13 Working in Washington

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13 Working in Washington

• Ross Perot's Nixon Connection
• Part I
• By JOHN SOLOMON
• Associated Press Writer

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Ross Perot's Nixon Connection

• What was the information that tantalized Nixons
  aides?
• Where did Solomon find this out?
• What did Nixon aide Charles Colson call Perots
  pledge?
• What was the pledge?

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• What did Nixon do with the offers?
• Did Perot ever deliver on what he promised?
• What deal did H.R. Haldeman vividly remember
  Perot initiating?
• What set Perot apart from numerous other
  insiders, according to Haldeman?

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• What did Colson set up in anticipation of a Perot
  gift?
• When Colson set up the think-tank apparatus, what
  happened when he asked for the check?
• What were some other revelations in the archives?

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13 Working in Washington

• Ross Perot's Nixon Connection
• Part II
• By JOHN SOLOMON
• Associated Press Writer

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Ross Perot's Nixon Connection

• No favor was too small for billionaire Ross Perot
  to seek from the Nixon White House.
• Perot called one Nixon aide at 1115 p.m. to
  ensure his mother got into an upcoming
  presidential prayer breakfast, one memo shows.
• Perot's draw began after he dispatched seven of
  his computer company's employees to work for the
  Nixon campaign in 1968.

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• The contribution landed him on a list of
  substantial supporters dubbed "financial angels"
  who should be "stroked from time to time," memos
  show.
• One handwritten White House memo shows that Perot
  was recommended to "be placed at the top of the
  list for a commission." He was subsequently
  appointed to the Naval Academy's Board of
  Visitors by Nixon and served as the board's
  chairman.

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• Perot said he does not recall most of the
  contacts mentioned in the White House documents.
• White House aides said Perot's support of Nixon
  gave him unique access.
• In April 1969, the White House came to Perot's
  aid when he had trouble getting the Army Corps of
  Engineers to renew a lease on some of his
  property.

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• The White House sent a memo to the corps calling
  their attention to the fact that Perot was a
  "most substantial Nixon backer" and was
  "extremely interested in having this lease
  approved." The word "extremely" was underlined.
• The files don't indicate how the appeal was
  resolved but a letter dated May 6, 1969, from
  Perot suggests he received a special meeting with
  the corps "to resolve this problem."

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• Perot said the meeting proved no help and
  eventually he settled the matter in court.

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John Solomon

• Ross Perot couldnt figure out how John Solomon
  found out about his dealings with the Nixon White
  House.
• Who was the culprit?
• Solomon asked Perot about his political
  contributions dating back to 1976.

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• Where did Solomon decide was the best place to
  look for that information?
• Perot was masquerading as a Washington outsider
  and independent to bedevil the two-party system.
  National Archives told a different story.
• What did the archives show?

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• Solomon spent three days going through boxes,
  since most of what he was looking for was not
  indexed under Perots name.
• Whom did he call in England?
• Whom did he call in Atlanta?
• To whom did he talk to on a car phone in New York
  traffic?

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• Where was Charles Colson?
• Where was Elliot Richardson on Saturday afternoon
  when Solomon called?
• What did Solomon tell those who wanted to talk
  off the record?

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• The first impulse of the politicians and
  government officials he deals with is to talk on
  background.
• If you insist on using their names, they will
  usually acquiesce.
• During the Lewinsky scandal, sources couldnt be
  quoted because of a court-imposed gag order.

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• Getting people to talk on record is important.
• Washington is perhaps the most competitive place
  in the world to be a journalist.
• The best reporters are inquiring, enterprising,
  and always looking for the next story.
• People need to talk to Solomon. There are 30
  alternatives they can go to with any story.

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• But Solomon assures sources that he will be fair,
  that he wants to know the whole story, and that
  he will take the time to get all sides.
• It worked for the Perot stories.
• When Solomon called Perot for comment before the
  stories were transmitted, Perot was amazed to
  learn he had scooped himself.

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• Some of the best details about his relationship
  with Nixon came from Perots own camp.
• The stories won the Raymond Clapper Award for
  reporting.