In some ways, Meier represented even more of threat, especially to the White House. Meier’s close friendship with Don Nixon had long been a source of concern for the President. Although Donald and Meier were told at various points to keep away from each other, Don wanted to maintain his Hughes connection and Meier had a job to do. Meier, after all, was charged by Hughes with handling business dealings with Don. Don later testified to the Watergate committee that he viewed Meier as “the number-two man with Hughes.” The Secret Service had already tapped Don’s telephone because of his connections with Hughes, and as early as July 1969, the Secret Service had, as mentioned, photographed Meier and Don at the Orange County Airport, prompting an angry call to Don from Rebozo. But Don persisted in seeing Meier, which led to yet another embarrassing column by Anderson. Meier was going to have lunch with George Clifford, an Anderson investigator, and Don joined them, only to start bragging about his international wheeling-dealing, A February 11, 1972, Anderson column reads, “Suddenly he fixed his gaze on a visitor [Meier] connected with the airline AirWest. ‘How do I get AirWest? Donald demanded. ‘We ought to do their catering. They owe me that.'” The story “upset the entire Nixon family.” according to Meier, who was told that by Don. “They” in Don’s quote is obviously Hughes.
2/11/1972