Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 29, 1974 (1/2)
Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 29, 1974 (1/2)
[00.56.55] The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman has consumed 2 more minutes; 10 minutes now are remaining for those in support of the amendment amendment, and 10 minutes remaining in opposition to the amendment. The gentleman from California, Mr. WIGGINS. I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Maraziti, is recognized for 5 minutes. Mr. MARAZITI. Thank you. I support the motion of the gentleman from California, Mr. Wiggins. There was clear legal authority for the warrantless national security wiretaps at the time that the 17 taps were conducted. Now former Attorney General Richardson, referring to case law, has stated that the. Department of Justice is justified in relying on lower court decisions permitting national security wiretaps. And let me say that I certainly agree with what has been said here today that we must look at the circumstances to justify wiretaps On the, basis of national security. But, I believe that the circumstances surrounding these wiretaps demonstrate clearly that they involved national security. Now, as has been discussed, we know that the Government at that time, or we must look back, -we cannot look as of today, the Government was faced with massive leaks of sensitive foreign policy information When the President was just beginning to establish policies of future relationships with other nations, these leaks began in the spring of 1969, when President Nixon was exploring the solutions to the Vietnam -war. These leaks were damaging to the diplomatic efforts being made to end the war at that time. And I disagree with the gentleman from California, Mr. Edwards, that these wiretaps had nothing , to do with the Vietnam war. Let us listen to Henry Kissinger and see what Henry Kissinger thought. And here, is what Mr. Kissinger thought. "Each of the above disclosures were extremely damaging with respect to this Government's relationship and credibility with its allies. With the South Vietnam Government to hear publicly of our apparent willingness to consider unilateral withdrawals, without first discussing such an approach with them, raised a serious question as to our reliability and credibility as an ally." And they had a great deal to do with the Vietnam war, quoting Mr. Kissinger. And I think be is an authority in this area. Some of the most damaging leaks occurred with regard to the SALT negotiations, And despite what the gentleman from California states, the SALT negotiations were involved. On January 20, 1969, when the President first took office, be immediately directed that, in overall study be Undertaken regarding the U.S. strategic force posture for the internal USE! Of the Government and for the Use in the SALT negotiations. Now, notwithstanding the need for secrecy of the study, and it is obvious, the May 2, 1969, edition of a large newspaper reported five strategic options under study. These options were published in the press, in advance before they Were considered by the National Security Council of the U.S. Government. The damaging nature of these disclosures was summed up by Henry Kissinger again. He said, "-Each of these disclosures -was of, the most extreme gravity, as presentations of the, Government's thinking on these key issues provided the Soviet Union with extensive insight as to our approach to the SALT negotiations. I say, I say again, they, had reference, these wiretaps had reference to the SALT negotiations. Mr. EILBERG. . Mr. Chairman ? Mr. MARAZITI. Now, let, me say that the results of the wiretaps in several instances were fruitful. Now, we must realize that when wiretaps are placed, they certainly will pick up certain personal items that were not needed, but, in this Particular case the results -were, successful in a number of instances. The, FBI reported that several of the National Security Council staff members had extensive contacts with members of the press. In particular, two employees, X and L, discussed many aspects of the internal workings of the National Security Council with a newsman. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman has consumed 5 minutes. Mr. EILBERG. Mr. Chairman ? Mr. MARAZITI. I ask for 1 more moment, to finish. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman's time is expired, the 5 minutes-'. Mr. WIGGINS. Well, I cannot yield at the moment, but I will see, you get more time. Mr. MARAZITI. Thank you very much. The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Pennsylvania is recognized for 3 minutes. Mr. EILBERG. Mr. Chairman, I oppose the motion to strike. We are told that national security is involved, but I would like to suggest that the mere assertion of national security not enough, The gentleman from Wisconsin has given the Criteria, and I think the members can read for themselves and see that the criteria have not been met. More importantly, they have seen the excerpts for themselves and I am sure that the memory of these excerpts is present in the minds of all of the members. Certainly I recall them very vividly, and perhaps have reason to. Let me say, Mr. Chairman, that Mr. Nixon himself on February 28, stated that the taps were a joke, that these taps were a Joke and that they never had proved anything. It, seems to me, Mr. Chairman, that this was all adventure into the private rights of individual citizens, and I would like to discuss for a moment just -what- the use of wiretaps and secret listening devices means in a free society. I am sure we all remember the stories on television and the movies and books about Spying, which has gone into Nazi Germany and into the Soviet Union, and we have learned how in Russia you must never have a serious conversation without turning on the. water or the radio so that your conversation cannot be heard by the, secret listening devices. And it is also an axiom that the telephone is tapped in Russia so that everyone takes long walks in the park so that they can communicate. This has become an article of faith that in Russia Big Brother has arrived, that the secret police are always listening. Now we learn that in the late 1960's and early 1970's and possibly right up to this date, the secret police have been listening in------ [01.04.18---TAPE OUT]