University of Virginia Library

Post Reports Republican Efforts
To Sabotage Democratic Party

By DOROTHY YOUNG

The Washington Post
reported yesterday that FBI
agents have uncovered a whole
system of sabotage efforts
conducted by the Committee
for the Re-election of the
President and directed at
Democratic presidential
hopefuls and the Democratic
Party.

According to the Post,
Republican "Intelligence
Work" in behalf of the 1972
Nixon campaign has been
found to include "following
members of Democratic
candidates' families; forging
letters and distributing them
under the candidates'
letterheads; leaking false and
manufactured items to the
press; throwing campaign
schedules into disarray; seizing
confidential campaign files;
and investigating the lives of
dozens of Democratic
campaign workers."

The Post's report stated
that GOP campaign funds have
been channeled into these
attempts to discredit the
Democratic candidates,
attempts which have been
termed part of the "basic
strategy" of the President's
re-election committee.

The primary example cited
by law enforcement officials is
a White House official's
fabrication of a letter to the
editor of the Manchester Union
Leader on Feb. 24, less than
two weeks before the New
Hampshire primary, alleging
that Senator Edmund S.
Muskie "condoned a racial slur
on Americans of
French-American descent as
Canucks." The letter resulted
in Muskie's "crying speech"
before the newspaper's office,
an action that inflicted
irreparable harm on Muskie's
campaign.

Ken W. Clawson, deputy
director of White House
Communications, is reported
to have admitted writing the
letter, but he now denies any
knowledge of the incident.
Investigation is continuing
because of a recently
uncovered claim that an
unidentified person was paid
$1,000 to aid in the "Canuck
hoax."

White House officials deny
any connection with the
undercover activities despite
the Post's reference to FBI and