Nixon’s Enemies List is the informal name of a series of documents used by White House staff to identify and track Nixon’s major political opponents, part of a campaign officially known as the “Opponents List and Political Enemies Project.” Colloquially, it refers to two lists of names that were published in newspapers on June 28, and December 21, 1973.
As a result of how the Senate Watergate Committee released the first list, it is composed of two parts—a top twenty list and another list of about 200 “Political Opponents” organized into categories. The original list of twenty people was compiled by Charles Colson, special counsel of the White House, and written by George Bell, Colson’s assistant, around September 1971, while the expanded version of the first list was prepared around September 1972. A Second Enemies List that targeted George McGovern’s campaign staff and supporters was later compiled by John Dean, which he shared with the Internal Revenue Service on September 11, 1972. The Enemies Lists became public knowledge on June 27, 1973, when Dean mentioned their existence during hearings with the Senate Watergate Committee.
In 2012, Rufus Edmisten donated his collection of papers to the Wilson Special Collections Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which included many files from his service as Deputy Chief Counsel on the Senate Watergate Committee. Among Edmisten’s papers was a file labeled “John Dean’s Copy of the Enemies List.” This file includes:
- The original memo, dated June 24, 1971, from White House aide George T. Bell to John Dean that was the cover memo for the "First Enemies List." The list itself is not included.
- The marked-up original of Charles Colson's "master list," which was an expansion of the first list of twenty names to over 200 individuals and organizations.
- The original cover memo and a copy of the "Second Enemies List" compiled by John Dean, containing the names of George McGovern staffers, supporters, and others.
- A copy of John Dean's infamous August 16, 1971, "Dealing with our Political Enermies" memo.
- Copies of memos related to Nixon's interest in using the Internal Revenue Service to harass his political opponents.
- And many other related working papers from the "Opponents List and Political Enemies Project."
Cover memo for the "First Enemies List"
An original typed memo, dated June 24, 1971, from George T. Bell to John Dean with the subject line “Opponents List,” which simply says, “Attached is the list of opponents which we have compiled. I thought it would be useful to you from time to time.”
Despite having the original cover memo for the document, the attached "First Enemies List" itself does not appear among the files donated by Rufus Edmisten in 2012.
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Expanded "master list" version of the "First Enemies List"
An original typed memorandum, dated September 9, 1971, from Charles Colson to John Dean which reads, “I have checked in blue those to whom I would give top priority. You might want to check someone else although I think you will find this is a pretty good list. Right on!”
The memo is the cover sheet to an expanded "First Enemies List" created by Charles Colson which listed the names of approximately 220 individuals and organizations, grouped under headings such as “Senators,” “12 Black Congressmen,” “Media,” etc. Check marks in blue ink appear next to a handful of the names on the list.
Click on the item image to view the complete record for the cover memo and "master list" of the "First Enemies List."
"Second Enemies List"
An original handwritten memorandum, dated September 17, 1971, to John Dean from Gordon Strachan (an aide to H.R. Haldeman) which says, “The attached should be of interest to you and the political enemies project.”
Attached to the memo are copies of several fragments of lists of names and organizations, primarily members of George McGovern’s campaign staff, supporters, and others.
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"Dealing with our Political Enemies"
A copy of a typed memorandum, dated August 16, 1971, titled, “Dealing with our Political Enemies.” The first paragraph reads, “This memorandum addresses the matter of how we can maximize the fact of our incumbency in dealing with persons known to be active in their opposition to our Administration. Stated a bit more bluntly – how we can use the available federal machinery to screw our political enemies."
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"I.R.S. Talking Paper"
A copy of an undated and unsigned typed memorandum, titled, “I.R.S. Talking Paper,” discussing the viability of using the Internal Revenue Service to harass people and organizations who had been identified by the “Political Enemies Project.”
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References:
Axtell, D. G. (n.d.). The First Enemies List. EnemiesList.info. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://www.enemieslist.info/list1.php
Axtell, D. G. (n.d.). The Second Enemies List or ‘List of McGovern Staff Members and Campaign Contributors.’ EnemiesList.info. Retrieved September 17, 2023, from https://www.enemieslist.info/list2.php