John Dean reminds that Nixon's obsession with leaks helped undo his presidency

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Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
Leaking, and even illegal classified leaking, has been a big problem in Washington for years. Failing @nytimes (and others) must apologize!
6:58 AM - 16 Feb 2017

Christopher Hayes ?@chrislhayes 4h4 hours ago
John Dean reminded me last night that in some ways, it was Nixon's obsession with leaks that did him in.


...from the National Security Archive:

...here’s what Nixon said when he heard the Pentagon Papers had been leaked:

"I’d just start right at the top and fire some people. I mean whoever – whatever department it came out of I’d fire the top guy."

Nixon agreed with Kissinger that, the Pentagon Papers leak was treasonable, “there’s no question – it’s actionable.” Kissinger was “absolutely certain that this violates all sorts of security laws."

Nixon also raged against the New York Times for publishing the documents, calling the decision to publish, “treasonable” and “a bunch of crap.” Days later, he tried to censor publication.

Nixon’s bloodlust against leakers eventually led to his downfall. He created a group of “plumbers” who broke into Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office after they learned that he had leaked the Pentagon Papers...

read/listen to Nixon WH tapes excerpts: https://nsarchive.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/audio-document-friday-leaks-wikileaks-and-nixon/

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