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Approved For Release 2008/11/06: CIA-RDP04M01816R000502010009-4 18 about the nature and scope of the mail opening project. Mitchell and Blount, though they acknowledge that there may have been a general discussion of mail covers, state that they were not informed about the opening of mail. Former President Nixon has stated that he was aware of the CIA's monitoring of mail between the United States and the Soviet Union and the Peoples'. Republic of China, but he disclaims any knowledge of mail openings. and the Department has uncovered no direct evidence which suggests that former President Nixon was ever specifically informed of the mail opening projects. It appears, however, that during the Nixon Administration the White House was receiving intelligence reports that enabled White House officials to determine that mail was being opened.. John D. Ehrlichman, a White House official in the Nixon Administration, testi- fied before the Senate Select Committee that. from his reading of intelligence reports, he was able to determine that mail was being intercepted, presumably by the CIA. With the resignations of Postmaster General Blount in 1971 and Attorney General Mitchell in 1972, Chief Inspector Cotter again believed himself to be the only A roved For Release 2008/11/06: CIA-RDP04M01816R000502010009-4