Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 13, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 13, 1973 (1/2)
[00.47.30] Senator MONTOYA. Were you in touch on or about the 6th of July with anyone connected with the White House or with the committee? Mr. STANS. I was out of town then. I do not recall any phone calls until I got to Florida. I had a phone call from Bob Mardian. Senator Montoya. And what wit-, that telephone call about? Mr. STANS. About the importance of my going to California. Mr. Mardian had been in charge of that region of States. There was a very difficult budget, problem with the California, Campaign Committee that had not been resolved and he wanted very much for me. to go to California and try to work it out. Senator That was the only telephone call with Washington or anyone connected with the CRP or with the White House on that day? Mr. STANS. Senator, I really do not know who I talked to. This is only one I can recall, it was the important one because I tried to get out of the trip, I wanted to go directly to Seattle. Senator MONTOYA. To the best of your recollection, was that the only call? Mr. STANS. To the best of my recollection now, yes. Senator MONTOYA. And to the best, of your recollection, was the conversation confined just to the very subject and urgency of going to California? Mr. STANS. It was confined to that subject and to the suggestion that Mr. Sloan join me in California. Senator MONTOYA. That, is what, I was getting at. Now, who suggested to you that Mr. Sloan join you in California? Mr. STANS. I think it was Mr. Mardian. Senator MONTOYA. Did anyone else call you? Mr. STANS. Well, you are testing my recollection now but I do not recall anyone else telling it. Senator MONTOYA. Had you requested that Mr. Sloan join you? Mr. STANS. No; I had not. Senator MONTOYA. Did you ask Mr. Mardian why he should join You? Mr. STANS. I do not recall any discussion on that. He thought it would be a good idea if Sloan were in California. It was one of our biggest States. The budget problem was serious, and whatever his reasons were for Sloan going along I do not recall them at this time. I do not know that he even told me. Senator MONTOYA. Did you ever use Mr. Sloan in California during that trip for budgetary problems? Mr. STANS. Mr. Sloan sat in the meeting. Senator MONTOYA. Did he contribute anything to those meetings, any input? Mr. STANS. I do not recall that he did. Senator MONTOYA. Did he stay with you in your room or somewhere in the, same hotel next to your room? Mr. STANS. I think he was in the same hotel in a room somewhere but I do not know where it was. Senator MONTOYA. Did he discuss the fact, that, Magruder had been trying to get him to perjure himself with you? Mr. STANS. Well I really do not know whether he discussed it on that trip or not or whether that, had come out, earlier. Senator MONTOYA. Well, you must, have discussed something about the Magruder involvement during that trip. Did you? Mr. STANS. I do not think we did. I do not recall it. Senator MONTOYA. Did you discuss anything about Watergate with Mr. Sloan during that trip? Mr. STANS. Well, again, I think there were some discussions with Mr. Sloan toward the end of the trip but let me tell you what we were doing. We had a bud 'get meeting with the California people that lasted quite late. I flew that, night quite late. It was midnight, before I got, to Seattle. The next day I had a series of meetings beginning with breakfast, then private meetings, a luncheon meeting and a series of other meetings during which time Mr. Sloan met with the treasurer of the Washington finance committee. We left that afternoon late or evening, I guess it was either late that, evening or early the next: morning for Portland, Oreg., and I had a similar schedule. Mr. Sloan again met and talked with the treasurer of the Oregon State committee, so far as I can recall. We had a very busy time, and it was not until---- Senator MONTOYA. I know. Well, you had a little social conversation together, did you not? Mr. STANS. Yes, we did but the one, the only ones I recall were--- Senator MONTOYA. Did you socialize about Watergate? Mr. STANS. Senator, I really- do not recall. We talked about it, we talked about, it in terms of general interest, the nature of his concerns, but I do not know anything fundamental or new that came out in the course of that, trip.' [00.52.25]