The Company (Ehrlichman novel)
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The Company is a political fiction roman à clef novel authored by John Ehrlichman, who served as an aide to President Richard Nixon and was involved in the Watergate scandal. Released in 1976 by Simon & Schuster, the book’s title alludes to the Central Intelligence Agency. Its narrative loosely parallels the events that culminated in the Watergate coverup, concentrating on efforts by the Nixon administration to hide illicit CIA operations dating back to the era of the Kennedy administration. While the characters are fictionalized, they are modeled after actual political figures and journalists such as Jack Anderson.
The novel offers a critical perspective on Nixon, depicting the fictional President Monckton as a paranoid alcoholic, yet it primarily attributes his downfall to a conspiracy orchestrated by the CIA.
Plot summary
The central character is William "Bill" Martin, Director of the CIA, appointed by Democratic President Esker Scott Anderson. Martin’s relationship with Anderson began in the 1950s when Anderson was Senate Majority Leader. In his role as Deputy CIA Director, Martin orchestrated a covert invasion of the Dominican Republic involving U.S.-backed exiles. However, President Curry, concerned about potential repercussions, ordered the assassination of a rebel priest to sabotage the operation. CIA Inspector General Major-General Antonio Primula held Martin, then-DCI Horace McFall, and Curry responsible for this failure and recommended dismissing both Martin and McFall. Following Curry’s death, Anderson promoted Martin to DCI and secured his loyalty by promising confidentiality regarding the Primula report.
During Anderson’s presidency, he became ill and chose not to run for re-election; his Vice President Ed Gilley was defeated by Republican Richard Monckton, whom Martin perceived as a threat to both himself and the CIA. Martin maintained his directorship largely due to backing from Monckton’s National Security Advisor Carl Tessler.
Although wielding limited power, Martin discovered unlawful activities within Monckton’s administration and negotiated an agreement: in exchange for his silence, he would have the Primula Report destroyed and be appointed ambassador to Jamaica. Despite this arrangement, investigative journalism revealed Monckton's corrupt actions, leading to the collapse of his administration.
Key to real-life inspirations
- CIA Director William Martin - DCI Richard Helms
- President Richard "Dick" Monckton of Illinois - President Richard Nixon of California
- President Esker Scott "ESA" Anderson of Oregon - President Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas
- President William Arthur "Bill" Curry of New York - President John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts
- Vice President Edward Miller "Ed" Gilley of Pennsylvania - Vice President Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota
- Secretary of the Treasury Myron Dunn - John N. Mitchell
- Governor Thomas J. Froville of New Jersey - Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York
- National Security Advisor Dr. Carl Tessler - National Security Advisor Dr. Henry Kissinger
- Aide Frank Flaherty to President Monckton - White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman
- FBI Director Elmer Morse - FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
- Walter Tulloch - G. Gordon Liddy
- Roger Castle - Jeb Magruder
Release
Simon & Schuster's first edition consisted of 50,000 copies. Upon its debut, the book secured a spot on bestseller lists and experienced renewed attention a year later coinciding with the premiere of the television mini-series. Critics commended Ehrlichman for his exceptional writing and his detailed portrayal of life inside the White House.
Television adaptation
In 1977, ABC broadcast a six-episode mini-series titled Washington: Behind Closed Doors, featuring Cliff Robertson as William Martin, Jason Robards portraying President Monckton, Andy Griffith as President Anderson, Robert Vaughn in the role of Frank Flaherty, and Harold Gould as Carl Tessler. Paramount Television was responsible for producing the series.