Breadcrumb

David G. Wilson (White House Special Files: Staff Member and Office Files)

Date Start
1971
Date End
1973
Abstract

The Presidential historical materials of David G. Wilson, Staff Assistant, Office of the Counsel to the President, are in custody of the National Archives and Records Administration under the provisions of Title I of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-526, 88 Stat. 1695) and implementing regulations. In accordance with the act and regulations, personal and private materials (including materials that are outside the date span covered by the act) and nonhistorical materials have been returned to Wilson.

Materials covered by the act have been archivally processed and are described in this register. Materials which are security classified or otherwise restricted under the act and regulations have been removed from the file and placed in a closed file. A Document Withdrawal Record, GSA Form 7279, with a description of each restricted document has been inserted at the beginning of each folder from which material has been removed. A Document Control Record marks the original position of the withdrawn item.

Employees of the National Archives will review periodically the unclassified portions of closed materials for the purpose of opening materials which no longer require restriction. Certain classified documents may be declassified under authority of Executive Order 13526 in response to a Mandatory Request (NA Form 14020) submitted by the researcher.

  • Linear feet of materials:   .8
  • Approximate number of pages:   1,600
Biographical Note

1941 August 17 Born in Evanston, Illinois

1959-1963 A.B., Princeton University

1963-1966 LL.B., Harvard University

1966 General corporate legal work; Ross, Hardies, O'Keefe, Babcock, McDugald and Parsons, Chicago, Ill.

1967-1968 Military Intelligence School, 2nd Lieutenant

1969 525th Military Intelligence Group My Tho, Vietnam, 1st Lieutenant

1968 Juris Doctor, Harvard Law School

1970-1971 Trial Attorney, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

1971-1973 Staff Assistant, Office of Counsel to the President

Scope and Content Note

The materials are arranged into one series:

  1. Chronological Files

The Chronological files of David G. Wilson are dated February 1971-February 1973. During this period Wilson was a staff assistant in the Office of the Counsel to the President. The bulk of the files consists of copies of memoranda from John Dean, Counsel to the President, with some correspondence from David Wilson to White House Staff members, heads of agencies and departments, members of Congress, and some private citizens. The memoranda concern demonstrations against the Vietnam War in Washington, D.C., and at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, legal interpretations of legislation, all types of legal advice, and filing statements for the President in state election primaries.

Four folders are identified as "Administratively Confidential - SECRET" and consist of memoranda concerning efforts of private citizens and government employees demonstrating against the Vietnam War, controversy over the use of a "milk fund" for campaign contributions, release of declassified papers, explanations of "executive privilege," and definitions of secrecy agreements for government workers.

All of the folders are identified with a number followed by a capital "W". The Chronological Files in the files of John Dean are also marked in a similar manner. It is possible that all the chronological reading files in the Office of the Counsel to the President are identified in this way. The dates of the material in the Dean files and the Wilson files overlap.

Series Description

Boxes:   1-2
Series:   Chronological Files
Spans:   1971 - 1973
Description:   Consists primarily of copies of memoranda from John Dean with some correspondence from David Wilson to the President, White House Staff members, heads of agencies and departments, members of Congress, and some private citizens.

Folders 114W-138W arranged in chronological order by month and year and in reverse chronological order thereunder.

Folder 139W consists of form White House Central Files Referral Sheets which request replies be sent by agencies and departments rather than the White House. Some copies of incoming and outgoing correspondence are attached. Arranged in reverse chronological order.

Folders 140W-143W are identified as "Administratively Confidential-SECRET" and consist primarily of John Dean memoranda concerning matters considered sensitive by the White House staff members. Folders are arranged in chronological order and in reverse chronological order thereunder.

Folder Title List

CHRONOLOGICAL FILES, 1971-1973

Box 1

114W Chronological File [February 1971]
115W Chronological File [March 1971]
116W Chronological File [April 1971]
117W Chronological File [May 1971]
118W Chronological File [June 1971]
119W Chronological File [July 1971]
120W Chronological File [August 1971]
121W Chronological File [September 1971]
122W Chronological File [October 1971]
123W Chronological File [November 1971]

Box 2

124W Chronological File [December 1971]
125W Chronological File [January 1972]
126W Chronological File [February 1972]
127W Chronological File [March 1972]
128W Chronological File [April 1972]
129W Chronological File [May 1972]
130W Chronological File [June 1972]
131W Chronological File [July 1972]
132W Chronological File [August 1972]
133W Chronological File [September 1972]
134W Chronological File [October 1972]
135W Chronological File [November 1972]
136W Chronological File [December 1972]
137W Chronological File [January 1973]
138W Chronological File [February 1973]
139W Referrals
140W Administratively Confidential - SECRET Chronological File [August 1971 - May 1972]
141W Administratively Confidential - SECRET Chronological File [June - August 1972]
142W Administratively Confidential - SECRET Chronological File [September - December 1972]
143W Administratively Confidential - SECRET Chronological File [January 1973]
[Clippings]