Allegation on cover story

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33215, 3 May 1973, Page 21

Allegation on cover story

(By SEYMOUR M. HERSH, of the "New York Times," through N.Z.P.A.)

WASHINGTON, May 2.

Government investigators say they now have evidence that highranking officials of the White House and the Committee for the Re■election of the President Conspired after the June, 2972, Watergate breakin to arrange a careful cover story designed to obstruct the Federal investigation.

•The investigators also say that the evidence shows that

the obstruction of justice was co-ordinated by President Nixon’s two closest advisers, Messrs H. R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman, who resigned yesterday, and the former Attorney-General, Mr John N. Mitchell, who headed the re-election committee at the time.

Three other former White House aides, Mr Jeb Stuart Magruder, a special assistant to Mr Nixon, Mr Frederick C. Laßue, another special assistant, and Mr John W. Dean 111, the President’s counsel, were also involved in the initial cover-up attempt, investigators said. ' The cover-up was formulated during some planned secret meetings held at the re-election headquarters in late June,, according to investigators. The basic scheme was said to have called for all of those involved in the operation to deny any knowledge of it, and for the re-election committee to issue public statements to that effect. In essence, investigators said, everyone involved in the operation repeatedly lied, to Federal investigators, prosecutors, other White House officials, and finally, to Mr Nixon.

The scheme, as allegedly worked out by Messrs Ehrlichman, Haldeman, Mitchell and Dean, included payments to the arrested defendants, promises of executive clemency, a series of public denials, and arrangements with Magruder and Porter to perjure themselves during the trial of the seven Watergate defendants.