White House Statement Following a District Court Order Requiring Production of Presidential Tape Recordings and Documents
AS MR. WRIGHT pointed out in his oral argument before the court, in camera inspection of these tapes is inconsistent with the President's position relating to the question of separation of powers as provided by the Constitution and the necessity of maintaining the precedent of confidentiality of private Presidential conversations for this President and for Presidents in the future. The President consequently will not comply with this order.
White House Counsel are now considering the possibility of obtaining appellate review, or how otherwise to sustain the President's position.
Note: The statement was issued at San Clemente, Calif.
Charles Alan Wright was consultant to the Counsel to the President.
John J. Sirica, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, issued the order on August 29, 1973. The text of the order, calling for the production of the subpoenaed tape recordings and documents for the Court's examination in camera, is printed in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (vol. 9, P. 1044).
Richard Nixon, White House Statement Following a District Court Order Requiring Production of Presidential Tape Recordings and Documents Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/255857