Moorer-Radford Affair: Difference between revisions

In November, 1970 [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]], Admiral [[Thomas Hinman Moorer|Thomas H. Moorer]] expressed concerns, regarding the foreign policy decisions of [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Henry Kissinger]]., Primarilyprimarily involving the [[Vietnam War|war in Vietnam]], the [[détente]] with the Soviet Union, and the [[1972 visit by Richard Nixon to China|attempts to begin opening trade with China]].

Fearing communist sympathies from the President and his [[Henry Kissinger|National Security Adviser]], [[Thomas Hinman Moorer|Admiral Moorer]] organized a spy ring inside the White House's National Security Council office with the purpose of obtaining classified documents to undermine the policies of Nixon's WhitehouseWhite House.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Rosen|first=James|date=2015-03-26|title=The Men Who Spied on Nixon: New Details Reveal Extent of 'Moorer-Radford Affair'|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/the-men-who-spied-on-nixon-new-details-reveal-extent-of-moorer-radford-affair|access-date=2021-12-16|website=Fox News|language=en-US}}</ref>

In December 1971, the Nixon Administration became concerned over a column written by journalist [[Jack Anderson (columnist)|Jack Anderson]], titled "U.S. Tilts to Pakistan" which contained confidential information from classified documents regarding unofficial U.S. diplomatic policy in relation to the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]. Following the publication of the article, White House aides, led by [[John Ehrlichman]] began an internal investigation into a possible intelligence leak. After an extensive investigation which included administering polygraphs to those with access to the files, the investigation determined the source of the leak to be the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff|Joints Chiefs of Staff]] liaison office to the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]]. The office was staffed primarily by Admiral Robert O. Welander who supervised the office and Yeoman Charles Radford who worked as a stenographer‐clerk.<ref>{{Cite web|title=nixontapes.org - Nixon Tapes and Transcripts|url=http://nixontapes.org/welander.html|access-date=2021-12-16|website=nixontapes.org}}</ref>

Yeoman Radford eventually admitted to having stolen classified documents from the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] which he took from briefcases and [[burn bag]]s to be delivered to his superiors, Admiral Robert O. Welander and Admiral [[Rembrandt C. Robinson]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Times|first=Seymour M. Hersh Special to The New York|date=1974-02-09|title=Radford Says He Had Instructions to Pilfer Papers|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/09/archives/radford-says-he-had-instructions-to-pilfer-papers.html|access-date=2021-12-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> who in turn delivered them to Admiral [[Thomas Hinman Moorer|Thomas H. Moorer]], the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]]. Admiral [[Elmo Zumwalt|Elmo Zumalt]], then [[Chief of Naval Operations]], was also implicated as having involvement in the conspiracy.,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Times|first=Seymour M. Hersh Special to The New York|date=1974-02-21|title=Yeoman Tells Panel Of Role of Admirals|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/21/archives/yeoman-tells-panel-of-role-of-admirals-special-to-the-new-york.html|access-date=2021-12-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Alongalong with National Security Council Staffer David Oscar Bowles.<ref name=":0" />

A week after the publishing of [[Jack Anderson (columnist)|Jack Anderson's]] article, [[John Ehrlichman]] met with President [[Richard Nixon]], Attorney General [[John N. Mitchell]], and chief of staff [[H. R. Haldeman]] to discuss the outcome of his investigation. The meeting was recorded by Nixon as part of the [[Nixon White House tapes]]. During the meeting Nixon voiced an extreme suspicion of [[Alexander Haig]] being involved<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pinacus|first=Walter|date=1974-10-01|title=Questioning Haig's role|work=Washington Post|url=http://jfk.hood.edu/Collection/White%20Materials/Watergate/Watergate%20Items%2018933%20to%2019236/Watergate%2018959.pdf}}</ref> and discussed prosecuting Admiral Moorer.<ref name=":0" /> Eventually Nixon decided to [[Cover-up|coverupcover up]] the affair on the advice of Attorney General [[John N. Mitchell|John N. Mitchell,]], believing its revelation would hurt military morale and that ignoring it would cause the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]] to be indebted to the President, thus increasing his control over [[The Pentagon]].<ref name=":1" />

Soon after the affair was revealed, Admiral Robert O. Welander and Yeoman Radford were transferred to remote military posts. The details of the scandal eventually came to light in 1974 during the [[Watergate scandal|Watergate Scandal]]. during which manyMany of those implicated in the affair publicly denied their involvement<ref>{{Cite news|last=Times|first=Seymour M. Hersh Special to The New York|date=1974-02-22|title=Admiral Denies Telling Yeoman To Take Highly Classified Data|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/22/archives/admiral-denies-telling-yeoman-to-take-highly-classified-data.html|access-date=2021-12-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and the story was soon overshadowed by other aspects of Watergate and largely forgotten.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Times|first=Seymour M. Hersh Special to The New York|date=1974-02-03|title=Spying in the White House Said to Have Begun in '70|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/03/archives/spying-in-the-white-house-said-to-have-begun-in-70-refuses-to.html|access-date=2021-12-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The event remained obscure until the 1990s.<ref name=":1"/>