Mr. John Ehrlichman, a former senior advisor to President Nixon, began his testimony before the Senate Committee investigating the Watergate bugging scandal on Tuesday (July 24th). Reading from a 30-page prepared statement, he set the tone of his evidence on the first page by saying "I am here to refute every charge of illegal conduct on my part which has been made during the course of these hearings".

The Committee Chairman, Senator Sam Ervin, questioned Mr. Ehrlichman on the activities of Mr. Bud Krogh and Mr. David Young -- directors of the "special unit" or "Plumbers Group" in the White House, They sent a memorandum to Mr. Ehrlichman in August 1971, recommending that "a covert operation" be undertaken to examine the medical films on Dr. Daniel Ellsberg, who later stood trial accused of leaking the Pentagon Papers to the press.

Senator Ervin also questioned Mr. Ehrlichman on the funds which were carmarked for the clandestine "Plumbers". They were apparently employed to plug leaks of confidential government information.