John Dean reminds that Nixon's obsession with leaks helped undo his presidency
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
Leaking, and even illegal classified leaking, has been a big problem in Washington for years. Failing @nytimes (and others) must apologize!
6:58 AM - 16 Feb 2017
Christopher Hayes @chrislhayes 4h4 hours ago
John Dean reminded me last night that in some ways, it was Nixon's obsession with leaks that did him in.
...from the
National Security Archive:
...heres what Nixon said when he heard the Pentagon Papers had been leaked:
"Id just start right at the top and fire some people. I mean whoever whatever department it came out of Id fire the top guy."
Nixon agreed with Kissinger that, the Pentagon Papers leak was treasonable,
theres no question its actionable. Kissinger was
absolutely certain that this violates all sorts of security laws."
Nixon also raged against the New York Times for publishing the documents, calling the decision to publish, treasonable and a bunch of crap. Days later, he tried to censor publication.
Nixons bloodlust against leakers eventually led to his downfall. He created a group of plumbers who broke into Daniel Ellsbergs psychiatrists office after they learned that he had leaked the Pentagon Papers...
read/listen to Nixon WH tapes excerpts:
https://nsarchive.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/audio-document-friday-leaks-wikileaks-and-nixon/