ALS, two pages, 7.25 x 11, personal letterhead, October 15, 2001. Letter to Mr. James A. van Buskirk and his students, in part: "You ask for a word about the Watergate affair. My duty was to investigate whether President Nixon or other high officials had committed criminal offenses while in office and, if so, to prosecute those charged by the grand jury. In the course of the investigation we obtained a subpoena (a court order) directing President Nixon to produce for the grand jury the so-called Watergate tapes. He refused to comply, and directed me not to seek evidence from the White House. One of our great constitutional principles, essential to other liberties, is that even the highest officials must be subject to the law. Because President Nixon was violating that constitutional principle, I refused to follow his instructions and said that I would report the matter to the court. Then he fired me. Happily, the people rose up and expressed their disapproval of President Nixon's violation and through their expression of feeling forced him to comply with the subpoena as required by law. This—I think—is the historic significance of Watergate: the American people reaffirmed the principle that even the highest official must obey the law." In fine condition.
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