More Nixon Records

My conversation with historian and former National Archives tapes specialist Maarja Krusten about the tussles over Richard Nixon's records and library, posted on the message board of the Society of American Archivists.

Tasty Repost

Historian and former Nixon Project tapes specialist Maarja Krusten posted my account of Kathy's and my Nixon Library visit yesterday on the message board of the Society of American Archivists, along with some gracious comments. Thanks, MK!

Web Of Ties

Maarja Krusten, an historian and former tapes specialist at the National Archives' Nixon Project, has graciously shared some of my recent Nixon library posts with her colleagues on the Society of American Archivists web board.

Naftali As "Scapegoat"?

Plenty of insights and speculation about the Nixon library Watergate exhibit at this on-line listening post for the Society of American Archivists. For instance, Maarja Krusten, an historian who used to work with the Nixon records in Alexandria, Virginia, heard the archivist of the U.S., David Ferriero, give a speech recently in which, she felt, he'd voiced less than staunch support for Nixon library director Tim Naftali, whom the Nixon foundation has been battling over the library's Watergate exhibit. She adds:

Naftali has argued that NARA's mission is to focus on "the full truth" about Watergate because that is what the law requires....Facing hard facts rarely is rewarded. Naftali, should he be made the scapegoat, will join others...who learned that.

Baker's Half-Baked?

In its "Secrecy News" e-newsletter, the Society of American Archivists engages with Russ Baker, whose conspiracy-minded Family Of Secrets has significant content on the Nixon Administration:

The Central Intelligence Agency did provide a copy of intelligence files relating to the Bay of Pigs to President Nixon in response to his request, an official of the National Archives and Records Administration said yesterday. He said that the statement to the contrary in Secrecy News on January 5, citing the new book "Family of Secrets," was in error.

"The CIA did not refuse the Nixon administration's request for records on the Bay of Pigs and other topics," John Powers of the National Archives said. What happened, rather, is that "[Director of Central Intelligence Richard M.] Helms insisted that if the President wanted these records, he would only give them to the President himself."

"There is a fascinating Oval Office taped conversation of this meeting in October 1971 that is publicly available. You can hear Helms putting the papers down on Nixon's desk," Mr. Powers said.

He identified the conversation as tape number 587-7 dated October 8, 1971. "Helms enters during [Ehrlichman's] briefing and they quickly change the topic, then get down to the issue of the papers."

Mr. Powers added that the CIA papers provided by Mr. Helms to President Nixon are contained in Boxes 36 and 37 of the John D. Ehrlichman files at the Nixon Presidential Library.

Mr. Powers said that some of the material may have been declassified and released since he departed from the Nixon Project nearly two years ago. "But my recollection is that most of the two [Ehrlichman] boxes were still classified. They are awaiting a researcher to file a Mandatory Declassification Review request."

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Historian Maarja Krusten writes:

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) — of which I am a member — is not the publisher of Secrecy News. Secrecy News is published by the Federation of American Scientists (Steve Aftergood puts it out). Last week, I posted the item you mentioned to the Archives & Archivists Listserv (which *is* administered by SAA). Perhaps someone forwarded the item to you from that posting, making it appear there is an SAA connection? But SAA is not involved in discussing Baker’s book, to my knowledge.