Watergate Hearings - John Dean (Part III)
Watergate Hearings - John Dean (Part III)
Senator Howard Baker questions John Dean about what he thinks the president know when, between June 17th and September 15th 1972.
Watergate Hearings - John Dean (Part III)
Opens with Committee Vice Chairman HOWARD BAKER giving a lengthy explanation of the intent of his questioning of former Presidential Counsel JAMES DEAN, Baker says his central question is what did the President know and when did he know it - Baker goes on to list the sort of testimony/evidence he will accept in trying to answer this question. Cus of Baker, Dean and cutaways to wide shots of senate hearing room.
Watergate Hearings - John Dean (Part III)
Baker asks Dean if he knows if Nixon knew about the Watergate break-in before it happened, after much prodding and rephrasing of this question Baker finally gets Dean to say that if Presidential Counsel H.R. HALDEMAN knew about it, it is very likely that Nixon knew about it, as Haldeman passed everything he knew on to Nixon - Baker very carefully classifies this suggestion that Nixon new as indirect evidence
Watergate Hearings - John Dean (Part III)
Baker asks what Nixon knew and when he knew it about the cover-up of Whitewater - Dean says that he spoke to Nixon in September of 1972 about delaying trials and lawsuits until after the election, he also says that he made recommendations to Mr. Haldeman and others about how to deal with JED STUART MAGRUDER regarding the break-in and the hearings that followed, and again that Haldeman almost definately shared this advice with Nixon - Again Dean qualifies this testimony as indirect. Dean mentions that there were White House press releases from Florida, where Nixon was staying on June 17, 1972 stating the White House was in no way involved with the break-in, these were released before Dean had talked to anyone or done anything, Dean then mentions "a flurry of phone calls" between top White House aides at the time of botched break-in between D.C. and Florida.
Watergate Hearings - John Dean (Part III)
Baker pursues his line of questioning about what the president knew when between June 17th and September 15th 1972. Dean explains that he was very concerned and wanted to talk to the president know right away but then clarifies that he didn't actually talk to the president until September 15th. Dean mentions Nixon's desire to have counter-action suits filed against the Democrats.
Watergate Hearings - John Dean (Part III)
Dean flips through stacks of papers looking for exhibits. His attorney, Charles Shaffer gives him a hand. He introduces exhibit 17 - a memorandum prepared by Kenneth Parkinson at Dean's request, sent by Dean to the President and Mr. Haldeman regarding the above mentioned counter-suits. Baker asks dean to point out the key parts of the memo. Their discussion is cut off by the tape's end.