"When Nixon was re-elected, Butterfield was appointed on December 19, 1972 as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. He was routinely asked to appear before the United States Senate Select Committee headed by Sam Ervin and was interviewed by staff of the committee on July 13, 1973, prior to going before the Senators. John Dean had previously mentioned that he suspected White House conversations were taped, and the committee was therefore routinely asking witnesses about it. Butterfield did not want to voluntarily tell the committee of the system, but had decided before the hearing that he would, if asked a direct question."
"As it happened, Butterfield was asked the direct question by the minority (Republican) counsel, Donald Sanders. He told the staff members that "everything was taped ... as long as the President was in attendance. There was not so much as a hint that something should not be taped."[3] All present recognized the significance of this disclosure, and Butterfield was hastily put before the full Committee on July 16 to put the taping system on the record. Chief Minority Counsel, Fred Thompson, notably asked "Mr. Butterfield, are you aware of the installation of any listening devices in the Oval Office of the president?"
Good find. What Wikipedia doesn’t tell you is that former FBI agent Don Sanders was one of the biggest egotistical pricks in government.
He wore a vest at work and tried to look like actor George Sanders or James Mason.
Of all the FBI agents I either worked with or knew, Sanders and his boss at the old House Internal Security Committee were the worst re their inflated egos and prima donna behavior.(Had to bitchslap his boss once because he screwed up the work of his undercover operative, who was also working for me. That was fun!)
They were not liked by other HISC staffers which included some very nice gentlemen who were also former government agency investigators. I’m proud to say that most of the govt investigators I either worked with or knew were real professionals, gentlemen, and competent. Can’t say that today!