Special prosecutor Leon Jaworski subpoenas 64 White House tape recordings; Nixon releases edited transcripts and claims executive privilege protects the actual tapes

Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski issued a subpoena on April 18, 1974, for 64 specific White House tape recordings needed as evidence in the criminal trial of Nixon's former aides. Nixon produced edited transcripts of 42 conversations — claiming the transcripts were sufficient — and asserted that executive privilege protected the confidential communications between a president and his advisers from compelled disclosure to any court or prosecutor. U.S. District Judge John Sirica upheld the subpoena and ordered production of the actual tapes. Nixon appealed directly to the Supreme Court.