Nixon Pardon Hungate Subcommittee – Hearing 9/24/74” of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R
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The original documents are located in Box 34, folder “Nixon Pardon Hungate Subcommittee – Hearing 9/24/74” of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Exact duplicates within this folder were not digitized. Digitized from Box 34 of the Philip Buchen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library ._.f ...,q c g: ·~ CESS TIL /,'so UP-147 <PARDON) WASHINGTON (UPI> -- THE CHAIRMAN OF A HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE INVESTIGATING PRESIDENT FORD'S PARDON OF PREDECESSOR RICHARD NIXON SAID TUESDAY HE HAY CALL A WHITE HOUSE RIDE TO EXPAND ON FORD'S EXPLANATION OF THE ACTION. AT LEAST TWO MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE, REPS. BELLA ABZUG~ D-N. Y. ~ AND DON EDWARDS, D-CALIF., SAID THEY CONSIDERED FORD'S RESPONSE TO THE PANEL'S INQUIRY INADEQUATE AND EVEN INSULTING. IN VIEW OF THAT~ SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRMAN WILLIAM HUNGATE~ D-MO., SAID HE WAS CONSIDERING A REQUEST FOR TESTIMONY BY EITHER PHILIP BUCHEN OR JOHN MARSH, THE PRESIDENT'S TOP LEGAL ADVISERS. IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST BY HUNGATE LAST WEEK, FORD SENT THE SUBCOMMITTEE A LETTER SAYING THAT EITHER HE OR BUCHEN HAD ANSWERED ALL OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PARDON AT NEWS CONFERENCES} TRANSCRIPTS OF WHICH WERE ENCLOSED WITH THE LETTER. REP. ABZUG, AUTHOR OF A RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY WHICH PROMPTED HUNGATE'S REQUEST, SAID FORDES REPLY "REVEALS A NON-SERIOUS AND TRIFLING ATTITUDE THAT DEMEANS THE AUTHORITY AND DIGNITY OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THIS PARL I At1ENTAWi PROCEDURE. u •IT IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE FOR MR. FORD TO RESPOND BY SENDING A BATCH OF WHITE HOUSE PRESS RELEASES AND RN ACCOMPANYING LETTER, 11 SHE SAID. ui, TOO," SAID EDWARDS, "FIND HIS RESPONSE NOT ONLY CAVALIER BUT VERY CLOSE TO BEING DISRESPECTFUL OF THE HOUSE AND THIS COMMITTEE." HUNGATE HAD ASKED FORD TO EXPLAIN THE-REASONING BEHIND THE PARDON, THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS WITH WHOM HE CONFERRED ABOUT IT, WHETHER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR THE SPECIAL WATERGATE PROSECUTOR WERE CONSULTED, AND WHETHER FORD HAD KNOWLEDGE OF RNV CRIMINAL CHARGES WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT AGAINST NIXON. FORD'S LETTER SAID IN REPLY: •REGARDLESS OF ANY BACKGROUND INFORMATION OR ADVICE I MAY HAVE RECEIVED~ I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PARDON DECISION. I AM SATISFIED THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT COURSE TO FOLLOW IN ACCORD WITH MY OWN coriSC:IENCE AND cow.JICTHHt II HUNGATE DECLINED TO CHARACTERIZE FORD'S RESPONSE, BUT SAID •.11 SEEMS TO ME IT MAY MAKE IT DESIRABLE THAT SOME LIVING PERSON AT THE 1 ~lHITE HOUSE COME UP AND RESPOND TO THE COMtHTTEE. a H_E._ SA'l'D~1;. MA t ASK BUCHEN OR MARSH TO APPEAR NEXT TUESDAY. i; ~ UP I 09-24 06:37 PED \::, I, "' -~-_.,..,'"/ ~·~)'··:·J.'_r.'l'!.·~~ n.. r ~=-: JliJ)ICI/\?.\' f;:_'E~""-:'":·1TI~i:~ o:: s:.)_~·~·T"·l~ .JiJ~TIW ~ TT ~2: I.e ··~:::l~VQ:: rel;.ttn·· to: (l) t:F; 'J:J.rdon o:' for.::er !IInr.,,..4flcw~t ~.. ... ~.l.·.l_.. Pict~"'rcl·l.- .... -~. r.;< • ,.I.·Lv~·..-,·. ... ..) .. : (?)._ tho'J • ·.... ;~,..,.,,..,C""-·J.;.,)~,..._;.l. .. _. ._,_r~f' ad:tltior:-:tl n rd.on3 to ~erso:>:10 j nvclv~1 in ·-;~terr:::at2 rc:1c:tr:.:-·~- 2.c·+- _vities: (3) t::~ :::.tilitv ar:-.i .:;o.orro:;ri<'te~ess of t;T2 1.:2.· ""rs:2.te 8'-.=~ci.::-.l ?rosecution ?orce to r-_:3.'-::e· ;.JUblic t::e inf0~1.tio~ i"c ha.s corn::Ued rel-:::.tin:: to the alle~erJ cr:.'.r·linal conduct of fo:r'!7lcr :'resident pj_chard ·~r . Hixon. aD<~ ( 4 ) the ~ubl ic r::lJ.sclosure of all 'daterr:ate rclat~il c'Jocun'ents a~Yl t~:-::;s '-'Jh'i.ch •;;<:re jn th~ cu~stody of t: ; rm;_t·=d .State0 bc:t"'eA~ .J=.:·'U"'X:.' 26, 1959 a,...,d · Al'.::-11St 9) 1971+. ':'u · I')''. ')er"- •r-t ·~· 711 1)711 1 () ; ')0 :).. J1'1. r · · · . ?llll - Pn;rh, .... rron 1. 3:o:"lora.~ll'2 t~il':::~'c ':'u'.:!c (?,.-1'1d.) - s ..J. ~23. 112-S J Joint Resolution to reau5re t!1e 1·~aters:1t8 .S1"ecial Pr:;secution ~·orce to !"l.a}:e &vailc;.bl·? to the public a r=~ort of all informatio~ it ha.s conCtern.:inr; forr..er Pr.:: sident pj_c hard f<T . ~·!i.xo!1. 2 . I-:c-nor8.\:Jle ?ts-~·:art I1!c!J.nney (F.-Conn) -- H._~-· lG619, :.~ '-;ill to r..J'::: '-W•.ilehle to Con~tr'2S3 the in.forrnation G::: t2.:l ne~J t<r t:1;- -::::.,.. '?Ci 'J.l Prosecutor. _, . ;-!onorahle ~-:~:.. ·:•rd .Koch (D . -n. ?" . ) - E. R. 15750, a ti.ll to nrovj 1e for public =1.cc-=ss to all l:f<?terc:a.tf.; :t,el8.tecl fa.cts "Jl..,:-d.~_lccd. t;;,~ 9;.·~_.-v L"t~r.es~i::;atio~ C0:1·1~ctec~ (:': P~W i.<'ed.eral ex:::cutiv-= office . ~: . Con.Res. r-;'32- n...,~Cl.lrr~:r:t n,?:~'Jl,~tion ~x~~s~in~: t!l.~ s-;:~ns~ 0~ Ct0.:J..~s: ~o -:!ertr1i1! r8. .r'J.o:1s f::r3.nted or t'ft'liCC1 r ..... J:~·v") Pl~esi,:1er.t . !1. '1o~V)1:';1J:·" a_l~..., · ·.-:-:w· (D.--' 1 .Y. )- ·r.r.~s. l):S7., r ~~>o1ntj_on ::.:' I 1~ :~, r 1\P'=l':.~11""': tfl~~ pl~~i{1~.,t tn r. u~r-t ·r' t~ . ' ::011: . '. ~' t:·i 0.1_1.-;+::.,·in- ·.,-nl?;'~i t~l rx1 in f'orr"a.l; 10'1 concGr-rd.nr· ~- >= pardon of' forr.: r Pr·: · i :!ont ; ilxon. 5. Ilonor.·Dh2.s .Jnhn Co:1yer~> (D . .;11~h.) -H. Res. 1370, Pcsolut:i.on of, imuir:r d.ir::=~t:h'X: the President~ furnish the · :ouse Ni. th the .ft 1.11 end cornrlete story concP.min?: ~ ~~ oi.c:SUB.:lcc of.' c. na.rdon to F'ic~?.rd !!. :iixon 8..!"1d the possible issuGnce of additionP~ pardons to persons :!.:!Volved in v:aterFA.te rel<:.t~d activities. 6. !lonorabl-= .Jonathan Bin:-:-ha"Tl (D .-N. Y. ) - E.Con.?es.< 639, Co~lcurTent ~esolution exr:-·r~ssing ths sense of the Con,;1ess that the Pres:!.dent should defer gra.'1tin6 a.'1y aclditior'.al partions until after all t"h.e facts about the ~·Jater~ate affair have been revealeri by the unfettered operation STATEMENT BY HONORABLE WILLIAM L. HUNGATE SEPTEMBER 24, 1974 Today, the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice of the Committee on the Judiciary begins hearing~ on bills and resolutions that seek to insure public access to information relative to Watergate and its related activities. Within the last several days, nineteen bills and resolutions concerning Watergate-related events have been referred to this Sub- committee for its consideration. Sixty-three Members, Democrats and Republicans, have sponsored or co-sponsored one or more of these measures. Because of the importance of preserving the public's right to know the full and complete story of Watergate, and the privi.leged nature of certain of these resolutions of inquiry, it is necessary to proceed promptly in considering these legislative measures. Recent events caused many responsible citizens and Members of Congress serious concern that the complete story of Watergate may .. never be recorded. The pardoning of former President N i.xon has certainly jeopardized the opportunity for full public disclosure of information gathered by the Office of the Special Prosecutor bearing on former President Nixon's ,.--ole in the Watergate affair. Moreover, the agreement entered into between c;-;a former President and the General 9""'Vices Administration has caused to Fear ::hat additional information relevant to \Natergate will be forever . 2. withheld from public scrutiny. Unless the complete story of Watergate is known, history may incorrectly record the events of these times. The Congress has dealt responsibly with Watergate, but Watergate will not be behind us until the record of Watergate is complete. We now proceed to review the proposals before the Subcommittee designed to guarantee that the public's right to know is protected. Before Congress and the Nation are important questions of ownership and access to tapes, materials and related documents prepared and created by public officials while on the public payroll. Many of the resolutions before us touch these problems. We must see to it that there is full public access to all information concerning Watergate, its coverup, and all related events. Today, we hear from Members of Congress who have introduced legislation pertaining to these issues. Generally, the proposals to be con- sidered relate to the pardon of former President Nixon, the issuance of additional pardons to per,sons involved in Watergate-related activities, the desirability of the Watergate Special Prosecution Force to make public in- formation it has compiled relating to the alleged criminal conduct of former President Nixon, and the public disclosure of all Watergate-related documents and tapes in the custody of the United States Government. STATEHENT OF CONGRESSMAN G:LBERT GUDE BEFORE THE SUBCOHMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE·. f1;:::0SE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY SEPTENBER 24, 1974 ~~r.