The Crowded Blotter of Watergate Suspects: A Checklist of the Charges

Seven men have been convicted so far in the break-in and bugging of the Democratic National Committee headquarters last June 17. Their three leaders were G. Gordon Liddy, a counsel to the Committee for the Re-Election of the President; Howard Hunt, former CIA agent and White House consultant; and James McCord, security chief for the Nixon re-election committee. But their political espionage operation was plotted and directed by much higher authorities. At least 17 men who were or are close to President Nixon or his immediate aides are being investigated by federal officials. Following is a list of figures in the case so far and the allegations against them. Unless indicated, the charges cited are based on findings of investigators from the Justice Department, the FBI or the Senate. The allegations have not been proved in courts, and many have been flatly denied.

H.R. HALDEMAN,

White House chief of staff.

Being investigated by federal grand jury in Washington on suspicion of leading a conspiracy to cover up White House involvement in the Watergate wiretapping. Controlled a $350,000 cash fund from campaign contributions that apparently was used to pay the arrested wiretappers to keep them quiet. Head of a broad political-sabotage campaign to hurt the candidacy of Democrat Edmund Muskie and promote that of George McGovern. Admits heading a political intelligence-gathering operation during the campaign, but denies that it included illegal activity. Many of the other implicated men--including John Dean, Jeb Magruder, Gordon Strachan and Dwight Chapin--reported to him.

Forced by President Nixon to resign last week.

JOHN EHRLICHMAN,

Chief domestic affairs adviser to Nixon.

Also being investigated by the grand jury as a possible director, along with Haldeman, of a cover-up conspiracy. Admits attending a meeting at which files from the safe of Wiretapper Hunt were turned over to then acting FBI Director L. Patrick Gray (Gray contends Ehrlichman and Dean suggested files be destroyed). Admits assigning Wiretappers Hunt and Liddy to investigate "emotional and moral problems" of Daniel Ellsberg. Knew Hunt and Liddy later managed the burglary of the office of Ellsberg's psychiatrist but kept this secret. Met twice with Federal Judge William Matthew Byrne Jr. in California while he was presiding over Ellsberg trial and offered him job as head of FBI.

Forced by President Nixon to resign last week.

FREDERICK LaRUE,

Former special assistant in the White House and to Mitchell on Nixon committee.

Another alleged participant in the coverup. Attended at least one meeting with Mitchell, Dean, Magruder and Liddy at which Watergate wiretapping plans were discussed. Directed, with Robert Mardian, the destruction of records at the re-election committee offices that could have connected the committee with Watergate. Received $350,000 from Haldeman reportedly to be used to pay off the arrested wiretappers.

Still working for Nixon committee

GORDON STRACHAN,

Former White House assistant to Chief of Staff Haldeman.

Under investigation for coverup. Was courier of some $350,000 in cash from Haldeman to LaRue; the money reportedly was used to buy the silence of the arrested wiretappers. Assisted in the hiring of Political Saboteur Donald Segretti. Was the White House contact for a number of agents provocateurs working around the country helping to direct the disruption of Democratic campaigns.

Fired from post-election job as general counsel of U.S. Information Agency last week.

HUGH SLOAN JR.,

Former White House assistant to Dwight Chapin and treasurer of Nixon re-election committee.

Admittedly disbursed $200,000 to Wiretapper Liddy but claims he did not know how money was to be used. Through Gordon Strachan transferred $350,000 in Nixon committee funds to H.R. Haldeman in White House. Says he rebuffed efforts of Jeb Magruder and Fred LaRue to get him to lie to grand jury about amount of such payments. May have resisted the entire White House cover-up conspiracy.

Quit Nixon committee in July 1972.

DWIGHT CHAPIN,

Former appointments secretary to President Nixon.

Under investigation for coverup. Admitted to the FBI, according to Gray's Senate testimony, that he arranged the recruiting and hiring of Segretti. Was Segretti's prime White House contact and, in turn, reported to Haldeman. Directed Herbert Kalmbach to pay Segretti between $30,000 and $40,000.

Resigned in January.

ROBERT MARDIAN,

Former head of internal security division of Justice Department and later political coordinator for Nixon re-election committee.

Ordered, with LaRue, the destruction of files at the Nixon committee offices. Refused to answer FBI questions about the destruction of documents Knew of the phone taps of at least two reporters during the investigation of the Pentagon papers leaks.

Resigned just after election.

EGIL KROGH JR.,

Former White House assistant to Ehrlichman and since December, Under Secretary of Transportation.

Under investigation by Justice Department for possible perjury after having denied under oath any knowledge of Watergate. Supervised in 1971 White House Plumbers Liddy and Hunt. Authorized their managing of the burglary of the office of Ellsberg's psychiatrist.

Took leave of absence last week.

JOHN W. DEAN III,

The President's chief counsel.

Another alleged participant in White House cover-up conspiracy. Was ordered by Nixon to conduct White House investigation of Watergate. Reported falsely that no White House aides were involved. Accused by Gray of having lied to the FBI about whether Wiretapper E. Howard Hunt had a White House-approved office. Also accused by Gray of suggesting that Gray destroy some Hunt files from that office. Attended meetings in February and March 1972 with John Mitchell, Jeb Magruder and Gordon Liddy at which plans to bug the Watergate were discussed. Approved payments to keep the arrested wiretappers quiet, according to Magruder. Supervised payment of $175,000 to the conspirators for that purpose.

Fired by Nixon last week.

JOHN MITCHELL,

Former A ttorney General and head of President Nixon's re-election committee.

Under investigation by grand jury for helping cover up conspiracy. Magruder claims Mitchell approved Watergate wiretapping plans, then urged him to lie to grand jury about Nixon re-election committee's involvement in Watergate. Mitchell admits attending three meetings at which Watergate wiretapping and other political intelligence-gathering operations were discussed, but claims he objected to plans. Took no action to report participants after the meetings or after the breakin. His admission contradicts earlier denial in a deposition for a civil suit that he had any advance knowledge of Watergate bugging.

Resigned from Nixon campaign committee July 1, 1972, two weeks after Watergate arrests.

JEB MAGRUDER,

White House aide to Haldeman and brief head of Nixon re-election committee before becoming deputy director under Mitchell in April 1971.

Under grand jury investigation for coverup. Admits attending meetings with Mitchell, Dean and Liddy at which wiretap plans were discussed. Charged that Mitchell gave the go-ahead for the bugging and burglary.

Also admits authorizing disbursal of $235,000 in campaign cash to Wiretapper Liddy. Admits lying to grand jury about advance knowledge of Watergate. Told Justice Department investigators that Mitchell advised him to perjure himself. Knew about broad campaign of political espionage and sabotage.

Resigned post-election job as planning director of Commerce Department two weeks ago.

CHARLES COLSON,

Special counsel to the President.

Knew in advance of Watergate bugging plans and urged their approval in February of 1972, says Magruder. Denied by Colson. Hired Hunt in 1971 as a White House consultant and supervised his work. Colson helped carry out unethical campaign tactics, including the hiring of demonstrators to pose as homosexuals backing McGovern. Also wrote a newspaper ad praising Nixon's mining of North Viet Nam harbors without divulging Nixon-committee sponsorship of ad.

Resigned in March.

MAURICE STANS,

Former Secretary of Commerce and still head of the Nixon re-election committee's fund raising.

Kept up to $1,000,000 in cash in his office safe and approved Jeb Magruder's authorization of payments from this fund to Wiretapper Liddy. Urged donors to contribute in cash or securities and is fighting a lawsuit to reveal identity of contributors. Failed to report to the Office of Federal Elections up to $15 million in campaign contributions--either in direct violation of law or in violation of the spirit of a new campaign-disclosure law.

HERBERT PORTER,

Former White House aide in Herbert Klein's communications office and chief of scheduling for Nixon's re-election committee.

Under investigation by federal grand jury for participation in cover-up scheme. With Magruder, asked Liddy in December 1971 to develop an intelligence operation to spy on Democratic candidates and investigate possibility that extremists would try to disrupt Republican campaign rallies. Had access to a secret Republican campaign fund that went in part to the Watergate burglars.

Recently resigned.

HERBERT KALMBACH,

Richard Nixon's personal lawyer.

Raised money used to finance political espionage. Controlled campaign funds that may have totaled some $500,000. Was authorized by Nixon committee to spend at least $300,000 for "security" operations. Admits paying between $30,000 and $40,000 to Political Saboteur Segretti.

Dismissed as Nixon's lawyer, White House announced last week.

KENNETH PARKINSON,

Washington attorney hired by Nixon re-election committee. Defending Mitchell and Stans in civil suits related to Watergate.

Under investigation for coverup.

Reportedly arranged for use of re-election committee funds to pay arrested wiretappers for their silence. Made some of these payments through the late Mrs. Hunt, who, James McCord says, told him of this. Parkinson denies doing it.

DONALD SEGRETTI,

California lawyer and political saboteur.

Brought in by Chapin and Strachan, his former University of Southern California chums, to help disrupt Democratic campaign activities. Recruited in turn at least ten agents, who infiltrated staffs of Democratic presidential hopefuls and executed a coordinated campaign of spying and disruption.

Indicted last week in Florida for fabricating slanderous Muskie letter.

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