Watergate: Another new first—the first member or ex-member of the White House staff to come out for impeachment: John K. Andrews Jr., a speechwriter until last December, said impeachment “may ultimately be interpreted as a conservative action.” But he added he did not believe the President was criminally involved, only extremely negligent in moral leadership. . . . After looking at CIA logs, notes, and memoranda Rep. Lucien Nedzi (D., Mich.) has concluded the Agency did not destroy any Watergate-related tapes in a January ’73 housecleaning. Early reports had fueled suspicion the Agency did more than lend a red wig to Howard Hunt. . . . Dean Burch, one-time Barry Goldwater aide and National Committee Chairman, has left his post as head of the FCC to help Nixon manage his conservative constituents; Richard E. Wiley, Chicago attorney and stalwart Nixon campaigner, named to replace Burch. . . . John J. Wilson, attorney for former Oval Officers Haldeman and Ehrlichman, said that, realistically, he expected them both to be indicted. . . . Some disclosures: Rep. Ogden Reid (once-Republican-now-Democrat, N.Y.) released a detailed financial statement, as requested by the N.Y. Times. Reid, running for governor, was the first candidate to make such a disclosure; he put his net worth at $4.1 million. Incumbent Governor Wilson said information on income and tax payments was irrelevant, and candidate Howard Samuels (former Off Track Betting king) disclosed his taxes but insisted total disclosure was invasion of privacy. Executives of the N.Y. Times have not yet responded to Sen. James Buckley’s counter-request for their financial statements.
Meanwhile President Nixon has appointed Vice President Ford to head a commission to investigate privacy. . . . The Vice President’s image is being retooled: following the loss of his old safe seat to a Democrat, the VP came out swinging at a campaign rally in Cincinnati for Republican candidate Willis D. Gradison Jr., blaming “labor outsiders” for Republican losses. Still, unlike his predecessor, Ford is willing to fly in any “off the rack” plane from the Air Force pool and take whatever pilot is available. . . . Plenty of congressmen are retiring but others are waiting to take their places—-and the places of those not retiring voluntarily: David G. Rehmann, 31 years old, a POW for six years, has announced he will run for Republican congressional nomination in California’s 34th District—a seat now held by a Democrat. Major Steve Ritchie, also 31, only American ace of the Vietnam war (five MiG-21s in 1972), will go after the Republican nomination for the Sixth District, North Carolina, also held by a Democrat.
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