May 10, 1972

Civil Ct Judge Klieger acquitted May 9 on charges of perjury and conspiracy involving pol contributions to Controller Beame's '65 NYC mayoral campaign; charges included 1 count of conspiracy concerning tax evasion for 'disguised pol contributions' in '65 campaign and 2 counts of perjury for his '70 grand jury testimony about the alleged scheme whereby corps were induced to make disguised campaign contributions which they deducted from their income taxes as business expenses; Klieger, who went on leave from Civil Ct after his indictment in fall '71, says that he will be a 'better judge' because of trial; if convicted, he could have faced up to 5 yrs in prison on each count, as well as substantial fines and disbarment

Kissinger, in White House news conf May 9 on Nixon's decision to seal off N Vietnamese harbors, acknowledges that decision has caused serious problem for Soviet policy makers and has endangered course of Soviet-Amer relations, but says Nixon Adm still hopes Nixon can go ahead with his trip to Moscow as planned; calls decision 'painful and difficult' but holds there was no honorable alternative; says he and Nixon realize action involves some risks and poses short-term difficulties for Soviet leaders, but says risks are not 'unacceptable'; many Adm officials seriously doubt USSR will permit Nixon's visit to take place as planned; Kissinger says he thinks it will be day or 2 before Soviet leaders decide; says US is proceeding with summit preparations and at moment sees no reason to postpone meeting; State Dept spokesman McCloskey underscores Amer desire to maintain Soviet-Amer relations on even keel; notes talks on key issues are continuing; announces Rogers will not resume his 8-nation Eur tour; says Asst Sec Hillenbrand, who stayed in Eur with rest of Rogers party, will continue tour in Rogers place

Nixon did not give mil final signal to mine N Vietnam harbors until nearly 2 PM May 8, 7 hrs before his s and minutes after a final, private talk with Sec Connally and H A Kissinger; Nixon made his decision in privacy and had drafted the s, by himself, over the weekend; began seriously to think of the mining strategy when Kissinger returned from Paris May 2 and told Nixon of his unsuccessful and humiliating session with Hanoi's chief negotiator, Le Duc Tho; Kissinger reptd that Hanoi's demands remain unchanged while USSR hints that it may be able to induce Hanoi to talk seriously had proved vain; Kissinger says of Nixon's decision that it was 'reached prayerfully and on the best belief that it will work, but only events will prove whether it will'

Hanoi delegation to Paris peace talks, in official commentary, May 9, says Nixon, by mining Haiphong port and stepping up air war, has taken 'gravest step in escalation of the war to date and thrown down an insolent challenge to the Vietnamese people'; says 'Vietnamese people will never accept Nixon's ultimatum'; charges US violates '54 Geneva agreements and its '68 pledge to end air attacks; also charges US spurns all 'reasonable' peace proposals

US Sen Curtis wins renomination in May 9 Neb Repub primary, easily defeating 2 opponents; State Sen Carpenter is leading in Dem Sen primary over Prof W C Peterson