"Dealing with our political enemies."
John W. Dean,
Aug. 16, 1971
Dean Memo on 'Enemies'
Memorandum from Dean to Lawrence Higby, former assistant to Haldeman, dated Aug. 16, 1971 and entitled "Dealing with our political enemies."
This memorandum addresses the matter of how we can maximize the fact of our incumbency in dealing with persons known to be active in their opposition to our Administration, Stated a bit more bluntly--how we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies.
After reviewing this matter with a number of persons possessed of experience in the field, I have concluded that we do not need an elaborate mechanism or game plan, rather we need a good project coordinator and full support for the project. In brief, the system would work as follows:
--Key members of the staff (e.g., Colson, Dent, Flanigan, Buchanan) could be requested to inform us as to who they feel we should be giving a hard time.
--The project coordinator should then determine what sorts of dealings these individuals have with the Federal Government and how we can best screw them (e.g., grant availability, federal contracts, litigation prosecution, etc.)
--The project coordinator then should have access to and the full support of the top officials of the agency or departments in proceeding to deal with the individual.
I have learned that there have been many efforts in the past to take such actions, but they have ultimately failed--in most cases because of lack of support at the top. Of all those I have discussed this matter with, Lyn Nofizger [President's California manager] appears the most knowledgeable and most interested. If Lyn had support he would enjoy undertaking this activity as the project coordinator. You are aware of some of Lyn's successes in the field, but he feels that he can employ limited efforts because there is a lack of support.
As a next step. I would recommend that we develop a small list of names--not more than ten--as our targets for concentration. Request that Lyn "do a job" on them and if he finds he is getting cut off by a department agency, that he inform us and we evaluate what is necessary to proceed. I feel it is important that we keep our targets limited for several reasons: (1) a low visibility of the project is imperative; (2) it will be easier to accomplish something real if we don't over expand our efforts; and (3) we can learn more about how to operate such an activity if we start small and build.
Approve--Disapprove--Comment--
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* A memo dated Sept. 14, 1971 from Dean to Haldeman aide Lawrence Higby, submitted to the Committee, included three persons not shown on either list of 20 or the larger master list. Those selected by Dean for inclusion were:
Eugen Carson Blake (per request) [General Secretary World Council of Churches
Leonard Bernstein (per request) [ Conductor/ Composer ]
Tom Wicker (New York Times)
Clark Clifford (Clifford) [former Secretary of Defense]
Leonard Bernstein (per request) [ Conductor/ Composer ]
Tom Wicker (New York Times)
Clark Clifford (Clifford) [former Secretary of Defense]
List of White House 'Enemies' and Memo
Submitted by Dean to the Ervin Committee
From Facts on File, Watergate and the White House, vol. 1, pages 96-97. Copyright, Facts on File. Among the documents Dean submitted in evidence June 27 were lists "several inches thick" of Nixon's "political enemies."
The "Opponents List and Political Enemies Project" turned over to the Senate committee, Dean said, was compiled beginning in 1971 by various Administration officials and was frequently updated.
In one of the documents, written by Dean Aug. 16, 1971, intended to accompany the undated master list of opponents, Dean suggested ways in which "we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies." Methods proposed included Administration manipulation of "grant availability, federal contracts, litigation, prosecution, etc."
Dean testified that the memo was sent to then-White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman, then the President's adviser for domestic affairs, for approval. Dean said he did not know if the plan became operational; however, subsequent memos, also submitted to the committee, indicated that the plan was adopted.
The master list of political enemies was prepared by the office of then- White House counsel Charles W. Colson, Dean said. A condensed list of 20 prime political enemies slated for reprisals was also produced by Colson's office, according to Dean. Others named by Dean who had direct input in the lists were former White House aide Lyn Nofziger and Haldeman aide Gordon Strachan.
The larger list, divided in categories, included 10 Democratic senators, all 12 black House members, more than 50 newspaper and television reporters, prominent businessmen and labor leaders and entertainers. Another list included large and small contributors to Sen. Edmund S. Muskie's (D, Me.) presidential campaign.
Original List
The original list of 20 names of White House "enemies" submitted with comments submitted with comments to Dean by the office of Charles W. Colson.*
Boldface type indicates a correction in erroneous White House identification of its political enemies. Material in brackets is additional information supplied by the editor.
Having studied the attached material and evaluated the recommendations for the discussed action, I believe you will find my list worthwhile for status. It is in priority order.
1. Arnold M. Picker, United Artists Corp., N.Y. Top Muskie fund raiser. Success here could be both debilitating and very embarrassing to the Muskie machine. If effort looks promising, both Ruth and David Picker should be programmed and then a follow through with United Artists.
2. Alexander E. Barkan, national director of A F.L.-C.I.O.'s committee on Political Education, Washington D.C.: Without a doubt the most powerful political force programmed against us in 1968 ($10 million, 4.6 million votes, 115 million pamphlets, 176,000 workers--all programmed by Barkan's C.O.P.E.--so says Teddy White in "The Making of the President 1968"). We can expect the same effort this time. [See p. 468E3]
3. Ed Guthman, managing editor, Los Angeles Times [national editor]: Guthman, former Kennedy aide, was a highly sophisticated hatchetman against us in '68. It is obvious he is the prime mover behind the current Key Biscayne effort. It is time to give him the message.
4. Maxwell Dane, Doyle, Dane and Bernbach, N.Y.: The top Democratic advertising firm--they destroyed Goldwater in '64. They should be hit hard starting with Dane.
5. Charles Dyson, Dyson-Kissner Corp., N.Y.: Dyson and Larry O'Brien were close business associates after '68. Dyson has huge business holdings and is presently deeply involved in the Businessmen's Educational Fund which bankrolls a national radio network of five-minute programs--anti-Nixon in character.
6. Howard Stein, Dreyfus Corp., N.Y.: Heaviest contributor to McCarthy in '68. If McCarthy goes, will do the same in '72. If not, Lindsay or McGovern will receive the funds.
7. Allard Lowenstein, Long Island, N.Y.: Guiding force behind the 18-year-old "Dump Nixon" vote campaign.
8. Morton Halperin, leading executive at Common Cause: A scandal would be most helpful here. (A consultant for Common Cause in February-March 1971)[On staff of Brookings Institution]
9. Leonard Woodcock, UAW, Detroit, Mich.: No comments necessary.
10. S. Sterling Munro Jr., Sen. [Henry M.] Jackson's aide, Silver Spring, Md.: We should give him a try. Positive results would stick a pin in Jackson's white hat.
11. Bernard T. Feld, president, Council for a Livable World: Heavy far left funding. They will program an "all court press" against us in'72.
12. Sidney Davidoff, New York City, [New York City Mayor John V.] Lindsay's top personal aide: a first class S.O.B., wheeler-dealer and suspected bagman. Positive results would really shake the Lindsay camp and Lindsay's plans to capture youth vote. Davidoff in charge.
13. John Conyers, congressman, Detroit: Coming on fast. Emerging as a leading black anti-Nixon spokesman. Has known weakness for white females.
14. Samuel M. Lambert, president, National Education Association: Has taken us on vis-a-vis federal aid to parochial schools--a '72 issue.
15. Stewart Rawlings Mott, Mott Associates, N.Y.: Nothing but big money for radic-lib candidates.
16. Ronald Dellums, congressman, Calif.: Had extensive [Edward M. Kennedy] EMK-Tunney support in his election bid. Success might help in California next year.
17. Daniel Schorr, Columbia Broadcasting System, Washington: A real media enemy.
18. S. Harrison Dogole, Philadelphia, Pa.: President of Globe Security Systems--fourth largest private detective agency in U.S. Heavy Humphrey contributor. Could program his agency against us.
19. Paul Newman, Calif.: Radic-lib causes. Heavy McCarthy involvement '68. Used effectively in nation wide T.V. commercials.'72 involvement certain.
20. Mary McGrory, Washington columnist: Daily hate Nixon articles.
'Political Opponents'
Dean provided this updated "master list" of political opponents to the committee. The list was prepared by Colson's office, Dean said.
Senators
--Birch Bayh, J. W. Fulbright, Fred R. Harris, Harold Hughes, Edward M. Kennedy, George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Edmund Muskie, Gaylord Nelson, William Proxmire.
Members of the House
--Bella Abzug, William R. Anderson, John Brademas, Father Robert F. Drinan, Robert Kastenmeier, Wright Patman.
Black congressmen
--Shirley Chisholm, William Clay, George Collins, John Conyers, Ronald Dellums, Charles Diggs, Augustus Hawkins, Ralph Metcalfe, Robert N.C. Nix, Parren Mitchell, Charles Rangel, Louis Stokes.
--Shirley Chisholm, William Clay, George Collins, John Conyers, Ronald Dellums, Charles Diggs, Augustus Hawkins, Ralph Metcalfe, Robert N.C. Nix, Parren Mitchell, Charles Rangel, Louis Stokes.
Miscellaneous politicos
--John V. Lindsay, mayor, New York City; Eugene McCarthy, former U.S senator; George Wallace, governor, Alabama.
Organizations
Black Panthers, Hughie (Huey) Newton
Brookings Institution, Lesley Gelb and others
Business Executives Move for VN Peace. Herb Niles, national chairman, Vincent McGee. executive director
Committee for an Effective Congress. Russell Hemingway
Common Cause, John Gardner, Morton Halper, Charles Goodell, Walter Hickel
COPE, Alexander E Barkan
Council for a Livable World, Bernard T. Feld, pr idem: professor of physics. MIT
Farmers Union, NFO
Institute of (for) Policy study Richard Barnet, Marcus Raskin
National Economic Council, Inc
National Education Association, Sam M. Lambe president
National Student Association, Charles Palm president
National Welfare Rights Organization, George Wiley
Potomac Associates, William Watts
SANE, Sanford Gottleib
Southern Christian Leadership, Ralph Abernathy;
Third National Convocation on the Challenge of Building Peace, Robert V Roosa, chairman
Businessmen's Educational Fund.
Labor
Karl Feller president, International Union United Brewery. Flour, Cereal, Soft Drink and Distillery Workers, Cincinnati
Harold J. Gibbons, international vice preside Teamsters
A F Grospiron, president, Oil, Chemical Atomic Workers International Union, Denver
Matthew Guinan, president, Transport Work. Union of America, New York City
Paul Jennings, president, International Union Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers, Washington D.C.
Herman D. Kenin, vice president, AFL-CIO. D
Lane Kirkland, secretary-treasurer. AFL-CIO (we must deal with him)
Frederick O'Neal. president. Actors and Artists America, New York City
William Pollock, president, Textile Workers Union of America, New York City
Jacob Potofsky general president, Amalgam. Clothing Workers of America, New York City
Leonard Woodcock, president, United Auto Workers, Detroit
Jerry Wurf, international president, American Federal, State, County and Municipal Employ Washington D.C.
Nathaniel Goldfinger, AFL-CIO
I. W. Abel, Steelworkers
Media
Jack Anderson, columnist, "Washington Merry-Go-Round"
Jim Bishop, author, columnist, King Features Syndicate
Thomas Braden, columnist, Los Angeles Times Syndicate
D.J.R. Bruckner, Los Angeles Times Syndicate
Marquis Childs, chief Washington correspondent, St. Louis Post Dispatch
James Deakin, White House correspondent, St. Louis Post Dispatch
James Doyle, Washington Star
Richard Dudman, St. Louis Post Dispatch
William Eaton, Chicago Daily News
Rowland Evans Jr., syndicated columnist, Publishers Hall
Saul Friedmann, Knight Newspapers, syndicated columnist
Clayton Fritchey, syndicated columnist Washington correspondent. Harpers
George Frazier, Boston Globe
Pete Hamill, New York Post
Michael Harrington, author and journal member, executive committee Socialist party
Sydney Harris, columnist, drama critic and writer of 'Strictly Personal,' syndicated Publishers
Hall Robert Healy, Boston Globe
William Hines, Jr., journalist. science education, Chicago Sun-Times
Stanley Karnow, foreign correspondent,
Washington Post
Ted Knap, syndicated columnist, New York Daily News
Edwin Knoll, Progressive
Morton Kondracke, Chicago Sun Times
Joseph Kraft, syndicated columnist, Publishers Hall
James Laird, Philadelphia Inquirer
Max Lerner, syndicated columnist, New York
Post: author, lecturer, professor (Brandeis University)
Stanley Levey, Scripps Howard
Flora Lewis syndicated columnist on economics
Stuart Loory, Los Angeles Times
Mary McGrory, syndicated columnist on New Left
Frank Mankiewicz, syndicated columnist Los Angeles Times
James Millstone, St. Louis Post Disptach
Martin Nolan, Boston Globe
Ed Guthman, Los Angeles Times
Thomas O'Neill, Baltimore Sun [died in April 1971]
John Pierson, Wall Street Journal
William Prochnau, Seattle Times
James Reston, New York Times
Carl Rowan, syndicated columnist, Publishers Hall
Warren Unna, Washington Post, NET
Harriet Van Home, columnist, New York Post
Milton Viorst, reporter, author, writer
James Wechsler, New York Post
Tom Wicker, New York Times
Gary Wills. syndicated columnist, author of "Nixon-Agonistes"
The New York Times, Washington Post, St Louis Post Dispatch
Jules Duscha, Washingtonian
Robert Manning, editor, Atlantic
John Osborne, New Republic
Richard Rovere, New Yorker
Robert Sherrill, Nation
Paul Samuelson, Newsweek
Julian Goodman, chief executive officer, NBC
John Macy, Jr,, president, Public Broadcasting Corp, former Civil Service Commission
Marvin Kalb, CBS
Daniel Schorr, CBS
Lem Tucker, NBC
Sander Vanocur, NBC
Celebrities
Carol Channing, actress
Bill Cosby, actor
Jane Fonda, actress
Steve McQueen, actor
Joe Namath, New York Giants [Jets]; business; actor
Paul Newman, actor
Gregory Peck actor
Tony Randall actor
Barbra Streisand, actress
Dick Gregory [comedian]
Businessmen
Charles B Beneson, president, Beneson Realty Co.
Nelson Bengston, president, Bengston & Co.
Holmes Brown, vice president, public relations, Continental Can Co.
Benjamin Buttenweiser, limited partner, Kuhn, Loeb & Co.
Lawrence G. Chait, chairman Lawrence G. Chait & Co., Inc.
Ernest R. Chanes, president, Consolidated Water Conditioning Co.
Maxwell Dane, chairman, executive committee, Doyle, Dane & Bernbach, Inc.
Charles H. Dyson, chairman, the Dyson-Kissner Corp.
Norman Eisner, president, Lincoln Graphic Arts.
Charles B. Finch, vice president, Alleghany Power System, Inc.
Frank Heineman, president, Men's Wear International.
George Hillman, president, Ellery Products Manufacturing Co.
Bertram Lichtenstein, president, Delton Ltd.
William Manealoff, president, Concord Steel Corp.
Gerald McKee, president, McKee, Berger, Mansueto.
Paul Milstein, president, Circle Industries Corp.
Stewart R. Mott, Stewart R. Mott, Associates.
Lawrence S. Phillips, president, Phillips-Van Heusen Corp.
David Rose chairman, Rose Associates.
Julian Roth senior partner, Emery Roth & Sons.
William Ruder, president, Ruder & Finn, Inc.
Si Scharer, president, Scharer Associates, Inc.
Alfred P. Slaner, president, Kayser-Roth Corp.
Roger Sonnabend, chairman, Sonesta International Hotels.
Business Additions
Business Executives Move for Vietnam Peace and New National Priorities
Morton Sweig, prsident. National Cleaning Contractors
Alan V. Tishman, executive vice president, Tishman Realty & Construction Co., Inc.
Ira D. Wallach, president, Gottesman & Co., Inc.
George Weissman,, president, Philip Morris Corp.
Ralph Weller, president, Otis Elevator Company
Business
Clifford Alexander, Jr., member, Equal Opportunity Commission; LBJ's special assistant
Hugh Calkins, Cleveland lawyer, member, Harvard Corp
Ramsey Clark, partner, Weiss, Goldberg, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; former attorney general
Lloyd Cutler, lawyer, Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering. Washington, D.C.
Henry L. Kimelman, chief fund raiser for McGovern. president, Overview Group
Raymond Lapin, former president, FNMA; corporation executive
Hans F. Loeser, chairman, Boston Lawyers' Vietnam Committee
Robert McNamara, president, World Bank; former Secretary of Defense
Hans Morgenthau, former US. attorney in New York City (Robert Morgenthau).
Victor Palmieri, lawyer, business consultant, real estate executive, Los Angeles.
Arnold Picker, Muskie's chief fund raiser; chairman executive committee, United Artists
Robert S. Pirie, Harold Hughes' chief fund raiser: Boston lawyer.
Joseph Rosenfield, Harold Hughes' money man; retired Des Moines lawyer.
Henry Rowen, president, Rand Corp., former assistant director of budget (LBJ)
R Sargent Shriver, Jr., former US. ambassador to France; lawyer, Strasser, Spiefelberg, Fried, Frank & Kempelman, Washington, D.C. [1972 Democratic vice presidential candidate]
Theodore Sorensen, lawyer, Weiss, Goldberg, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, New York.
Ray Stark, Broadway producer.
Howard Stein, president and director, Dreyfus Corporation.
Milton Semer, chairman, Muskie Election Committee; lawyer, Semer and Jacobsen
George H. Talbot, president, Charlotte Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. ; headed anti-Vietnam ad
Arthur Taylor, vice president, International Paper Company [presently CBS president]
Jack Valenti, president, Motion Picture Association.
Paul Warnke, Muskie financial supporter, former assistant secretary of defense
Thomas I. Watson, Jr., Muskie financial supporter; chairman, IBM
Academics
Michael Ellis De Bakey, chairman, department of surgery, Baylor University; surgeon-in-chief,
Ben Taub General Hospital. Texas
Derek Curtis Bok, dean, Harvard Law School [presently Harvard president]
Kingman Brewster, Jr., president, Yale University.
McGeorge Bundy, president, Ford Foundation.
Avram Noam Chomsky, professor of modern languages, MIT
Daniel Ellsberg, professor, MIT.
George Drennen Fischer, member, executive committee. National Education Association
J. Kenneth Galbraith, professor of economics, Harvard
Patricia Harris, educator, lawyer, former US. ambassador; chairman welfare committee Urban League
Walter Heller, regents professor of economics, University of Minnesota
Edwin Land, professor of physics, MIT.
Herbert Ley, Jr., former FDA commissioner; professor of epidemiology, Harvard.
Matthew Stanley Meselson, professor of biology, Harvard
Lloyd N. Morrisett, professor and associate director, education program, University of Calif
Joseph Rhodes, Jr., fellow, Harvard; member, Scranton commission on Campus Unrest
Bayard Rustin, civil rights activist; director, A. Philip Randolph Institute, New York.
David Selden, president, American Federation of Teachers.
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., professor of humanities, City University of New York
Jeremy Stone, director, Federation of American Scienlists
Jerome Wiesner, president, MIT.
Samuel M. Lambert, president, National Education Association
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(June 12, 1972)
I have received a well-informed tip that there are income tax discrepancies involving the returns of Harold J. Gibbons, a vice president of the teamsters union in St. Louis. This has come to me on very, very good authority.
Gibbons, you should know, is an all out enemy, a McGovernite, ardently anti-Nixon. He is one of the three labor leaders who were recently invited to Hanoi.
Please tell me if this one can be started on at once and if there is an informer's fee, let me know. There is a good cause at which it can be donated.
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Second Colson Memo to Dean
(Nov. 17, 1972)
I have received from an informer some interesting information on Jack Anderson, including a report that Jack Anderson was found in a room with wiretap equipment and a private investigator in connection with the Dodd investigation.
Anderson, according to my source, had the wiretap equipment supplied to him by a Washington, D.C., man.
According to the same source, Anderson and Drew Pearson were paid $100,000 in 1958 by Batista to write favorable articles about the former Cuban dictator. In 1961 Anderson wrote serveral very favorable articles on Fidel Castro. Fredo de la Campo, Batista's Under Secretary of State, sent Anderson a telegram saying "I hope you were paid well, as well for the Castro articles as you were for the Batista articles." My source has a copy of the telegram.
You know my personal feelings about Jack Anderson. After his incredibly sloppy and malicious reporting on Eagleton, his credibility has diminished. It now appears as if we have the opportunity to destroy it. Do you agree that we should pursue this activity?
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