|
|
Article: Nixon's payoff. (Richard Nixon and the White House tapes) (Editorial)
- Article from:
- The Nation
- Article date:
- December 14, 1992
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1992 The Nation Company L.P. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The decision of three U.S. Court of Appeals judges that Richard Nixon should be paid for the White House tapes seized by the government may be legally correct, but it flouts justice and common sense. It also reduces to absurdity the shaky "custom" under which Presidents are granted ownership of their papers.
The tapes, which contained revelations about the Watergate cover-up, were seized by order of Congress, along with other materials, to prevent tampering. The Appeals Court says the impoundment amounted to a "taking" of the ex-President's property, and under the Fifth Amendment, he should be compensated. Instant guesstimates were that Nixon might collect ...