o place wire taps on the phones of thirteen government officials, and four prominent reporters" (Fremon 28). Nixon was abusing his powers to the extent, and to him there seemed to be nothing wrong with it. Nixon needed the FBI to stop the Watergate investigation. Former attorney general John Michell knew that the FBI had a long-standing agreement with the CIA that neither agency would jeopardize the other's operations. If the FBI could be convinced that the CIA had somehow been involved in financing or carrying out the Watergate burglary, the investigation could be curtailed on the ground of protecting "national security." Dorman 159) Nixon then told the chief of staff: You call them [the CIA director, Richard M. Helms, and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Vernon A. Walters] in. . . . Play it tough. That's the way they play it and that's the way were gona play it. . . . Say: 'Look, the problem is that this will open the whole, the whole Bay of Pigs thing. . . . and that they should call the FBI in and say that we wish for the country, don't go any further into this case'-- period! (Heritage 27) President Nixon was also deeply involved with the cover-up. When he was told about the burglary, he gave his full support to the cover-up plan. "On March 21, 1973 the president had a meeting with John Dean, and the president agreed that one million dollars should be raised to silence the burglars" (Kutler 247-257). The president also agreed in a March 21, 1973 meeting with John Dean, to get money to payoff Mr. Hunt (Heritage 34). President Nixon also made some statements to the public, s...
