Gerald R. Ford Library 1000 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2114 www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov

Counsellors to the President

DEAN BURCH

Counsellor to the President for Political Affairs:

Files, 1974

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Materials reflecting the work of Burch and his staff from August to December 1974 on White House liaison with the Republican National Committee and other party organizations, political advice to the President on such topics as legislation and appointments to positions, and the President's involvement in the 1974 election campaign.

QUANTITY

2.8 linear feet (ca. 5,600 pages)

DONOR

Gerald R. Ford (accession number 77-107)

ACCESS

Open. Some items are temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT

Gerald Ford has donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by William H. McNitt, July 1984

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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Dean Burch

Dec. 20, 1927 Born, Enid, Oklahoma

1946‑48 U.S. Army

1948‑53 University of Arizona (L.L.B.)

1953‑54 Assistant Attorney General of Arizona

1955‑59 Administrative Assistant to U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater

1959‑69 Member, Law Firm of Dunseath, Stubb and Burch of Tucson, Arizona

1963‑64 Deputy Director, Goldwater for President Campaign

1964‑65 Chairman, Republican National Committee

1968 Manager, Goldwater for Senate Campaign

1969‑70 Member, Arizona Board of Regents

1969‑74 Chairman, Federal Communications Commission

Feb.‑Dec. 1974 Counsellor to Presidents Nixon and Ford

1975‑present Member, Law Firm of Pierson, Ball and Dowd, Washington, D.C.

1980 Chief of Staff, George Bush Vice Presidential Campaign and Senior Advisor to the Reagan‑Bush Committee

INTRODUCTION

The Dean Burch Files reflect the work of Burch and his staff from August to December 1974 on White House liaison with the Republican National Committee and other party organizations, political advice to the President on such topics as legislation and appointments to positions, and the President's involvement in the 1974 election campaign.

Burch joined the White House staff as Counsellor to the President in February 1974 to provide political advice and coordination for President Richard Nixon, then served President Ford in the same capacity. Burch's key assistants during the Ford administration were Charles Lichenstein, Gwen Anderson and Peter Roussel.

Although the Burch files contain materials on various aspects of White House involvement in politics, the primary focus is the 1974 elections, especially races for Congress and Governor. The files show Burch involvement in scheduling presidential fund‑raising and campaign appearances with local party officials. Also included in the files are candidate endorsement letters and briefing papers for the President's photographic and taping sessions with Republican candidates.

The files also contain a small, but significant, file of correspondence between Burch and the Republican National Committee concerning party matters and scattered items showing his political advice to the President. Occasional items relating to broadcasting and telecommunications policy appear due to his previous service as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.

Related Materials (July 1984):

The most important related materials include White House Central Files categories PL (Political Affairs) and TR 3 (Campaign Trips). The files of Rogers Morton concern his work as Counsellor to the President for political affairs in 1976 and numerous other collections concern the 1976 presidential election. A listing of these materials on the 1976 campaign is available from the reference archivist. The files of Gwen Anderson contain significant materials on the 1974 campaign, but are currently unprocessed and unavailable for research.

Series Descriptions

1‑7 Subject File, 1974. (2.8 linear feet)

Memoranda to and from White House staff members and officials elsewhere in the federal government; correspondence with Republican Party officials, the general public, family and friends; briefing papers; polling data; schedules; and clippings. For the most part the materials concern liaison with the Republican Party, the 1974 election and political advice to the President. Although most of the folders are subject orientated, small chronological files of routine correspondence, memoranda, and materials handled by Burch's assistant Charles Lichenstein are included.

Arranged alphabetically by topic.

Container List

Box 1 Subject File

Action Memoranda ‑ General

Action Memoranda ‑ Personnel (1)‑(2)

Amnesty

Brown, Skip

Burch, Dean ‑ Invitations: General ‑ Pending

Burch, Dean ‑ Invitations: General ‑ Regretted

Burch, Dean ‑ Invitations: Social (1)‑(2)

Burch, Dean ‑ Staff

Burch, Dean ‑ Trip to Anaheim, CA

Briefing Materials Drafted for the President

Cabinet Meetings

Campaign Briefings

Campaign General (1)‑(3)

Campaign Reform Legislation

Campaign Results

Campaign Themes

Candidates ‑ Endorsement Letters (1)‑(3)

Box 2 Subject File

Candidates ‑ Governors

Candidates ‑ House of Representatives

Candidates ‑ Presidential Photo and Taping Sessions (1)‑(2)

Candidates ‑ Senate

Civil Aeronautics Board

Clemency Board

Congressional Leadership Meetings

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Board, Appointments to

Correspondence (1)‑(7)

Box 3 Subject File

Defense Department

Economy

Election Analysis

Election Night

Fair Labor Standards Act

Garvey, Jim

Japan Visit

Latinos

Legal Services Board, Appointments to

Letters for the President's Signature

Lichenstein, Charles ‑ Chronological File (1)‑(7)

Meeting With the President, Republican National Committee Leaders and Senior

Staff, 12/12/74

Memoranda ‑ Cabinet Departments

Memoranda ‑ President

Box 4 Subject File

Memoranda ‑ White House Staff (1)‑(2)

National Transportation Safety Board ‑ Reappointment of Isabel Burgess

Nixon Pardon

Office of Telecommunications Policy

Pending File

Political Appointments (1)‑(4)

Polls ‑ General

Polls ‑ Republican National Committee

Presidential Trips ‑ General

Presidential Trips ‑ Proposed Schedules (1)‑(2)

Box 5 Subject File

Presidential Trips

‑ Ohio, 8/30/74

‑ Utah and California, 10/2‑7/74

‑ Vermont, 10/7/74 (1)‑(2)

‑ Pennsylvania, 10/9/74 (1)‑(2)

‑ Michigan, 10/10/74

‑ Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska and Indiana, 10/15‑16/74 (1)‑(4)

‑ South Carolina, North Carolina and Kentucky, 10/19/74

‑ Mexico, 10/21/74

Box 6 Subject File

Presidential Trips

‑ Oklahoma and Ohio, 10‑21‑22/74

‑ Iowa and Illinois, 10/24/74 (1)‑(2)

‑ Grand Rapids, MI, 10/29/74

‑ Iowa and Los Angeles, 10/31/74‑11/1/74 (1)‑(2)

‑ Fresno and Oregon, 11/11/74 (1)‑(3)

‑ Utah, Colorado and Kansas, 11/2/74 (1)‑(2)

Box 7 Subject File

Primaries

Regulatory Review

Republican National Committee (1)‑(3)

Requests ‑ Candidate Endorsement Letters

Requests ‑ Presidential Appearances: Campaigns and Fundraising (1)‑(2)

Requests ‑ Presidential Appearances: General

Requests ‑ Presidential Autographs

Rhode Island

Rule 29 Committee

Scheduling ‑ First Family

Scheduling ‑ President

Scheduling ‑ Presidential Meetings at the White House

Scheduling ‑ Presidential Spokesmen

Scheduling ‑ Vice President

Tayloe House, Request for Use of

Telegrams for Presidential Signature

Transportation Department

White House Political Operations

White House Social Functions ‑ Suggested Invitees