Saturday, July 24, 1971

• Nixon demands that government employees take polygraph tests about the leaks of the Pentagon Papers. Hoover sends Mark Felt to assist them.

Wednesday, July 24, 1974

• The Supreme Court rules 8-0 that the President must turn over tapes containing the 64 subpoenaed conversations to Sirica. When Buzhardt contacts the White House for instructions, Nixon tells him of a potential problem with the June 23, 1972 conversation.
• Buzhardt reviews the tape from June 23 and hears the President and Haldeman decide to tell the FBI to back off on Watergate. The tape undercuts the President's assertion that he was unaware of the coverup until the Dean conversation the following March. There is also no mention of anything related to national security which Nixon had also been using as an excuse to avoid releasing certain tapes. Buzhardt believes the tape is the fatal blow to Nixon's presidency.
• Buzhardt contacts Haig and gives him the news. He quotes Haldeman saying "we're back in the problem area" implying there were earlier conversations on Watergate (possibly in the missing 18 and half minutes from June 20). Haig suggests if this is true, the President likely erased that portion personally. Buzhardt says this new tape limits the President's options on how to handle the Supreme Court's decision, it also proves that earlier information submitted to the Judiciary Committee was false and will have to be corrected.
• After hearing Nixon's objections to the severity of the June 23 conversation, Haig and St. Clair tell Nixon any defiance of the Court's decision will result in impeachment. Nixon demands St. Clair get more time for him to personally review the tapes before turning anything over, but St. Clair is not optimistic. At a press conference, St. Clair announces the President will comply with the ruling.
• Buzhardt recommends Timmons reach out to the House Minority Leader who had been a vocal supporter of Nixon, and let him know he should stop making public statements for the time being.
• The House Judiciary Committee begins writing Article One of impeachment. Several members on both sides of the aisle voice their concern for the President's conduct.