Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Master 10362 Part 2 Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee Hearings on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 18, 1973 - Testimony of James McCord (Jim McCord) Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Senator Herman TALMADGE. You testified this morning about a meeting in Mr. Mitchell s office. Was there more than one meeting with the Attorney General or only one? Mr. James McCORD. I understood that there was more than, there was more than one. Senator TALMADGE. Talking about in which you personally were involved. Mr. McCORD. I did not attend, but I was told by Mr. Liddy that there was more than one meeting that took place. I had heard him mention two specifically. Senator TALMADGE. Did you yourself ever attend a meeting in Mr. Mitchell s office, about any matter? Mr. McCORD. No sir. I attended meetings, yes, in his office, at the Committee to Re-Elect the President when he subsequently came over, I visited his offices at the Attorney Generals office at the Department of Justice in December on another matter, but not to discuss these particular operations. Senator TALMADGE. How many different visits of conversations have you ever had with Mr. Mitchell? Mr. McCORD. Numerous sir. Senator TALMADGE. Dozen, fifteen, twenty, more? Mr. McCORD. I would guess fifteen. Senator TALMADGE. Does he know you by your name, individually? Mr. McCORD. Yes sir. Senator TALMADGE. And you know him? Mr. McCORD. Yes sir. Senator TALMADGE. You called him Mr. Attorney General, I presume? Mr. McCORD. Yes sir. Senator TALMADGE. And what did he call you? Mr. McCORD. Before June 17th? (courtroom breaks into laughter, clapping, funny) Senator TALMADGE. (laughing, smiling) Before and after, please. Mr. McCORD. I haven't seen him since June 17th, he called me Jim I believe. Senator TALMADGE. He called you Jim, so you were on a first name basis with him. And that's the only evidence that you have that would involve either the President of the United States or the Attorney General? Mr. McCORD. I'm sorry sir, I missed the question. Senator TALMADGE. The evidence that you have just reported including the individuals that you have named, based on what they heard others say which is hear-say, is the only evidence that you have involving either the President or the former Attorney General, is that correct? Mr. McCORD. No sir, the charts for example that I have described here .... Senator TALMADGE. I'm sorry, I can't hear you. What? Mr. McCORD. The charts of Mr. Liddy, which Mr. Liddy ... Senator TALMADGE. Targets of Mr. Liddy? Mr. McCORD. Charts, cardboard charts were one other evidence of his meetings with Mr. Mitchell and subsequently the money which Mr. Liddy transmitted to me for use in the operation he stated came thru the doings, the authorization of Mr. Mitchell. Senator TALMADGE. Those charts were also, you're relying on Mr. Liddy s hearsay testimony on that. Mr. McCORD. That is correct sir. Senator TALMADGE. Now, what made you think that either Mr. Caulfield or Mr. Hunt had the authority to offer executive clemency to you? Mr. McCORD. Mr. Caulfield because he told me that he was conveying a message from the very top level of the White House. Senator TALMADGE. You assume when he said top level that meant the President of the United States. Mr. McCORD. I assumed it meant one of three people sir. Senator TALMADGE. Alright, name them. Mr. McCORD. Mr. Haldeman, Mr. Erhlichman or the president. Senator TALMADGE. And what made you think Mr. Hunt had authority to offer executive clemency? Mr. McCORD. I did not believe that he had the authority, but I believed that the message that he was conveying probably that the message did originate with the White House. Because of several things, one that I knew from conversations with him and with his wife that he was in touch with the attorneys for the Committee for the Re-Election of the President, for one thing. Senator TALMADGE. Who was Mr. Hunts immediate superior? Mr. McCORD. His immediate superior at the White House, as I understood from him was Mr. Charles Colson, if that is your question sir. Senator TALMADGE. Mr. Colson, and he was council to the president? Mr. McCORD. I believe he was on the White House staff, this is prior to June 17th.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Senator TALMADGE. You testified this morning about the rental of office space near the McGovern Muskie Headquarters, I think originally it was Senator Muskies headquarters, and thereafter Senator McGovern s. Do you know who approved the rental of the office that you operated out of on 1908 K Street Northwest, directly adjacent to the Muskie McGovern Headquarters? Mr. McCORD. Mr. Liddy stated that in connection with the overall watergate operations, correction, in connection with the overall operations that he was discussing with Mr. Mitchell, that this space was desired, and would I arrange to have it leased and I did so. Senator TALMADGE. That was the reason you leased the space? Mr. McCORD. Yes sir. Senator TALMADGE. When was the day you attempted to enter the McGovern Headquarters here in Washington? Mr. McCORD. I believe the first date would have been about May 15th, when Mr. Hunt introduced me to a young man by the name of Thomas Gregory. Introduced me at I believe the Howard Johnson restaurant and subsequent to that introduction and a luncheon, we went to the McGovern Headquarters, seems to me in the afternoon, or the late afternoon and took a brief walk through the building itself, going in the front and coming out the backdoor, mainly to see the layout of the offices. It took perhaps five to ten minutes. Senator TALMADGE. Who else was involved? Mr. McCORD. Mr. Thomas Gregory who worked for Mr. Hunt. Senator TALMADGE. Just you and Mr. Gregory? Mr. McCORD. That went in, yes sir. Senator TALMADGE. Who gave the orders to attempt to enter the McGovern headquarters? Mr. McCORD. On that particular occasion, Mr. Hunt it had previous been agreed to or directed, correction, had been requested by Mr. Liddy . Senator TALMADGE. Why were you told that it was necessary to enter the Watergate complex on the week-end of June 17th, 1972? Mr. McCORD. A two-fold purpose. The first being to do for the team, the photography team to do photocopy work of documents within the Democratic National Committee, and secondly to install additional listening devices within the Democratic National Committee. Senator TALMADGE. (asks Chairman Ervin) My time up? Senator ERVIN. You can go ahead if you want to. Senator TALMADGE. What if I don't want to......I believe my time has expired. I will yield at this time for other questions. Senator ERVIN. Senator Gurney. Senator GURNEY. Thank you Mr. Chairman.