Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. And did there come a time when Mr. Gordon Liddy joined your staff? Jeb Magruder. Yes. Samuel Dash, attorney. When did that happen and how did this occur? Jeb Magruder. In December. James Bierbower, attorney. Mr. Dash and Mr. Chairman, could he read a brief statement that we overlooked, just very brief, since it fits in here? Samuel Dash, attorney. All right. Jeb Magruder. Thank you. I did have a statement. I did want to read it in the beginning. I did help organize the Committee For the Re-Election of the President beginning in May 1971 and I remained there throughout the entire campaign. Unfortunately we made some mistakes in the campaign which have led to a major national concern. For errors in judgment that I made, I take full responsibility. I am, after all, a mature man and I am willing to face the consequences of my own acts. These mistakes were made by only a few participants in the campaign. Thousands of persons assisted in the Campaign to Re-elect the President and they did nothing illegal or unethical. As far as I know, at no point during this entire period from the time of planning of the Watergate to the time of trying to keep it from the public view, did the President have any knowledge of our errors in this matter? He had confidence in his aides and I must confess that some of us failed him. I regret that I must today name others who participated with me in the Watergate affair. This is not through any desire to implicate others but simply to give you the facts to the best of my recollection. Thank you.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. All right, Mr. Magruder, again, the question, did there come a time when Mr. Gordon Liddy joined staff and would you tell us when that happened and how did this occur? Jeb Magruder. He joined our staff In December 1971. At that point in time we had been needing the assistance of legal counsel in many areas, primarily in filing for 23 primary campaigns the President was going to enter and relating to the new election law. Before this time we had been using basically John Dean and his legal staff to assist us. And John was looking for an attorney, was looking for an attorney to assist us. We had gone through a number of names. In December John indicated to me, John Dean indicated to me that he had found an attorney that was acceptable to the then Attorney General and he brought G. Gordon Liddy to my office on a Friday early in December. He discussed with me his legal abilities and the general counsel's activities. And he also indicated that he would need an individual to engage in intelligence-gathering operations, that he had considerable back-ground in this area. Mr. Dean and I and Mr. Mitchell had discussed the intelligence-gathering situation previously. And Mr. Dean brought Mr. Liddy over for both those purposes and approximately a week later, I think December 13 exactly. On a Monday he joined our staff as general Counsel.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. With regard to these intelligence operations which Liddy now was going to undertake, could you give us some of the context of the earlier plans on the intelligence operations that Mr. Liddy was going to fill? Jeb Magruder. In September 1971 we had a luncheon meeting, John Dean called and asked me to join him and Jack Caulfield for lunch. At that time, they had envisioned a private investigating firm being formed by Mr. Caulfield. They called the project Sandwedge and the idea would be Mr. Caulfield would leave the White House form this private investigating firm and this firm would then be available then for the Committee To Re-Elect the President. In November of 1971 it was indicated to me that the project was not going to get off the ground and consequently, G. Gordon Liddy came into the picture after that.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. When Mr. Liddy did come into the picture were you aware of his prior relationships in the White House with the so-called plumbers group? Jeb Magruder. No, I was not. Samuel Dash, attorney. Were you aware at all of his activity with Mr. Hunt and the others break-in at Ellsberg psychiatrist's office? Jeb Magruder. No, I was not. Samuel Dash, attorney. Who finally approved Mr. Liddy's position at the committee? Jeb Magruder. Mr. Mitchell. Samuel Dash, attorney. What if anything did Mr. Liddy tell you about an intelligence operation that he was authorized to plan? Jeb Magruder. The next week, the week he began work for us we met on a Tuesday and discussed basically the new election law. At that time, he indicated to me that he had discussed a broad gauged intelligence plan with members of the White House staff. He mentioned particularly Mr. Dean. He did mention other individuals but I cannot recall their names and indicated he had been told he would have approximately $1 million budget. I indicated to him at that time that $1 million budget was a sizable budget and that he should prepare the background documents necessary to justify this budget. And that he would then have an opportunity to present the budget to the Attorney General.