Directory of Watergate Players
--Renata Adler: Yale Law
'73, protégé of Professor Burke Marshall, who placed her on
House Judiciary Impeachment Inquiry as part of small group
working under Marshall's direction to aid Senator Kennedy;
later authored 1976 article in
Atlantic Monthly saying allegations of Nixon's abuses of power were
no different from those of prior presidents that were
revealed by Church Committee, as well as devastatingly
critical article on background and conduct of Judge John
Sirica. Both
articles also appear in her 2001 book,
Canaries in the
Mineshaft, Essays on Politics and Media.
--Howard Baker:
Son-in-law of Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen of
Tennessee, being elected Senator himself in '66; Ranking
Minority Member of Ervin Committee. Ran for President in
1980 Republican primaries, but lost out to Ronald Reagan,
later becoming his Chief of Staff in Reagan's second term.
--Carmine Bellino:
Long-time Kennedy family accountant; maintained offices at
both John Kennedy's White House and Robert Kennedy's
Department of Justice; lead investigator for both Edward
Kennedy's Subcommittee on Administrative Practices and
Procedures and the Senate Watergate Committee.
--Richard Ben-Veniste:
Assistant US Attorney in Southern District of NY, where he
prosecuted the Sweig case. Joined WSPF as Deputy of
Watergate Task Force, becoming head upon Neal's departure
just before the Saturday Night Massacre. Deputy trial
counsel (again to Neal) in cover-up trial. Co-authored book
with George Frampton,
Stonewall: The Real Story of the Watergate Prosecution
(1977). Defended Democratic Members of Congress caught in
Abscam scandal in 1981, becoming Minority Counsel to House
Judiciary Committee during Clinton impeachment hearings in
1998. Appointed Democratic member of 9/11 Commission in
2002.
--William Bittman: Head
of Criminal Division in RFK's Department of Justice,
becoming lead prosecutor in Pension Fraud Trial in Illinois
in 1964, which resulted in a first Hoffa conviction. Also
lead prosecutor in Bobby Baker case in Washington, DC. Later
became Howard Hunt's lawyer, becoming heavily involved in
cover-up: coordinating efforts of defense counsel, relaying
Hunt's monetary and clemency requests and even receiving and
distributing defense monies to Watergate break-in
defendants. Extensively investigated for cover-up
activities, but never indicted-even though so recommended by
entire Watergate Task Force.
--J. Fred Buzhardt: Key
staffer to Senator Thurmond of South Carolina, becoming
Chief Counsel of Department of Defense under Mel Laird.
Became Nixon's principal Watergate defense counsel following
departure of Haldeman, Ehrlichman and Dean on April 30,
1973.
--Donald Campbell: Along
with Earl Silbert and Seymour Glanzer, the third and
youngest member of original Watergate prosecution team from
the US Attorney's office.
--Hillary Rodman Clinton:
Yale Law '73, protégé of Burke Marshall who placed her on
House Judiciary Impeachment Inquiry as part of small group
working under Marshall's direction to aid Senator Kennedy;
later married Bill Clinton, becoming First Lady in 1992.
Later, Junior Senator from NY, first elected in 2000,
Democratic presidential candidate in '08, and Secretary of
State in the Obama Administration.
--Charles (“Chuck”) Colson:
Special Counsel to President Nixon, known for aggressive
campaign tactics-and statement that he would “run over his
own grandmother to help re-elect the president.”
Left White House
after 1972 re-election, but later indicted in Plumbers Case.
Pled guilty in dramatic religious conversion. Authored book,
Born Again (1976).
Founded Prison Fellowship Ministries and devoted remainder
of his career to its support.
--John Connolly: Protégé
of Lyndon Johnson, becoming Secretary of the Navy under JFK.
Three times Democratic Governor of Texas; was in Kennedy car
and seriously wounded during JFK assassination in Dallas.
Later became Nixon's second Secretary of the Treasury,
formally joining Republican Party following Nixon's 1972
re-election. Thought to be Nixon's first choice to succeed
him as President in 1976, but indicted in Milk Producer's
case in 1975, which resulted in acquittal following trial in
Texas–but ended his political career.
--Archibald Cox:Harvard
'34, Harvard Law '37, Harvard Law Professor and key member
of JFK's presidential campaign staff, heading both his
issues analysis and speechwriting teams; Solicitor General
in RFK's Department of Justice; Legal advisor to Edward
Kennedy and his choice as Special Prosecutor; fired in
Saturday Night Massacre of October 19, 1973, taking all his
WSPF papers with him, but leaving many with Harvard Law
School's special collections.
--Sam Dash: Harvard Law
'50. Criminal Division attorney in Truman administration;
chief counsel to Senate Watergate Committee. Authored book,
Chief Counsel . Inside
the Ervin Committee-The Untold Story of Watergate
(1976). Later, was appointed Ethics Counsel to Independent
Prosecutor Ken Starr in 1997 investigation of President Bill
Clinton.
--John Dean: Minority
counsel to House Judiciary Committee and Associate Director
of Brown Commission (1967-68) before becoming Associate
Deputy AG in John Mitchell's Department of Justice. Followed
Ehrlichman as Counsel to President Nixon in June of 1970.
Key figure in events leading to Watergate break-in and
subsequent cover-up. Chief accuser of President Nixon and
principal government witness in cover-up trial. Given
shortest confinement of any major figure: 4 ½ months in
witness holding facility at Fort Holabird, MD. Authored
book, Blind Ambition, published in1976.
--John Doar: Deputy
Assistant AG under Burke Marshall in RFK's Department of
Justice; followed Marshall as Assistant AG. Chief Counsel of
House Judiciary Impeachment Inquiry
--James Doyle: Harvard
Nieman Fellow '65, Reporter for Washington
Star who became
WSPF Special Assistant for Public Affairs, with the claimed
understanding that he would write a book about his
experiences. That book,
Not Above the Law, The
Battles of Watergate Prosecutors Cox and Jaworski, was
published in 1977. Doyle left no files with WSPF, but his
book did contain many--perhaps unintended--revelations about
WSPF origins and conduct.
--John Ehrlichman:
Nixon's first Counsel, later Assistant to the President for
Domestic Affairs and head of the Domestic Council. Accused
by John Dean of directing cover-up, as well as Plumber's
break-in of Dr. Fielding's office. Convicted on all counts
in both Plumber's t Trial and cover-up trial. Authored book,
Witness to Power, The
Nixon Years, published in 1982.
--Sam Ervin: Harvard Law
'23; Senator from NC first elected in 1954; chaired Senate
Watergate Committee and then retired from Senate. Published
book, The Whole Truth, The Watergate Conspiracy, in 1980, when he was 84
years of age.
--Mark Felt: Career FBI
agent, rising to Associate Director under Hoover and named
Deputy Director upon Hoover's death. Disappointed that he
was not named to succeed Hoover, he leaked investigatory and
prosecutorial information to Bob Woodward, whose stories in
the Washington Post
inflamed the public and created the false impression the
government was not moving quickly to close out the cover-up
case. Resigned in June of 1973, while swearing in an FBI
interview that he was not the Deep Throat named in
Woodward's 1974 book. His daughter claimed otherwise in an
article published in Vanity Fairin 2005, even while Felt was too senile to confirm any
details.
--James Flug: Harvard
'59, Harvard Law '63, active in RFK's 1968 campaign, soon
joining Edward Kennedy's staff as Chief Counsel of
Subcommittee on Administrative Practices and Procedures.
Lead Kennedy staffer during successful opposition to
Haynesworth and Carswell Supreme Court nominations. Led
Subcommittee investigation of Nixon campaign practices in
fall of 1972, as well as creation of Senate Watergate
Committee. Key Kennedy staffer during Richardson
confirmation hearings, including naming of Cox and creation
of WSPF. Principal drafter of WSPF Guidelines. Counseled
Dash regarding conduct of Ervin Hearings and Cox, Vorenberg
and Heymann on conduct of WSPF investigations. While in
private practice, was key aide to Edward Kennedy during 1980
campaign, as well as paymaster to Lenzner's private
investigation agency (IGI) during Kennedy's Senate campaign.
Returned to Kennedy staff on Senate Judiciary in 2006 to
lead opposition to John Roberts and Samuel Alito Supreme
Court nominations, albeit unsuccessfully.
--Seymour Glanzer: Career
federal prosecutor and one of three original Watergate
prosecutors. Held series of extraordinary meeting with
Dean's lawyer, Charles Shaffer, during which he may have
confided much of the prosecution's information, beliefs and
strategy. Glanzer confided his recollections of initial
meeting with John Dean to WSPF attorneys in October of 1973,
documenting Dean's changing story and characterizing it as
'changing dramatically', but this information was never
shared with Watergate defense counsel.
--Pat Gray: Assistant AG
in charge of Civil Division and nominated to be Deputy AG
following Kleindienst's promotion to AG. Nomination
withdrawn upon J. Edgar Hoover's death, when Gray was named
Acting FBI Director. Granted Dean's request for access to
FBI investigatory information and accepted (and later
destroyed) secret contents from Howard Hunt's White House
safe--all of which came out during his confirmation
hearings, resulting in his nomination being withdrawn. Book
about his year as Acting FBI Director,
In Nixon's Web: A Year
in the Crosshairs of Watergate, was published in 2008 by
his son, Ed Gray
--Alexander Haig:
Kissinger's deputy at National Security Council and later
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff at Pentagon. Named Nixon's
Chief of Staff following Haldeman's departure.
Some believe Haig was involved in the military spy
ring operating in the White House under Admiral Welander.
--H. R (Bob) Haldeman:
Nixon's first Chief of Staff, considered by many to be
Nixon's staunchest supporter. Was accused by John Dean of
full participation in cover-up and convicted on all counts
in cover-up trial. Authored book,
The Ends of Power, published in 1978. Additionally, his diaries, The
Haldeman Diaries: Inside the Nixon White House, were
published posthumously in 1994.
--Phillip Heymann: Yale
'34, Harvard Law '40, Cox student and protégé, serving with
him in Solicitor General's office under RFK, then becoming
Harvard Law Professor. Senior WSPF leader and initial head
of Plumber's Task Force. Left virtually no papers in WSPF
files. Later head of Criminal Division under President
Carter and Deputy AG under President Clinton. Resigned
following clash with Bernard Nussbaum over access to Vincent
Foster's office following his suicide.
--Howard Hunt: Former CIA
operations officer who worked as consultant to White House
staff for both Charles Colson and Gordon Liddy. Helped plan
and direct both the Plumber's break-in of Dr. Fielding's
office and the Watergate break-ins, supplying Cuban
Americans as helpers. Played lead role in cover-up, relaying
monetary and clemency requests to Dean, Colson and LaRue.
--Leon Jaworski: Special
Counsel to RFK's Department of Justice and founder of Dallas
law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski. Named Special Prosecutor
following Cox's firing in October of 1973. Characterized as
prisoner of Cox's staff who saw his job as hurrying along
the inevitable. Left virtually no papers with WSPF, but said
to be in collection left to Baylor University (recently
recovered by National Archives). Authored book,
The Right and the
Power, The Prosecutions of Watergate, published in 1977.
A separate book published in 2005,
On American Soil,
detailed how as the Army's lead prosecutor of a court
martial during World War II, he withheld exculpatory
evidence from defense counsel. Army vacated those verdicts
in 2007.
--Edward Kennedy:
Harvard, '56, youngest of Kennedy family, Senator
from Massachusetts, first elected in 1962. Political career
severely damaged in Chappaquiddick incident in July, 1969
with the drowning of Mary Jo Kopechne. Principal beneficiary
of Watergate scandal and widely expected to run for
President in 1976. Did enter primaries in 1980, but lost to
incumbent James Carter (who subsequently lost to Ronald
Reagan). Was the
second longest serving Senator of all time when he died in
2009.
--John Kennedy:
Harvard, '40, elected to Congress in '46, to the
Senate in '52, successfully opposed Nixon for President in
1960, winning exceptionally close election characterized by
allegations of voter corruption in Illinois and Texas.
Assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
--Robert Kennedy:
Harvard, '48, UVA Law '51. Chief Counsel to McClellan
Rackets Committee (1957-1959) investigating organized
crime's influence in labor unions, which led to his
life-long personal vendetta against Teamster President James
Hoffa. Appointed John Kennedy's Attorney General at age 35,
continued pursuit through dedicated “Get Hoffa” Squad that
ultimately secured convictions in both Jury Tampering case
in Tennessee and Pension Fraud case in Illinois. Thought to
be second most powerful man in government because of
extraordinarily close relationship with JFK. Stayed at AG
under President Johnson in hopes of being named his vice
presidential running mate in 1964. When disappointed,
successfully ran for Senate from NY, challenging Johnson for
President in 1968, where he was assassinated immediately
following victory in key California primary, June 5, 1968.
Perhaps the best book on his years as Attorney General is
Kennedy Justice by
Victor Navasky, published in 1971.
--Richard Kleindienst:
Deputy AG under John Mitchell, elevated to AG following his
resignation to head the CRP. Refused to accede to Dean's
demand for access to FBI investigatory information during
cover-up and facilitated Henry Petersen's face-to-face
meetings with Nixon following cover-up's collapse, but
resigned (along with Haldeman and Ehrlichman) because of
closeness to John Mitchell.
--Fred LaRue: Southern
lawyer and key architect of Nixon's Southern Strategy who
became key Mitchell aide at the CRP and helped distribute
cover-up money to Watergate break-in defendants. Present at
March meeting when Magruder said Mitchell approved Liddy's
campaign intelligence plan, but denied event occurred (even
after pleading guilty and becoming a government witness)
--Terry Lenzner: Harvard
'61, Harvard Law '64. Fired as OEO counsel by Nixon
Administration; deputy counsel to Ervin Committee; founded
Investigative Group International in 1984, a private
investigation firm whose political investigations focus on
opponents to Democratic candidates, including Edward Kennedy
and Bill Clinton.
--Gordon Liddy: Former
FBI agent and assistant district attorney in NY, originally
receiving political appointment to Treasury Department.
Hired onto White House staff in 1971, becoming operations
director of Plumbers Unit, where he organized their break-in
into Dr. Fielding's office. Joined the CRP in December as
Counsel with responsibilities for Campaign Intelligence
Plan. Planned and directed Watergate break-ins, arrested
shortly after second event. Refused to cooperate in
investigation, becoming “the iron man of Watergate” and
serving the longest sentence of all–over four years..
Authored book, Will, the Autobiography of G. Gordon Liddy, published in 1980.
--Jeb Stuart Magruder:
Former PR executive, joining Nixon Administration early in
first term. Acting Director of the CRP and later Mitchell's
Chief of Staff. Sought Mitchell approval for Liddy's
Campaign Intelligence Plan, claiming approval during third
meeting (March 30, 1972). Received and shared information
from illegally installed wire-taps and improperly
photographed files. Kept at the CRP during cover-up,
perjuring himself before Watergate grand jury. Became
government witness upon cover-up's collapse, second in
importance only to John Dean at cover-up trial. Authored
book, An American
Life, One Man's Road to Watergate, published in 1974.
--Burke Marshall: Yale
'44, Yale Law '51. Lawyer active in JFK campaign, becoming
Assistant AG for Civil Rights in RFK's Department of
Justice. Remained key family counselor after returning to
private practice and even after becoming Yale Law professor.
First person contacted by Edward Kennedy following
Chappaquiddick incident. Thought to be Edward Kennedy's
first choice to be Attorney General in 1976 and alleged to
have masterminded staff conduct during House Judiciary
Impeachment Inquiry, including slowing inquiry, preventing
any review of Kennedy administration, and suppressing
critical evidence for the benefit of Senator Kennedy.
--Thomas McBride:
Columbia Law '56. Trial lawyer for Organized Crime Task
Force in RFK's Department of Justice; later joining the
Peace Corps as Deputy Director for Latin America. First head
of WSPF Campaign Finance Task Force. Later became associate
dean of Stanford Law School (1982-1989)
--James McCord: Former
CIA wiretap expert who was CRP's Director of Security and
participated in both Watergate break-ins. Refused to plead
guilty during cover-up and fired his lawyer just before
trial for urging him to do so. Following conviction, but
before sentencing, wrote letter to Sirica alleging there had
been a cover-up--whose release is credited with causing its
collapse. Unsuccessfully tried to have his own conviction
overturned when cover-up was revealed. Later wrote second
letter to Sirica alleging improper conduct by Ben-Veniste,
including pressure on him to conform his story to that of
other government witnesses. Authored book,
A Piece of Tape,
published in 1974.
--John Mitchell: Bond
lawyer at Nixon's Wall Street law firm (Mudge, Rose),
working on campaign and becoming Nixon's first Attorney
General. Resigned on March 1, 1972 to direct the CRP, but
had met twice with Liddy/Magruder/Dean in AG's office to
discuss Campaign Intelligence Plan. Originator of stonewall
defense during cover-up. Later convicted on all counts in
cover-up trial. Book by James Rosen,
The Strong Man, John
Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate, published in
2008, offers well documented portrayal of Michel's role in
Watergate.
--Clark Mollenhoff:
Longtime political reporter for Des Moines
Register, who gave
strong support to RFK in his pursuit of Jimmy Hoffa. Served
briefly on Nixon White House staff as ethics consultant, but
resigned over inaccessibility to Nixon. Met privately with
Judge Sirica to urge aggressive pursuit of full truth in
break-in trial, following up with positive news articles
about the judge. Also took credit for convincing Magruder to
approach federal prosecutors. Authored book,
Game Plan for
Disaster, an Ombudsman's Report on the Nixon Years,
published in 1976.
--James Neal: Key member
of RFK’s “Get Hoffa” Squad, securing (withco-counsel Charles
Shaffer) conviction for jury tampering in trial in Tennessee
in 1964. First head of Watergate Task Force and lead trial
counsel in cover-up trial. Later defended Al Gore in 1996
Buddhist Temple fund-raising scandal, successfully
preventing appointment of Independent Prosecutor.
--Bernard Nussbaum:
Harvard Law '61, key House Judiciary Impeachment Inquiry
lawyer responsible for Watergate investigation; later
Clinton's first Counsel to President, forced to resign in
1994 for contacting prosecutors about current cases.
--Henry Petersen: Career
federal prosecutor, ultimately serving with twelve Attorneys
General and rising to head of Criminal Division. Supervised
Watergate break-in prosecutions and demanded Haldeman and
Ehrlichman resignations in face-to-face meetings with Nixon
following Dean's allegations. Removed from cover-up case by
WSPF in first month, but later testifying that prosecutor's
had case 95% completed before Special Prosecutor was named.
--Elliot Richardson:
Harvard '41, Harvard Law '47. Key moderate member of Nixon
Cabinet, serving as Undersecretary of State, Secretary of
Health, Education and Welfare, Secretary of Defense and
Attorney General (following Kleindienst's resignation).
Conditioned acceptance of latter post upon ability to name
special supervising prosecutor. Nixon's concurrence was
turned upside down when Richardson agreed to full
un-reviewed independence, unlimited budget and unprecedented
Congressional oversight during his confirmation--culminating
in acceptance of Kennedy's candidate, Archibald Cox, as
Special Prosecutor. Resigned following inability to
negotiate compromise regarding transcripts of WH tapes,
precipitating Saturday Night Massacre of October 19, 1973.
Returned as Secretary of Commerce under President Ford and
later Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
--Charles Ruff: Columbia
Law '63. Deputy of WSPF Campaign Finance Task Force, heading
investigations into virtually every aspect of Republican
fund-raising. Became Special Prosecutor upon Ruth’s
resignation following release of WSPF Report in October of
1974. Woodward interview in June 1977, when closing office
predicted investigation of WSPF conduct, “because a lot of
judgment calls were made”. Later became US Attorney for
District of Columbia. Acted as counsel to Anita Hill during
Clarence Thomas’; 1991 confirmation hearings. Became Counsel
to President Clinton following Nussbaum's 1994 resignation,
acting as his chief lawyer during 1997 Senate impeachment
trial.
--Charles Shaffer: Key
member of RFK’s “Get Hoffa” Squad, securing (with co-counsel
James Neal) 1964 conviction for jury tampering in Tennessee;
then RFK plant on Warren Commission, whose role was to
report back to RFK whether organized crime had any role in
his brother's assassination. John Dean's criminal defense
counsel throughout Watergate, beginning March 28, 1973. His
brilliant and resourceful defense, coupled with his Kennedy
connections, successfully portrayed Dean as a victim rather
than the cover-up's key perpetrator.
--Walter Sheridan: Former
FBI agent (but not attorney), who headed RFK's “Get Hoffa”
Squad. The first person whose whereabouts was requested by
Cox upon reaching agreement with Richardson to become
Special Prosecutor.
--Earl Silbert: Harvard
Law '60, career prosecutor and principal assistant US
attorney during Watergate. Lead prosecutor of Watergatebreak-in
trial and author of three key Watergate memos: The first
dated September 15, 1972, the day the initial Watergate
indictments were handed down, outlining strategy for
breaking cover-up; the second dated May 31, 1974,
summarizing initial meetings with John Dean during which his
story altered (characterized as “gradually escalating” his
accusations) and the third dated June 7, 1973, and is an 87
page summary of the cover-up and outline of prosecution
strategy-which differs little from WSPF case presented at
the cover-up trial over 18 months later. Quickly removed
from Watergate case once WSPF learned of their experience,
knowledge and expertise. .Later became US Attorney for the
District of Columbia in his own right.
--John Sirica: Chief
Judge of DC District Court and self-appointed judge for
Watergate break-in and cover-up trials, meeting privately
with prosecutors in both cases. In his later book, he
admitted advancing John Dean's sentencing to improve his
credibility in cover-up trial–and then freeing him
immediately following its conclusion. Authored book,
To Set the Record
Straight: The Break-in. The Tapes, The Conspirators, The
Pardon, published in 1979. Left papers, including five
drafts of his book, with Library of Congress.
--Maurice Stans: Nixon's
Secretary of Commerce and chief CRP fundraiser. Indicted in
Vesco case, but acquitted following trial in NY. Thoroughly
investigated by Campaign Finance Task Force, ultimately
pleading guilty to two technical violations. Wrote bitter
book, The Terrors of
Justice, published in 1978 about the investigations
entitled Terrors of Justice.
--Fred Thompson: Senior
manager in Senator Baker's 1972 campaign; named by him
minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee. Authored
book, At That Point In
Time, The Inside Story of the Senate Watergate Committee,
published in 1975. Later elected Senator in his own right,
becoming prominent actor and presidential candidate for '08.
--James Vorenberg:
Harvard '49, Harvard Law '51, Harvard Law Professor who
headed RFK's Office of Criminal Justice; senior WSPF leader,
responsible for all initial staffing decisions and principal
author of 1974 WSPF
Report. Took all his WSPF papers with him, but may have
left some to Harvard Law School's special collection.
--Lowell Weicker: Senator
from Connecticut, first elected in 1970; minority member of
Ervin Committee, neighbor of John Dean who cast key vote for
immunity, later purchased Dean's townhouse to facilitate
Dean's relocation to LA. Became strong Kennedy supporter on
Senate Labor Committee, again supplying key vote to enable
Kennedy control of the Committee even after Republicans took
control of the Senate in 1980. Defeated in 1988 and left
Republican Party, successfully ran for Governor in 1970 as
an Independent, promptly reversing his pledge to oppose any
state income tax. Authored book,
Maverick, A Life in
Politics, published in 1995.
--Bob Woodward: Cub
reporter for the Washington
Post, who (along
with Carl Bernstein) authored many early and dramatic
Watergate disclosures and created the persona of an
investigative reporter. Their role, described in their 1976
bestselling book, All
the President's Men, published in 1974, was later made
into a movie starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. The
book (and movie) postulated the existence of a secret, prime
source-known as Deep Throat--who confided in Woodward the
sordid details of Nixon White House wrongdoing. Followed up
with a second book,
The Final Days, published in 1976. In 2005, Mark Felt's
daughter claimed that he was Deep Throat and Woodward rushed
another book into print,
The Secret Man, The Story of Watergate's Deep Throat, describing
their relationship.
--Jerry Zeifman:
Long-time Chief Counsel of House Judiciary Committee, before
and after Watergate; later (1994) published his diaries of
that period, Without
Honor, The Impeachment of Richard Nixon and the Crimes of
Camelot, claiming the Inquiry staff had been controlled
by Burke Marshall and had purposefully delayed investigation
and kept critical evidence from Committee members, for the
purpose of aiding Edward Kennedy's expected 1976
presidential run. He followed this up with a short book
devoted to the Clintons,
Hillary's Pursuit of
Power, in 2006.