This program is 26 minutes long
#26908
(Studio) Former White House aide John Ehrlichman returns for 2nd day before Senate Watergate committee
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
(Capitol Hill) Senate Watergate committee chairperson Sam Ervin and Ehrlichman'-s lawyer John Wilson exchange verbal blows with regard to President' power to protect ntl. security even if methods illegal. Wilson believes Ellsberg break-in was justified on such grounds. [Senator Herman TALMADGE - refreshes Ehrlichman's memory on law. Says every man's home is his castle and no one can enter without permission.] [EHRLICHMAN - states law has been eroded.] [TALMADGE - asks if President authorized Ellsberg break-in.] [EHRLICHMAN - says he didn't to his knowledge.] [TALMADGE - questions if Press didn't deny authorization.] [EHRLICHMAN - states he has read such statements. Insists he was present for meeting between President and Egil Krogh, head of plumber's unit. Says President made it clear that Krogh and plumber"s unit were to take such steps as were necessary.] On other subjects, Ehrlichman denies John Dean's testimony that Ehrlichman went to President to ask executive clemency for Howard Hunt and received it. Ehrlichman also denies Dean's testimony with regard to Ehrlichman's orders to acting FBI director Patrick Gray to destroy sensitive document in Hunt's White House safe. Ehrlichman recalls talking to Gray in President' presence. [EHRLICHMAN - testifies he told Gray that President and Attorney General had been talking about sensitive documents. Dean had told prosecuting attorney about these documents and Gray said he would deny knowledge of documents. Ehrlichman said Gray couldn't deny knowledge of documents, but Gray said documents were destroyed.] Senator Daniel Inouye questions Ehrlichman about mtgs. with Pentagon Papers trial judge Matthew Byrne. Talk of FBI directorship bantered. Ehrlichman says he was not trying to influence trial. [INOUYE - asks if he ever told Judge Byrne about Ehrlichman's knowledge of break-in in Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office.] Ehrlichman replies negatively. [INOUYE - asks why he didn't.] [EHRLICHMAN - testifies it would have been improper since he was under restriction of President with regard to national security and because no member of executive branch would talk to judge about current case.] After Inouye's questioning, voice is heard saying "Boy, what a liar." Inouye denies it was his voice. [INOUYE - says he doesn't recall saying that, but he could possibly have said it.] Tomorrow, President must answer Watergate committee 's subpoenas. If not, Ervin says committee to go to court Feels Supreme Court to rule in committee 's favor.
REPORTER: Sam Donaldson
#26909
(Studio) Harris poll shows 60% of homes surveyed believe President should turn over White House tapes. 30% believe President's right.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#26910
(Studio) Republican Congress leaders think President will abide by any Supreme Court decision to turn over tapes and papers. Senator Republican leader Hugh Scott believes high court would rule in President' favor.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#26911
(Studio) Part-time President' adviser John Connally resigns. Connally to continue to be available for personal consultation.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#26913
(Studio) Police question hijackers in Benzhazi, Libya, after they blow up hijacked Japanese jet. All passengers safe. No motive behind hijack attempt discovered.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
(Benghazi, Libya) Passengers had 2 mins. to reach safety before grenades blew up jet. [Passenger Holger JAUGER - says hijackers sympathetic to Palestinians. Had to show world it was wrong for Germany, United States and Japan to help Israel.] Passengers await flights home.
REPORTER: Don Farmer
#26915
(Studio) Judge Orrin Judd, New York federal district judge, calls for end to bombing in Cambodia. Rules bombing not ordered by Congress so it"s unconst. Files injunction to stop any more bombing in Cambodia. Govt. may file appeal to his ruling within 3 days.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#26916
(Studio) Debate over secret Cambodia bombing intensifies.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
(DC) Former Air Force Secretary Robert Seamans and Air Force Chief of Staff General John Ryan tell Senator Armed Services Committee they had no knowledge of secret raids. [SEAMANS - states he regrets supplying inaccurate information to Armed Services Committee, but someone lied to him.] [Senator Harold HUGHES - says individual behind orders to falsify reports not determined.] [REPORTER - asks if President should have lied in April 30, 1970, statement with regard to Cambodia bombing.] [HUGHES - believes President shouldn't have told American people untruths on national TV.] Defense Secretary James Schlesinger comes under tough questioning on secretiveness and bombing from members of Boy's Nation. [MBR. - asks why Pentagon found it necessary to lie to Americans] [SCHLESINGER - states many occasions call for protection of national security or diplomacy which keeps information from Americans There's no need to keep information from public after national need for secrecy ends.] State Department spokesperson Charles Bray, spking. for Rogers, says Secretary William Rogers made reference to Cambodia bombing in mtg. with Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April, 1970. [REPORTER - asks if Secretary Rogers ever told committee about sustained bombing in Cambodia.] [BRAY - says there was discussion about Cambodia, but Senators talking with Rogers never asked about extent or nature of bombing.] Senator William Fulbright and Senator Mike Mansfield take issue with Bray's version. Fulbright has no recollection of discussion between Senators and Rogers with regard to Cambodian bombing.
REPORTER: Frank Tomlinson
#26917
(Studio) Communist troops continue battering areas surrounding Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 3 civilians killed, many wounded.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#26918
#26920
(Studio) ABC's Jack Begon missing in Rome, Italy. ABC's senior vice president William Sheahan says reports untrue that Begon on way to investigate Mafia in Italy. Violence may have occurred.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#26921
(Studio) In Gainesville, Florida, on Monday, 7 members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War and 1 sympathizer go on trial in federal court charged with conspiracy to disrupt last year's Republican national convention Not all Vietnam vets are what they seem to be.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
(No location given) Spies swarmed through ranks of Vietnam Vets Against the War. After `72 Republican conv., police, FBI agents reported findings. Last June Vets wanted meeting with local police to work out ground rules for demonstrations during convention Undercover agents may have outnumbered real mbrs, Harrison Frenshaw, Gerald Rudolph posed as VVAW's when actually they work for Miami sheriff's department Pablo Emanuel Fernandez, supposed rep. of militant Cuban group, was a paid informer. Carolos Rodriquez worked with him. Rodriguez and Fernandez met vet leaders Scott Camil and others. VVAW says Fernandez set them up; Fernandez denies charges. Govt. denies Fernandez taping any conversations, but Fernandez admits it and tape was given to former spy Angelica Rohans. [ROHANS - says Fernandez gave the tape to her. Told her to give it to her people.] Conversation between Fernandez and Camil on tape. After such evidence, government finally admits knowledge of tape.
REPORTER: Gregory Jackson
(Studio) More reports on vets' group and their difficulties.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#26923
(Studio) This reporter doesn't believe there's a halo around Senate Watergate committee chairperson Sam Ervin. Ervin continually calls himself just an ol' country lawyer. Biased Democrats in ctroom. aren't quieted by Ervin. Ervin admits to helping bill along that gave President unlimited wiretap powers during Lyndon Johnson's administration Ervin should stop grandstanding and apply fairness.
REPORTER: Howard K. Smith
#667412