How Some Papers Distort Watergate News

Akron Beacon Journal - Clipping 1

March 3, 1974

Constitutional Crisis Feared

'Jury Was Restrained From Indicting Nixon'

By FRANK VAN RIPER and JAMES WIEGART

New York Daily News

WASHINGTON - Only the intercession of a series of government prosecutors restrained the Watergate grand jury from issuing a "runaway" indictment of President Nixon last week - a move the prosecutors warned would create a dangerous and unprecedented constitutional crisis, sources have told the New York Daily News.

(At least 19 of the 23 members of the grand jury had agreed to take some action that would hold Nixon accountable for the Watergate cover-up, the New York Times reported.)

The grand jury's sealed report, turned over to U.S. District Judge John J.  Sirica on Friday, maintains that Nixon was involved in the Watergate cover-up and that he has used - and continues to use - the power of the presidency to obstruct the jury's 20-month probe, according to the sources.

Seven former Nixon aides and reelection campaign officials were indicted by the grand jury on cover-up charges.

THE SOURCES told the News that the jury has in effect considered Nixon a "target" since last Spring, when former White House counsel John Dean made his first move to tell government prosecutors the extent of White House involvement in the mushrooming scandal.

Although some of the grand jurors remained convinced that the President should be indicted, they were ultimately persuaded by the majority to go along, with special Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski's recommendation that the panel take the unusual step of making a sealed presentment of its evidence of presidential involvement to Sirica along with the recommendation that the material be turned over to the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment inquiry.

(The latter action was urged Saturday by Vice President Ford in Phoenix, where he and his wife are spending the weekend.)

After studying conflicting legal opinions from, both his staff and constitutional experts, Jaworski has decided that a President cannot be indicted unless he is first impeached and removed from office.

A source close to Sirica said the judge would study the grand jury's sealed report and the accompanying briefcase full of evidence before making a decision of how to proceed.  The source said the judge "is well aware of the urgency" of the matter and

See JURY, Page A-2 (clipping ends)

Click here to go back

March 5, 1974

Deny Report 'Nails Nixon'

By DAN THOMASSON Scripps-Howard Writer

Cleveland Press

WASHINGTON - A sealed report by a Federal Watergate Grand Jury does not reach any conclusions about President Nixon's possible involvement in covering up the Watergate scandal, informed sources said today.

They said while the 50-paragraph report handed to Federal Judge John J. Sirica last Friday does specify certain evidence the Grand Jury has uncovered during more than 18 months of its investigation, it does not cite the jury's belief of the President's guilt or innocence.

The sources said the report, which does recommend that Sirica turn over this evidence to the House Judiciary committee's impeachment inquiry, generally is a device for getting around legal roadblocks for transmission of tapes and documents which might be needed by the committee.

Rule 6E of federal criminal procedure prohibits a Grand Jury from turning over any of its evidence or findings to another body or jurisdiction.  This can be waived by a motion from the Grand Jury to the presiding judge or from the interested outside body to the judge.

In the case of the Watergate Grand Jury, however, no such motion was made by either the Grand Jury or the House Judiciary Committee.  But in what experts said today was a "highly unusual procedure" the Grand Jury merely asked Sirica to use his discretion in the matter.

The sources said speculation over the weekend that the report "nails Nixon" and would make his impeachment almost certain "is way too strong."

It does nothing of the kind, the sources said.

Sirica, meanwhile, set a hearing on disposition of the sealed report for tomorrow.  He declined to answer any questions.

Turn to Page A 4 (clipping ends)

Click here to go back

Akron Beacon Journal and Cleveland Press Clippings

March 11, 1974 (Page 1)

National Cult Of Conformity Led To Watergate-Ervin

By MICHAEL CULL

Beacon Journal Staff Writer

CLEVELAND - Sen.  Sam J. Ervin Jr. Sunday diagnosed the causes and prescribed the cure for the Watergate scandal - "the greatest tragedy of our time."

But the former chairman of the Senate Watergate committee which quizzed Nixon administration officials side-stepped questions about presidential impeachment or resignation.

IN A TALK sprinkled with country jokes and Biblical quotes, the North Carolina Democrat said the scandal grew from a national cult of conformity and victory and "the total misconception" which prevailed among those in the White House about what the constitution is about."

Ervin drew laughter and applause from the audience when asked to comment on President Nixon's campaign reforms: "Some of them are good as far as they go.  I'm just sorry we can't make them retroactive."

See CULT, Page A-2 (clipping ends)

Click here to go back

March 11, 1974 (Page 5 )

No impeachment grounds, Ervin says

The Cleveland Press

Sen. Sam Ervin, reading a pocket-sized copy of the Constitution from the podium of Severance Hall, placed himself squarely on the side of President Nixon's lawyers in the controversy over grounds for impeachment.

And in so doing left his otherwise enthusiastic audience of 2000 Case Western Reserve collegians and faculty members stunned and surprised last night.

Later, the tall, 78-year-old Democrat from North Carolina, told The Press that he could not help but side with the Nixon forces in his views of the Constitution.

And he also said that he learned nothing during the long Senate Watergate investigation that indicated to him that Nixon had committed an impeachable offense.

He added, however, that there is no reason to believe such evidence might not be uncovered by another investigation.

Ervin said that evidence of Nixon's possible illegal evasion of taxes or possible involvement in bribery schemes certainly would be grounds for such a trial.

It was during the question and answer period that the issue of impeachment came up.

And the massive senator, who stood high above the Severance lectern, reached into his breast pocket and produced a small copy of the Constitution.

"I happen to have great respect for the men who wrote this document.  I think they understood quite clearly what they wrote," Ervin said.

And then he sighted the famous grounds for impeachment: "Treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors."

"I think this is one section of the Constitution on which Dick Nixon and I agree," he told his audience.

In the main body of his speech, Ervin listed what he believes to be the "causes and cures of Watergate".

Click here to go back

Akron Beacon Journal - Clipping 2

March 11, 1974

Poll Shows Impeachment Sentiment Is Increasing

By LOUIS HARRIS
Chicago Tribune

By 54 to 32 pct., a majority of the American peop1e agrees with the statement that "if President Nixon fails to turn over, the information the House Judiciary Committee wants, that committee should vote to bring up impeachment charges against the President."

This sentiment takes on added significance because an even larger segment of the public, 64-17 pct. does not expect Nixon "to turn over all the evidence to the House Judiciary Committee."

These findings point up two key facts about public opinion as the Watergate case builds toward a climax in the hearings of the House committee considering the impeachment of the President:

The people have now come to the view that non-cooperation by Nixon on furnishing evidence to the Judiciary Committee is sufficient grounds for it to press forward with a bill of impeachment.

The thought of impeachment of the President is no longer onerous to a majority.

When people were asked why they feel the way they do about the House Judiciary Committee recommending a vote on impeachment if Nixon fails to produce evidence believed to be in his possession, here are the reasons they give for reaching their conclusions:

REASONS BEHIND FEELINGS ON BILL OF IMPEACHMENT

Click here to go back