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This file contains:
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: "President Nixon Memorabilia/White House Staff Wills" 1 pg. [Subject: White House Staff] [Memo], 9/8/1971
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: "President Nixon Memorabilia/White House Staff Wills" 1 pg. [Subject: White House Staff] [Memo], 9/8/1971
From Strachan to Ehrlichman RE: "President's Estate Plan" 1 pg. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 6/26/1972
From Strachan to Ehrlichman RE: "President's Estate Plan" 1 pg. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 6/26/1972
From John Alexander to Ehrlichman RE: President's Estate Plans 2 pgs. [Subject: Personal] [Letter], 5/26/1972
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26147095
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WHSF: Contested, 53-36
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26147095
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document
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WHSF: Contested, 53-36
description
This file contains:
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: "President Nixon Memorabilia/White House Staff Wills" 1 pg. [Subject: White House Staff] [Memo], 9/8/1971
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: "President Nixon Memorabilia/White House Staff Wills" 1 pg. [Subject: White House Staff] [Memo], 9/8/1971
From Strachan to Ehrlichman RE: "President's Estate Plan" 1 pg. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 6/26/1972
From Strachan to Ehrlichman RE: "President's Estate Plan" 1 pg. [Subject: Personal] [Memo], 6/26/1972
From John Alexander to Ehrlichman RE: President's Estate Plans 2 pgs. [Subject: Personal] [Letter], 5/26/1972
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Richard M. Nixon's Returned Materials Collection
Contested Materials Files
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Richard Nixon Presidential Library
Contested Materials Collection
Folder List
Box Number
Folder Number
Document Date
No Date
Subject
Document Type
Document Description
53
36
9/8/1971
White House Staff
Memo
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: "President
Nixon Memorabilia/White House Staff
Wills" 1pg
53
36
9/8/1971
White House Staff
Memo
From Strachan to Haldeman RE: "President
Nixon Memorabilia/White House Staff
Wills" 1pg
53
36
6/26/1972
Personal
Memo
From Strachan to Ehrlichman RE:
"President's Estate Plan" 1pg
53
36
6/26/1972
Personal
Memo
From Strachan to Ehrlichman RE:
"President's Estate Plan" 1pg
53
36
5/26/1972
Personal
Letter
From John Alexander to Ehrlichman RE:
President's Estate Plans 2pg
Monday, June 25, 2012
Page 1 of 1
DOCUMENT WITHDRAWAL RECORD [NIXON PROJECT]
DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT
NUMBER
TYPE
SUBJECT/TITLE OR CORRESPONDENTS
DATE
RESTRICTION
N-1
Memo
From Strachan to: Haldeman, Re:
DOC# # 90]
President Nixon Memorabilia/White
House Staff wills
9/8/71
C
N-2
Memo
From strachanto: Ehrlichman, Re:
[Doc "91] .91]
President's Estate Plan"
6/26/71
G
N-3
Memo
Letter From, Alexanderto "John"
Cooe 1992]
Re: RN'S estate Plan
5/23/73
C
FILE GROUP TITLE
BOX NUMBER
STAFF SECRETARY
126
FOLDER TITLE
Papers Project [IV]
RESTRICTION CODES
A. Release would violate a Federal statute or Agency Policy.
E. Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or
B. National security classified information.
financial information.
C. Pending or approved claim that release would violate an individual's
F. Release would disclose investigatory information compiled for law
rights.
enforcement purposes.
D. Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
G. Withdrawn and return private and personal material.
or a libel of a living person.
H. Withdrawn and returned non-historical material.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
NA FORM 1421 (4-85)
Presidential Materials Review Board
Review on Contested Documents
Collection: Staff Secretary
Box Number:
126
Folder:
Paper Project [IV]
Document
Disposition
90
Return Private/Personal
91
Return Private/Personal
92
Return Private/Personal
/ Kalmbach
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Administratively Confidential
September 8, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H.R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
GORDON STRACHAN
G
SUBJECT:
President Nixon Memorabilia/
White House Staff Wills
After you reviewed and forwarded my August 10 memorandum on
the status of this project, I again contacted Richard Ritzel
at Mudge Rose about the time frame for his preparation of the
President's estate plan for review by you and John Dean. He
indicated that the preliminary materials would be ready
early next week.
A check with John Dean as to the status of his companion
Presidential papers project, however, uncovered a serious
problem. Dean had just talked with Herb Kalmbach in Hawaii.
Kalmbach reported that when he met with the President in
San Clemente (August 27) he and Rose Mary Woods were asked
to review the President's personal matters and to have an
estate plan ready in 90 days.
The question is whether your August l memorandum to John Dean
indicating that the President "has absolute confidence in
Ritzel
as being the top estate lawyer around
"
.
and the one who should work toward resolving the "whole
question of papers and his estates, etc." or whether Kalmbach,
DeMarco is to have primary responsibility for preparation
of the President's estate plan.
Recommendation:
Ritzel and Kalmbach should both prepare recommendations for
review. Both should be advised of the other's assignment.
Approve
Disapprove
Comment
G Dean 9/9-will check Marco + then GSK
60 Tannian + RSR 9/9-
Administratively Confidential
September 8, 1971
MEMORANDUM FOR:
H.R. HALDEMAN
FROM:
GORDON STRACHAN
SUBJECT:
President Nixon Memorabilia/
White House Staff Wills
After you reviewed and forwarded my August 10 memorandum on
the status of this project, I again contacted Richard Ritzel
at Mudge Rose about the time frame for his preparation of the
President's estate plan for review by you and John Dean. He
indicated that the preliminary materials would be ready
early next week.
A check with John Dean as to the status of his companion
Presidential papers project, however, uncovered a serious
problem. Dean had just talked with Herb Kalmbach in Hawaii.
Kalmbach reported that when he met with the President in
San Clemente (August 27) he and Rose Mary Woods were asked
to review the President's personal matters and to have an
estate plan ready in 90 days.
The question is whether your August 1 memorandum to John Dean
indicating that the President "has absolute confidence in
Ritzel ... . as being the top estate lawyer around .
and the one who should work toward resolving the "whole
question of papers and his estates, etc." or whether Kalmbach,
DeMarco is to have primary responsibility for preparation
of the President's estate plan.
I
Recommendation:
Ritzel and Kalmbach should bolth prepare recommendations for
review. Both should be advised of the other's assignment.
Approve
Disapprove
Comment
GSlm
N-2
Hullen
It FU
FU
814
6/28
ADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL
7/8
June 26, 1972
X
MEMORANDUM FOR:
JOHN EHRLICHMAN
FROM:
GORDON STRACHAN
SUBJECT:
President's Estate Plan
D
You asked me to call John Alexander to obtain the Mudge
Rose draft documents of the President's Estate Plan.
John Alexander was out of town and on John Dean's advice
I talked with Dick Ritzel. I told Mr. Ritzel that we
8/8
would like to have his draft documents and comments on
DeMarco's materials by June 30. Mr. Ritz&l was civil
to me only because I was his Associate for two years.
In response to the substance of your request, Mr. Ritzel
said he needs final word on the use of the papers for
Mrs. Nixon's benefit upon the President's death. The
question is whether all papers are to go to the irrevocable
trust or whether whe is to have a limited power to appoint
the proceeds to issue. The DeMarco draft does not address
itself to the question and instead gives her a general
power of appointment to dispose of the papers in any way
she sees fit.
Mr. Ritzel will prepare documents which implement the
Mudge Rose plan and DeMarco's statement of what he hoped
his documents would do. My own reading of the DeMarco
documents confirms the lack of conformity between his
statement and his documents. Mr. Ritzel will not redraft
DeMarco's documents as the risk of error would be too
great. He will begin work on the Mudge Rose documents
immediately but would not commit to a date.
GS/jb Ritzd>E 7/29- Sent-materials
to SF + to
on 8/4
8/7- E+ H must meet
Dean reviewing
GS
ADMINISTRATIVELY CONFIDENTIAL
June 26, 1972
MEMORANDUM FOR:
JOHN EHRLICHMAN
FROM:
GORDON STRACHAN
SUBJECT:
President's Estate Plan
You asked me to call John Alexander to obtain the Mudge
Rose draft documents of the President's Estate Plan.
John Alexander was out of town and on John Dean's advice
I talked with Dick Ritzel. I told Mr. Ritzel that we
would like to have his draft documents and comments on
DeMarco's materials by June 30. Mr. Ritzel was civil
to me only because I was his Associate for two years.
In response to the substance of your request, Mr. Ritzel
said he needs final word on the use of the papers for
Mrs. Nixon's benefit upon the President's death. The
question is whether all papers are to go to the irrevocable
trust or whether She is to have a limited power to appoint
the proceeds to issue. The DeMarco draft does not address-
itself to the question and instead gives her a general
power of appointment to dispose of the papers in any way
she sees fit.
Mr. Ritzel will prepare documents which implement the
Mudge Rose plan end DeMarco's statement of what he hoped
his documents would do. My own reading of the DeMarco
documents confirms the lack of conformity between his
statement and his documents. Mr. Ritzel will not redraft
DeMarco's documents as the risk of error would be too
great. He will begin work on the Mudge Rose documents
immediately but would not commit to a date.
GS/jb
MUDGE ROSE GUTHRIE & ALEXANDER
20 BROAD STREET
N-3
H. ALEXANDER
JOHN T. TRIMBLE
GE F. ANDEREGG, JR.
ANSNES
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10005
COUNSEL
W. ASHER
M. BECKER
BLACK
212-422-6767
1701 PENNSYLVANIA AVE.,N.W.
E. BREEN
GELY BULLOCK
WASHINGTON, D.C.
H. CANNON
DLAS J. CAPOZZOLI, JR.
202-298-5970
CLAYTON
AS S. CURRIER
C. DALEY
THWAITE H. DORR
12,RUE DE LA PAIX
W. EVANS
S. FARROW
PARIS 2.,FRANCE
E. FERDON
G. FRANGOS
742-05-99
GILLIS
B. GREENWALD
D.C.BAR ONLY)
OLPH H. GUTHRIE
CABLE ADDRESS
HEW G. HEROLD. JR.
J. KIRBY,JR.
AM B. LANDIS
BALTUCHINS-NEW YORK
LARSON
B.LAWLESS
KLIN B. LINCOLN JR.
TELEX 127889
A. MADISON
J. MAHON
X. MALONEY
N. MITCHELL
RD H. NICHOLLS
RD S. RITZEL
C. ROSE
M. SEGAL
May 23, 1972
G SILLECK. JR.
ROOT STERN.JR.
P. TANNIAN
H. TRACY
LD J.ZOELLER
FIDENTIAL
Honorable John D. Ehrlichman
Assistant to the President
for Domestic Affairs
The White House
Washington, D. C.
Dear John:
I am sorry that we have had so much trouble
getting together on the telephone. In view of the
difficulty, it seems perhaps best to write you to let
you know the points Dick Ritzel and I have wanted to
take up with you. We are quite concerned over the
recent developments regarding the President's estate
plan. To recapitulate the recent history briefly:
As you will recall, there seemed to be some
initial problem as to final responsibility for the
development of a plan but this appeared to be put at
rest from your remarks to us and from a telephone talk
with the President shortly before Christmas in which
he told Dick and me we had the ultimate responsibility
for his estate plan. Shortly thereafter we submitted
a plan based upon our best understanding of the President's
wishes and, of course, pointing out questions that needed
to be answered. Although we did not see the President
on this plan, we were advised that as a result of a
conference you and John Dean had with the President there
should be a revision to represent the then views. Accord-
ingly, such a revision was prepared and circulated to
the interested parties.
-2-
This was the plan on which Frank De Marco com-
mented in his memorandum recommending some different
proposals. His suggestions seemed to us so different
from our understanding of what was desired that we were
very much troubled as to whether we properly understood
his memorandum, particularly since in the memorandum he
expressed the view that there would be no estate tax on
Mrs. Nixon's death, although the plan involved a transfer
of property by her with a retained life estate. After
a review of the entire situation and consideration of the
various legal points and extensive discussions here, Dick
Ritzel wrote Frank pointing out the problems raised by his
memorandum and reiterating the view we held that, according
to our information, the plan we had suggested met the
President's wishes.
A few days later, Frank De Marco and John Dean
telephoned on a conference phone from the White House
regarding what appeared to be a conflict of views between
Frank and us. It was, of course, disturbing to us that
an extended conference had been held on the whole matter
at the White House without our participation. During
the course of the conversation. it appeared rather clearly
that there had been a misunderstanding of certain aspects.
Furthermore, for the first time we learned that Frank
De Marco had submitted a further revision which we have
not yet seen, although Dick asked John Dean to send us a
copy.
My purpose in writing this letter is to express
considerable concern over what seems to be a lack of
direction in the situation. Normally, if we are working
with another law firm on a matter, our wish is to try to
sit down together and reconcile views, if possible, and
if not, at least to have a clear-cut difference of opinion
on which all parties in interest can focus. I think it
is most unfortunate in this case if a similar procedure
cannot be adopted and it would be a most unhappy result
if ultimately the President did not have a firm recommenda-
tion based upon his wishes. Frankly, at this moment we
are somewhat in doubt as to what those wishes are, in view
of the recent developments. Our suggestion is that a
further conference on the whole subject be arranged to be
held either in Washington or New York, and Dick and I
shall be glad to adjust our schedules to try to arrange
a mutually convenient time.
Dick joins me in sending best regards.
Sincerely,
John
JHA:fj
John H. Alexander