Former Nixon Aide Disputes New Watergate Claim

[LauraK]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - There is no evidence, archival or otherwise, to back up a recent claim that President Richard M. Nixon personally ordered the Watergate break-in, a onetime top aide to the late president said on Wednesday.

John Taylor, the executive director of the Nixon Foundation, said in a statement that he was surprised by the assertion by Nixon's former deputy campaign director Jeb Stuart Magruder that he had overheard Nixon giving the order in a phone call to former Attorney General John Mitchell, who headed Nixon's reelection effort.

Magruder, in a PBS documentary that aired on Wednesday, said that he heard Nixon personally order the bungled break-in of Democratic Party National Headquarters at the luxury Watergate Hotel complex. ..

Magruder has said that he is making the revelation now because he suffered a life- threatening heart attack and now wanted to "heal the past" by setting the record straight.

[wontmoveon]

1. I belive Magruder...

http://www.watergate.info/burglary/burglars.shtml

Here is a site that will give a very nice summary of the Watergate players and what happened to
them. Notice that the anti-Castro Miami group was VERY invovled in the burglary.

[kainah]

4. I do, too

His explanation for why he never said so makes a lot of sense to me. Moreover, I've seen John Dean commenting on this twice now. He's found at least one tape -- interestingly, recorded in the OEOB office where the 18 1/2 minute gap was recorded & in close proximity to this one -- which tends to support what Magruder's saying and there is also a tape of an earlier interview with Magruder where he does appear to suggest that Nixon knew. Dean is clear about saying he doesn't have any proof but has gone on to say that he finds it highly plausible. I always thought Magruder was one of the better of a very bad crowd.

[Rose Siding]

2. I see he says he was surprised, but not that he disputes it

Could you post a link, please?

[gbwarming]

3. Just watched this (twice)... Lots of details and background I didn't know

There were PLENTY of other criminal acts committed by Nixon even if he didn't personally order the break in.

http://www.pbs.org/previews/WatergatePlus30/