All the President's Men

On March 23, the day after Gray testified that John Dean had probably lied to the FBI, Watergate burglar James McCord publishes a letter to Judge Sirica. In it he claims that he fears for his life and the life of his family, that he and others perjured themselves at the trial, and that he was pressured into changing his plea to guilty. He wants a private meeting with Sirica as he can “not feel confident in talking with an FBI agent, testifying before a grand jury whose U.S. Attorneys work for the Department of Justice, or in talking with other government representatives” (168). Post editor Howard Simons shouts to the reporters, “Find out what the hell he’s talking about,” and Bradlee follows up, “Names, fellas, we want names” (168).

That weekend the Los Angeles Times reports that McCord told sources that Jeb Magruder and John Dean had both had advance knowledge of the break-in and were involved in planning the operation (169). On March 28, McCord testifies behind closed doors to the select committee. One senator tells Woodward that McCord claimed that the plan and budget for Watergate had been approved by John Mitchell in February 1972, while Mitchell was still attorney general.