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Photocopies of Related Items in the Records of the Senate Ervin Committee at the National Archives
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2825655
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Photocopies of Related Items in the Records of the Senate Ervin Committee at the National Archives
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Alexander P. Butterfield Papers
Alexander Butterfield Interview Notes and Transcript
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Watergate Affair, 1972-1974
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The original documents are located in Box 1, folder "Photocopies of related documents in
the Ervin Committee Records at the National Archives" of the Alexander P. Butterfield
Papers, 1973 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 R. 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States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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.
Digitized from Box 1 of the Alexander P. Butterfield Papers, 1973 at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
GERALD R.-FORD
Copy 2 of 3 copies
Attn: Don Sandus
LIBRARY Select made errors X they
(Ervin) Conte: INTERVIEW Santa you same have rather this
&
Shalld my notes insul.
he Plse
ATTACHED IS ADDENDUM TO
ASAP.
INTERVIEW OF
ALEXANDER P. BUTTERFIELD
X( see
Don- I'm sure you will agree that
whatever is retained for record purposes
should be accurate.
APB
Interview with Alexander P. Butterfield on July 13, 1973 at 2:15 PM
at
G334, New Senate Office Building
by Gene Boyce, Don Sanders, Scott Armstrong (M. Brazer also present)
Dictated 7-13-73
Transcribed c
7-13-73
by Maríanne
Page 1 of
pages.
ADDENDUM
ALEXANDER P. BUTTERFIELD
During the course of the interview, Mr.
Butterfield was shown a White House log of conversa-
NOTE
tions between the President and Mr. Dean (indicating
dates
s
the date and substance of conversation).
Butterfield
I did not recall 84
+ mention it, One c
also recalled that Dean indicated during his testimony
the interrogators re.
before our Hearings that he (Dean) had the impression
minded me of this
that he was being taped during his conversations in the
put of Dean's testi-
mony as a lead-
Oval Office.
to the direct que
Butterfield then stated, "There is tape in
tion: "was there
the Oval Office. This tape is maintained by the Secret
ever any taping
three (3)
Service, and only four (4) Secret Service Men know
device installe
about it it initially now four (4) know about it.
in the Goval qli
john about
The system was installed about 2 1/2 years
OR " " We Were you we
Mr
lot
aware 9 tying
ago at the 18-month point of Nixon's term "the
Devices in the oval
and history -conscious
President is very history-orientedA about the role he is
oliu?" In other
going to play, and is not stall subtle about it, O'R about admitting
words, my - info
it."
the Saping
durices we
in ansure
to a dire
question
Note
Locator Box
BUTTERFIELD/ADDENDUM
Page 3
Oval office
West way
E.B offin
The locator system in the White House is
Eat wg
operated by the Secret Service. Whenever the President
South Southgraph
enters a room, the Secret Service man turns on the switch
MT
in this room which activates a locator light panel on the
Residence
desks of Haldeman, Butterfield and Bull (in this way it
is known exactly where the President is).
NOTE
(necording)
The master tape system is located in the
-in other word
(ground (ground floor) floor)
basement under the White House. The taping units are
2 offices Coval
P.s
+ EOB) + CAbR
located in the Oval Office (room and telephone), the EOB
t phone),
inner office (room) the Cabinet Room (room), the
+ 4 telephones
sitting
(Oval due, EOB
Lincoln Room telephone Camp Devid telephonet
Presidential Study telephone AKA Aspen Room) Cabin at Camp DAvid.
office, Lincoln
Sitting Rm, P.S
Taping in the Oval Office activated by the
study in Aspen
locator system, the taping itself triggered by sound.
Cabin)
in
+ or
Mikes were located under the President's desk on the
mantel. There is no manual cut off switch in the Oval
Office.
Taping in the Cabinet Room can be activated
Offinet atthe Pis place,
in two ways: 1) by the switches under the table, abouch room,
and 2) by a push button on Butterfield's phone. The taping in
BUTTERFIELD/ADDENDUM
Page 4
the Cabinet Room could be cut off if desired. For example,
NOTE
the President has had Cabinet Meetings and did not want
Nol at all True!
anyone present (including Haldeman), "this was not taped,
I know that
as I (Butterfield) was sure that the President did not want
I did not SAY
this taped."
this to Comte
With respect to Camp David, the tape unit
Stall mbrs.
was placed in the phone in the President's own study
Everything vids
Cabin
long
(AKA Aspen Room). The Secret Service has been con-
taped m the
CAB Rm. as
cerned about this because of State visitors lodging there.
But # Taping equipment is basically simple, and in the phone,
long as the P
and it is possible that the Secret Service always have it removed it
was in attant
There was new
in the event when of invited guests guests.,Occupy that csbin.
So much as
a hint the
Butterfield stated that the quality of sound
something
is good on the Oval Office and EOB Office tapes; however,
should "not
those taped in the Cabinet Room are poor (sometimes inaudible)
be Laped."
With respect to the results of the tapes,
Butterfield stated that the Secret Service changed the
WONG'S overall
tapes at least once a day this was/Zoomwala spomwale Aresponsi-
ut Zumwilt or his assiT were the individuals who actually attended to that tas
bility/A The tapes were taken off, dated, and placed in storage.
old EOB.
The tapés are stored in various security areas of the White House.
NOTE
not in the WH
BUTTERFIELD/ADDENDUM
PAGE :5
EOB
Butterfield is aware of one storage area which is located at the west end
center
Isifloor
of
the main ^ corridor back of the stairs in a small "broom
NOTE
closet"; an iron gate was installed for security purposes.
I don't recall
Sitying this. IT
The tapes have been made and stored, there
is net the CASE.
The closet has
has been no transcription to Butterfield's knowledge, the
been made
that
President has never requested a tape be brought to him,
es pecially
propred byButtayield
nor has he inquired of them. The plan had been that four
secure,
secretares
however.
given Thejot of
or five trustworthy people would be employed to do nothing
but transcribe ing the tapes and So this material would be filed
NOTE
No, I did not
at the Archives,
This has never been initiated.
SAY "at the
With respect to the Oval Office, Butterfield
Archives." d
SAid in the
stated that the President never requested that the Secret
office 1 Speci
Service not use the locator system which would activate the
Files - for
tapes.
Mr. Nixm's u
RUM.R ONLY
at the end of
Butterfield stated that he had heard that LBJ
his Presidence
had a lot of things recorded during the Johnson Administra-
I wouldn't
tion
Butterfield also said that the Secret Service indi-
have sugges,
intimated" is a better word here than "in dicated"
that this
cated that they,played this tape game before.
had
material go
Butterfield stated that the above information
to the Archive
was not revealed to the Special Prosecutors as "they did
even closely
not ask anything related to this. "
NOTE
Silbert & genger Silbert glanger
BUTTERFIELD/ADDENDUM
Page 6
During a recent phone conversation with
Haig, Haldeman's replacement, Butterfield mentioned
because Hais infuired is to what knowledge he had, if any, of "any
the system Haig interrupted and said/ know, Pknow
Oh, Iknm
bugging that
about that.
Butterfield assumes that Higby, Haldeman
went on duru
(HAiG)
or possibly the President informed him of this taping
the entire 4-g
I meant any
system AT the time that he tak over Haldeman's desk &duties,
period of the
P.S lot term
outside
Butterfield stated "This is all something
bugging other
wined guess that
doce
than that
I know ^ the President and not want revealed, but you
which has
asked me, and I feel it is something you ought to know
so I have no choice but to answer. and of Cause,
been made
about in your investig I was told no one was to
there is only one kind of truth.
at the time the taping instruction was given
known to
know about the information I ha ve told your absolutely no one - not even
the public
the Director 9 the Secret Service's Presidential Protective Division!
to date"
NOTE
I think this more closely
reflects what was said
on His occasion. I duebt
that I said any thing about your
needing do lum, about this in your in ves figation.
That saunds as thengh Juan eager, t I wasnet.
GERALD
INTERVIEW
FORD
LIBRARY
Alexander P. Butterfield was interviewed on
Friday, July 13, 1973. Mr. Butterfield was not accompanied
by counsel, His home address is
RESTRICTED
Mr. Butterfield is presently employed as the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, He
has been in this capacity since March 14, 1973.
With respect to Butterfield's prior association
with Haldeman, Butterfield, Haldeman and Ehrlichman went
to UCLA at the same time. Butterfield and Haldeman's
wives were best friends, and through them, the two men
became friends (Haldeman did not know Ehrlichman personally
at this time).
Butterfield received a phone call from Haldeman
on January 12, 1969. In accordance Butterfield resigned his
Interview with Alexander P. Butterfield on July 13, 1973 at 2:15 pm
at
G334 New Senate Office Building
by
Gene Boyce, Don Sanders, Scott Armstrong
Dictated 7-16-73
Transcribed 7-16-73
by Marianne
Page 1 of
pages.
COPY OF COPIES
Butterfield
Page 2
commission as an Air Force Colonel, and was sworn in as
Deputy to the President on January 21, 1969.
At this point, Bu tterfield related the follow-
ing incident. On April 6, 1972, Gordon Strachan contacted
Butterfield
"said that Haldeman wanted to know if he
(Butterfield) had a friend outside the government level, in
the area, loyal to President, impeccable references, free
to travel should a need arise to direct funds to a special
project such as polls and advertising. 11 This person would
be custodian of the $350, 000 Haldeman Reserve Fund, and
Haldeman could make disbursements if an emergency arises.
It was Butterfield's understanding that the travel would be
domestic --- any expenses incurred would be reimbursed by
the Administration.
In accordance, on April 7, 1972 Butterfield
explained this assignment to his friend, Leonard "Bill"
Lilley, who is president of Ironsides, Inc, a management
consultant firm in Rosslyn, and former Air Force officer.
Lilley accepted the assign ment. Butterfield told Lilley
Butterfield
Page 3
everything he knew about the assignment. (Butterfield
reported back to Strachan --- mentioned Lilley's name,
however, doesn't think that Strachan remembers it, nor
does he think that Strachan passed this information on to
Haldeman.)
Strachan brought the money to Butterfield
on April 7, 1972 in one briefcase, the money was counted
by them. Butterfield met Lilley that afternoon at approx-
imately 3:00 - 4:00 PM, at the Key Bridge Marriott. no
reason for choosing this location other than the fact that
it was a centrally located site. Lilley took the briefcase
deposited it in a safety deposit box at the bank he person-
ally deals with
Butterfield cannot recall the name of
the bank, and to his knowledge, Lilley was the only authorized
signature on the box.
On April 21, 1972 Strachan called Butterfield
and said that a $22,000 disbursement must be made immed-
iately to Joe Baroudy, the address was K or L Street, Wash-
ington, DC. (In 1973, Butterfield learned that Joe Baroudy
was in the advertising business and was the brother of Bill
Butterfield
GERALD
Page 4
FORD
LIBRARY
R
Baroudy, who took Colson's place at the White House.
Butterfield assumed that this money would be drawn
to the AEI Institute.) Butterfield contacted Lilley,
Lilley made the disbursement as instructed that day.
On November 28, 1972 Strachan called
Butterfield, and said "get the money back right away. "
Butterfield contacted Lilley, met him at the Key Bridge
Marriott parking lot, Lilley returned the money in the
same briefcase, Butterfield delivered the briefcase
to Strachan's office that same afternoon. The brief-
case was not opened in Butterfield's presence.
During the entire assignment, there were
no receipts for the exchange of money between Strachan
and Butterfield, or between Butterfield and Lilley.
Strachan said that only six people knew
about the fund: Stans, Haldeman, Higby, Strachan,
Butterfield, Lilley (and 'Butterfield states, "I assume
the President. Haldeman would do nothing without the
knowledge of the President. "). Butterfield has since
Butterfield
Page 5
learned from Glanzer and Silbert that Sloan knew of
this fund, but Strachan never mentioned this. Butter-
field was told the $350,000 came from Stans and Butter-
field accordingly assumed it was campaign money.
In mid-1972, shortly after the Watergate
break-in, Butterfield in no way associated this fund
with the Watergate incident. To Butterfield's knowledge
this money was not used for payment of legal fees for
the Watergate defendants.
In March, 1973, Butterfield began to
suspect that the fund may have been involved in the
Watergate incident. However, he did not discuss
this with anyone, including Dean and the President,
since he had no feeling of wrong doing.
Approximately April 15, 1973, Higby
called Butterfield at the FAA, asked Butterfield if
he remembered the dates of deposit, how many with-
drawals and amounts with respect to the Fund. Butter-
field checked with Lilley, who made note of withdrawal
GERALD
R.
Butterfield
Page 6
FORD
LIBRARY
date and return date. Butterfield advised Higby of the dates
and amounts as requested. Higby asked "Are you sure that
there was only one withdrawal? " Butterfield said yes, but
did not know the significance of this question.
Perhaps two or three days later, Strachan
called Butterfield, advising Butterfield that he (Strachan)
would be interviewed by Watergate investigators and would
be mentioning Butterfield's name to them. (Higby had
told Butterfield that Strachan perjured himself on the
first admission.)
A few days later, Butterfield went to Silbert
and Glanzer on a voluntary basis, and told them everything
he knew. (Lilley did the same thing approximately one week
later).
Butterfield went to Leonard Garment around
the end of April (Garment was Acting Counsel to President
and a good friend of Butterfield), and told Garment what had
transpired between Butterfield and the Silbert/Glanzer inter-
view.
Butterfield
Page 7 -8
From January 24, 1969 until March 14, 1973,
Butterfield's duties as Deputy Assistant to the President
included:
Was the President's liaison and functioned
as a personal secretary, in charge of administration,
responsible for management and supervision of the Office
of the Presidential Papers and the Office of Special Files.
Butterfield was in charge of security at the White House,
and acted as liaison with the Secret Service and the Execu-
tive Protective Service, had responsibility of FBI investi-
gations with respect to staff, presidential appointments,
and visitors of the President. Was liaison between the
President and the Office of the President. Butterfield
was in charge of the smooth-running of the President's
official day.
Butterfield totally controlled the paper flow
of mail going to the President. All items were stamped going in
and out of the President's office and logged in, Butterfield also weeded
out memos which the President did not have to see.
Butterfield
Page 9
Butterfield or Haldeman always accompanied
the President at all times --- Butterfield was Haldeman's
back up. Butterfield went ón 35% of the Presidential trips
and took charge of the staff (always went to Western White
House and DC). Haldeman took all of the foreign trips.
Butterfield met at 2:00 PM each day to
review the President's schedule for the following day.
Each meeting that the President would have scheduled
must have a briefing paper which included talking points.
It was a prime interest of Chapin's office to designate who would
prepare the brief, depending upon the subject and who
was most qualified to do so. This person would more
than likely sit in on the actual meeting,
then would
be responsible to prepare a Memorandum for the Presi-
dent which would include the subject, tone of the meeting
and any commitments made.
memo primarily for
historical purposes and filed with the Presidential Papers.
If the meeting included only a White House staff, then a
Memorandum for the President was not usually prepared; however,
if the meeting was highly significant the President might say
"write this up."
Butterfield
Page 10
The President's official day was always logged.
The military and White House switchboard kept track of who
the President talked to, how long, and the date. This infor-
mation compiled each day copies sent to Butterfield,
Haldeman and the Presidential Papers Office
With respect to the FBI investigations,
Butterfield stated that he does not recall a directive from
the President either through Haldeman or directly to the
FBI director to assist in implementation of Wiretaps.
Haldeman and occasionally Ehrlichman had
requested an FBI check on nonappointees. To Butterfield's
recollection there may have been 8 such requests, among
them were Frank Sinatra, Daniel Schor, Helen Hayes. At
the time, Butterfield stated, he assumed they may have been
looking for a White House position or would be in close contact
with the President.
Butterfield does not recall an FBI re-
quest for information on Joseph Kraft. These reports were
abbrieviated data (an inbetween of the name check and full field).
Butterfield
Page 11
Butterfield does not recall FBI reports requested on
any Democratic Party members, nor does he recall
specifically reports concerning investigation of Larry
O'Brien, DNC Chairman. Butterfield also recalled
doing an investigation on a Detroit entertainer who
was associated with the National Association of
Advancement of Black Business.
With respect to Haldeman, Butterfield
stated he (Haldeman) ran smooth running of President's
day via other people working under him. President
toldHaldeman, and Haldeman carried out the President's
decisions --- "Haldeman was not a decision maker. "
With respect to Ehrlichman, Butterfield
stated that he (Ehrlichman) did not have access to the
President, he required an appointment. The President
really considered Ehrlichman his Counsel. The President
was not aware of Dean, and Dean would only do those things
which Ehrlichman assigned to him.
Butterfield can recall the increased activity
of the Segretti matter, since his office was directly across
from Chapin's. He knows very little of the circumstances,
Butterfield
Page 12
GERALD
R.
FORD
LIBRARY
other than the fact that if Segretti was an advance man,
he worked for Chapin. (There is mention by Butterfield
that Pero was also used as an advance man). Around 12/72,
Haldeman indicated to Butterfield that Chapin would soon be
leaving the White House and also said that Higby would be
a "little bigger wheel. " Butterfield indicated that Chapin
had talked to Kalmbach and Marriott, Sr. concerning future
employment, and he understands that Chapin is now employed
by United Air Lines in Chicago.
Butterfield stated that Caulfield was "sort
of Ehrlichman's guy. 11 Caulfield ran the intelligence reports
through the New York Police Department, his former employer,
when the President had scheduled trips. Caulfield's reports
concerning the size of demonstrations, etc., were more
accurate than the Secret Service/FBI. Butterfield assumes
that Caulfield received his wo rk assignments from Ehrlichman.
Butterfield stated that Ziegler did precisely
what he was told. Ziegler was always fully briefed by the
President, Kissinger, Haig, Peterson or Flannigan (depend-
ing upon the situation) and reported information exactly as told.
Butterfield
Page 13
Butterfield stated that Kissinger spent
a lot of time meeting with the President. Butterfield
does not know what was discussed, or is aware that
it concerned leaks in the White House.
Butterfield stated that the President
thought very highly of Colson and his political astuteness.
Colson would spend time with the President --- the
President liked Colson for his toughness. The President
also liked Doug Mallet, a young Colson Staffer.
Butterfield stated that Rosemary Woods
would handle all the President's very personal work.
She kept her own special files, was liaison with the
President's personal friends, had a copy of the con-
tributor's list and always knew how much each person gave.
Over the years, the President has gained
confidence in several of the girls on the White House
staff --- Nellie Yates, Marge Acker, Beverly Kaye, Pat McKee
(Haldeman's number one girl). These girls would accompany
the President to Camp David or Key Biscayne to do memos for
the President.
Butterfield
Page : 14
Before the election got underway, Haldeman
held meetings with Butterfield, Colson, Dean, Price and
Ziegler ---- "we were sort of Haldeman's prime guys. "
The meetings concerned the changes which should be made
in the White House, etc.
Moore, Chapin and Klein met to determine
what "would be good for the President to do", regarding
changing strategy, etc.
Colson, Sapphire, Chapin, Moore, Klein
and Buchanan were among those the President met with regularly.
Butterfield stated that the President was
very program-oriented. The President was constantly
thinking about what they were doing, the new approach,
and what they were doing wrong. The President's
recollection of meetings was very good, he was precise.
The President would read the news summaries
each morning --- he would scroll messages across the margins
indicating his thoughts, what he wished done (memos, etc).
Butterfield could not recall any of the notations.
Butterfield does not recall the President
receiving independent reports on Watergate. Butterfield
is not aware of a special Watergate file. Butterfield did not
Butterfield
Page 15
see or hear of any circumstances which indicated that the
President was involved in the alleged effort to cover-up
the facts of the Watergate from the public.
Butterfield stated that the President was
sent copies of ISD reports relating to radical groups, etc.
but this type of thing never went into the President. This
was also true of routine Secret Service or FBI reports.
Butterfield does not recall receiving any
information on the Viet Vets against the War.
Butterfield does not recall any rèsponse
from the President as to "who" were Liddy and Hunt,
when their names appeared in the news summaries.
Butterfield stated that the President would
put "the freeze" on certain people at times, for example,
the Washington Post, Arthur Burns (who apparently had
been too independent at one time).
Butterfield does not recall seeing any memos
relating to leaks or the Plumber's operation.
Butterfield was shown exhibits, he responded.
With respect to the correspondence regarding Jay Leanse (attached),
Butterfield stated he does not remember the name or the memo
Butterfield
Page 16
but this was the type of correspondence which was trans-
mitted between he and Trudy Brown. (Note: that he was
not shown his memo to Caulfield or subsequent memos in
the Series; See Dean Exhibit #7.)
With respect to a memo, speechtyped,
Butterfield stated that he does not recall seeing a letter
typed in speech-type, however, Rosemary Woods does
have such a typewriter. Butterfield does not recall
anything ever being done on legal size paper. With
respect to the lack of letterhead, Butterfield added
that if this had been a carbon copy there would not be a
letterhead. At the bottom of the letter was the following:
"CC - My File". Butterfield states that this was Rose-
mary's format.
Butterfield's immediate staff as Deputy
Assistant consisted of David Hoops, his assistant; his
secretaries; the man in charge of the Visitor's office;
Trudy Brown; Archivists.
Butterfield left the White House at his
own
decision he felt no challenge to the type of work
he was doing. When the President learned of this, he
initially asked Butterfield if he would like to work for
the State Department --- the FAA was the 2nd suggestion.
Butterfield
Page 17
Butterfield's duties were divided among
those who remained at the White House: Dean acquired
Butterfield's FBI and security responsibilities ---
Steve Bull assumed Butterfield's administrative duties.
Five weeks before Butterfiel d officially left the White
House, his office was moved into the basement; two
weeks before leaving, his office was moved to the EOB.
By February 7, Butterfield was not in a position to have
direct contact with paper flow at the White House.
PLEASE SEE ADDENDUM
FOR REMAINDER OF
INTERVIEW
GOA
General
National Archives
Services
and
Administration Records Service Washington, DC 20408
March 19, 1985
Reply to: NNFD-L
Subject: Butterfield Interview
TO: David Horrocks-NLF
Thank you for sending us the stenographer's translation of sections of the
Ervin Committee staff's interview with Alexander Butterfield. I will add
it to the records, with a note as to its location in the Ford Library.
Enclosed is a copy of the interview summary found in the Ervin Committee
records. You are correct that this interview is open to research; the "restricted"
mark applies only to Butterfield's home address. In addition, I am sending you
another copy of the "addendum" to the interview which has apparently been
corrected by Butterfield; note his reference to "some rather gross errors"
in the staff's summary.
Charles Sauth
CHARLES SOUTH
Assistant Chief
Legislative and Diplomatic Branch
Civil Archives Division