichman to do it, who
asked for three weeks. The Justice probe was going on simultaneously.
On April 15 they all sat down and compared notes and decided the
matter had to go to the Grand Jury and President decided to waive
immunity. Then there was the problem of immunity for Dean. He
warned he would bring the President in on other -- not Watergate --
matters.
The results show that the President carried out his law-and-order
responsibilities. The summaries are greatly condensed, but
everything in them happened.
We have a good case. The President has suffered by virtue of not
turning over materials that were given to the Grand Juries. A
fair reading of the material will exonerate the President. There will
be those who will twist the material, but the weight of the material is
clear.
Bush: Why wait until now ?
Haig: When you read the material you will see the kind of courage
it took to release these. Also the President genuinely believes that
the ability of the President to talk to his staff has to be preserved.
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
- 4 -
Remember that the first charges were that the coverup started on
September 15. That was the first ten tapes. Those tapes cleared
him, so the charges then shifted. No one ever says the earlier charges
are false; they just shift position.
The President's respect for the principle of the executive privilege
has led him to give this material because the credibility gap
became unmanageable.
Morton: Why not let more people hear the tapes ?
Vice President: [Described the system on confirmation hearings on
derogatory material. ]
St. Clair: The Committee has already agreed the Chairman and
Minority member should listen to those that were already turned
over. Mansfield has said this is a pretty good arrangement.
Haig: This whole thing demonstrates the personal courage of the
President. I hope we can match it in the days ahead with the flak
we will get in the days ahead. The evidence, though, is conclusive.
The speech is not tub-thumping. It has some humility but is strong.
CONFIDENTIAL
Cabriet mty 29 april 74
2
1930 (Hain/St. Clain)
Pris not pressure
Haig E sential issues w/ Jaching Crutr,
First duman lwos for 10 Tapes Pabichd by appellate
unit dickin. The count gave 4/2 of those to
C Jul into. We delivered 19 Tapes to Janashi
d literial material
We colunitarily turned are to Jc all material given
to Jamashi
Then Sohr ashed for 42 tapes - we ashed for
specificate - 3 who later they whe more sprayie,
we W answered & find we had to unin c tapes
to sircle how much to provider That did not
sit well & essined - due tomorrow
Pies will respond or/ transing fall relevant
mational comprosing P knowledge + a times w/ aspect
to W.G. Itis in 49 whenus
has Tapes chanld up to tube onet had language
x communits about people & extent could LL done
w/o propanchy & evidence.
all this matirial will be mach public Trunson
It will he a bunbhell to am people. There is
some tough street in c topes which could not he
climents. you will have to "hinken dmv "on on
surve of it
How wall anyone know und we didn't data
c taps Puice offer to Chunn + Univety To
cand to w H7 betw & winh C ac accurang of c
timosipts - This on subportaid tages. On
winting druments, they can hearc part we
humpsher.
why not let staff listen ? botened to it all
4
he writ give it paid officials who will
In to put histors in it.
E thing paterient to P homeledget troin is
have. no werd for firsthes. turnomers.
FORD LI
DECLASSIFIED
E.O. 12958, SEC. 3.5
NSC MEMO, 11/24/98, STATE DEPT. GUIDELINES
BY We
NARA DATE 8/5/04
Instand is exculator, divorstating
a Deam.
It will be pers personative to am progre -
wrt to press who will ty clinic theory one
material will he 20 to any fair minded
person however
Real this material - I think then you will he
able to stand up t he heard. of and don't make
it this think, time is very shirt. how is the
Time to term this around
ST Clin why necess my for P to take this stap? Gerting
a bur lmyer excelity goy becomes it linked
like he biding something, because Permit hear
prove what was enough.
How do and pour and have northing to hilk?
to let- people know what is make it puther.
The transcripts till it like it is - it unds
believing The case will rich or full on this
information.
There and already upwots for 14 2 tapes alone what
abendy requested
Bizarz > The surpora tactically who injortant for no, They
knew they wonted more, but when Hampeded
into go now. we will give them what they
ashed - if it and whatmer more is
required to get anti full story - This should
satisfy C demands.
no P has his given she such instruct It
is emfidential - and should also deministrate
c had for epic purilage. w & hm chancel
them up, They an antrying ht they
carry a chur mag: (1) Pelid not human
GERALD
about emery prin h was 21. (Reed suppts
having Dear say Pohint been & and emoup was
wrong) Phns not informed payment whe mach
until a mouth lath
Change is Pwas invertmed in energy find as darly
as Syt 72, This clearly impossable- as Dean samp.
Since that has has estah, C change has shift
to change that Phone did int more to finte
c case. This is wrong, hecouse
Pashel Dean for a report. Dean mork so P
ashed Erbih, who worked for 3 who. Justice from
going on summittensh On apr 15 they all
7nt down a companed nots + chick l very matter ha
had to yot Good Juny - Pariedth waver
inimienty Then there wasc provider of injuriently
for Dear he evanued he would hing Pin on
order-nt Northyats- matters. The results show
that he carried out his laws or der
The summarisme greatly cruchmed, but every thing
in them happened
We have a good case, Phus support by wither of
at tenning over materials givin to Ground Junis. Fot
Q fain stading fc mathid will examinate CP.
10 There will be them who will timest C matirial-
but the weight instituted is clier.
Bursh why writ until in
H when you J instituted you will see the
hirl of Commage it tork to remise this also CP
gening behines that ability of / a tark a he staff
has to he quarroid.
L 1st charges whe that crump started
on 15 Sept. That was c 1st Tagle. Those toyds
chand him, 20 c charges then shyth
FORD
ho one there enh Toy C early changes files,
they just shift prostion
Propert for C punich of bac punchase has led hin
to fine this material because c instructions guy
become
Marton
why not let more hear C tages
VP (Decribed septem an confirmation hearing
on desorating instinal)
St Cluin Cunto his already agreed chent minuty shield
botan TJ there already
monofored has said this a frethy good anongements
H This whole thing demonstration C provided winageefil.
I hope we can match at inc day ahealw/c
Hak we will get inc days a hend. Embured,
though, is conclusive.
Sperch is not turb-thumping. It is has
Love humbity but is stry
q. FORD