Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee Hearings on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 17, 19
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee Hearings on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 17, 19
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee Hearings on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 17, 1973 - Testimony of Bruce A Kehrli, Special Assistant to the President United States Senate Caucus Room, Washington DC
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee Hearings on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 17, 19
Senator Joseph MONTOYA (D-NM). Mr. Kehrli, How many people were separated or transferred to the Committee to Re-elect the President from the White House? Mr. KEHRLI. I don't have that exact figure with me. I can look that up. Senator MONTOYA. Would you furnish it for the record? Mr. KEHRLI. Yes sir I will. Senator MONTOYA. And how many people did you have at the White House during the course of last year, what was the largest number you had on the staff? You mentioned that now you have approximately five hundred on board. Mr. KEHRLI. Yes sir. Well, at one point we were around five ten and our FY74 budget is for four eighty and we will be down at 480. Senator MONTOYA. So you are fluctuating a reduction of approximately thirty people. Mr. KEHRLI. Yes sir. Senator MONTOYA. And do you have any on board from other departments? Mr. KEHRLI. At this point in time ... Senator MONTOYA. Yes. Mr. KEHRLI. Yes sir. Senator MONTOYA. How many approximately? Mr. KEHRLI. I don't have the figure on that, I can give you that figure ..... Senator MONTOYA. Okay, give me a round figure, more or less. Mr. KEHRLI. Oh, maybe fifteen. Senator MONTOYA. What was the cause for the reduction in the budget request? Mr. KEHRLI. The president's request that all parts of the executive office cut back and that's basically it. Senator MONTOYA. Now, during the course of the campaign, you were in charge of paying everyone on the White House staff, were you not? You were more or less the one who made the payroll? Mr. KEHRLI. No sir, well I was indirectly in charge of the payroll. We have an accounting operation consisting of career government employees who handle the payroll and the details that go along with that. Senator MONTOYA. How were those people from the White House staff who accompanied the president paid per diem when they remained at some places overnight during the political campaign? Mr. KEHRLI. They were paid out of funds from the Committee to Re-elect. Senator MONTOYA. You had no, you did not authorize the payment of any funds to these people out of White House funds? Mr. KEHRLI. Not that I know of. And again, as I said we bent over backwards trying to make sure that anything that could come anywhere near being considered political was paid for out of the committee to re-elect. And in fact, I'm sure that in many cases there were events that were not political in any way, shape or form, but to avoid any question we paid for them out of committee to re-elect funds. Senator MONTOYA. Mr. Chairman, in view of the committee's policy that we not prolong the testimony of this witness, because he was called for a different purpose other than for matters of substance, I will defer any further questioning if he is going to appear again. (MS committee)
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee Hearings on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 17, 19
Senator Sam ERVIN. Thank you very much (unclear) ...willing to come back at some future time .... Mr. KEHRLI. Yes sir. Senator ERVIN. ...and also willing to supply for the record the information in which Senator Montoya asked you a moment ago about the number of people and the identity of the people who transferred from the White House staff to the Committee to Re-elect the President. Mr. KEHRLI. Yes sir. Senator ERVIN. Thank you very much. Mr. KEHRLI. Thank you.