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. Was there any special role that Mr. LaRue played in the Committee for the Re-Election of the President? Jeb Magruder. Mr. LaRue was an adviser to Mr. Mitchell's. He was a close friend of Mr. Mitchell's. He had become a close friend of mine. He was someone who worked with all of us. We all felt he had an astute political judgment and we worked very closely with Mr. LaRue on literally all matters that concerned the committee. Samuel Dash, attorney. Did there come a time after the second meeting that you had some difficulty with Mr. Liddy and Mr. LaRue played some role in that? Jeb Magruder. Yes. Samuel Dash, attorney. Will you tell us about that? Jeb Magruder. In approximately mid-March I had requested certain things from Mr. Liddy. I think relating his legal work as general counsel and they had not been forthcoming. I met him, ran into him on the third floor of our building and asked him would he be more cooperative in producing the work that we needed quickly. He indicated some disturbance with me at that time. I went upstairs and was somewhat agitated and asked him to come upstairs and discuss this matter with me. And at that time Mr. LaRue sat in on part of the meeting. At that time, we agreed that Mr. LaRue, Mr. Liddy would terminate from our committee completely at first and
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. What was the difficulty that did occur and what was the altercation, if you can be a little more specific? Jeb Magruder. Well, I simply put my hand on Mr. Liddy's shoulder and he asked me to remove it and indicated that if I did not serious consequences could occur. Samuel Dash, attorney. Was he more specific than serious consequences? Jeb Magruder. Well, he indicated that he would kill me. But I want to make it clear that I did not, I don t, regard that and I do not now regard that as a specific threat. It was simply Mr. Liddy's mannerism. I think he was indicating to me that he did not care for his relationship with me. That was all.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. Where, actually, did this particular meeting with you and Mr. Liddy occur? Jeb Magruder. The altercation or the meeting? Samuel Dash, attorney. The altercation. Jeb Magruder. In the lobby of the third floor, the reception area of the committee. Samuel Dash, attorney. And thereafter, there was a meeting with Mr. Liddy and Mr. LaRue came up? Jeb Magruder. Yes. Samuel Dash, attorney. Where did that happen? Jeb Magruder. In my office. Samuel Dash, attorney. What happened at that time? Jeb Magruder. Well, at first we agreed, Mr. Liddy and I, that he would terminate from completely the committee all activities. Then we discussed the intelligence gathering and he indicated at one point that possibly Mr. Hunt could become involved directly in this area or that we could cease any consideration of that. At that time, as I recall, Mr. LaRue indicated it would be best if we retained Mr. Liddy, at least in that area. But he was not overly specific. He just thought it was best that we keep things cool and not get too excited about the situation. What we then agreed to was to terminate him from our committee as general counsel, but retain him in the area of intelligence gathering.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. Well, now, at the time Mr. LaRue was anxious to have you keep Mr. Liddy in the intelligence gathering, did Mr. LaRue know what Mr. Liddy was planning to do? Jeb Magruder. I think in, again, Mr. LaRue sat in on many of our meetings, and he and I had and are still very close friends, and we discussed, I am sure, in general terms, Mr. Liddy's proposal. I could not recall a specific time sitting down with Mr. LaRue, though and telling him exactly what at Mr. Liddy's proposal were. Samuel Dash, attorney. By the way, did you know at that time, that Mr. Hunt was working with Mr. Liddy? Jeb Magruder. At that time, I think by that time, I had been encouraged by certain staff members at the White House to be sure that Mr. Hunt was not employed by us directly, but employed by Mr. Liddy. So I think I was aware at that time that he was. Samuel Dash, attorney. What staff members at the White House made such encouragement? Jeb Magruder. Mr. Howard, Richard Howard. Samuel Dash, attorney. Who is Mr. Richard Howard? Jeb Magruder. He was Mr. Colson's assistant. Samuel Dash, attorney. What if anything, did he say to you? What kind of encouragement did he give you? Jeb Magruder. He indicated that Mr. Hunt had completed his assignments at the White House and since we were now engaged in intelligence activities, he thought I would find Mr. Hunt, very valuable. I only met Mr. Hunt once, so I was not really quite sure in what terms he would be valuable. So I indicated to Mr. Howard that he should refer Mr. Hunt to Mr. Liddy and that Mr. Liddy would employ him. I did not know at that time that he and Mr. Liddy had worked together before.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. Now, also concerning this altercation you had with Mr. Liddy and your decision to terminate his employment did you receive, any communication from any other person from the White House concerning Mr. Liddy? Jeb Magruder. Yes, evidently Mr. Liddy, after he left my office, went and saw Mr. Dean and then Mr. Strachan. I received a call from Mr. Dean encouraging me not to become personally concerned about Mr. Liddy that I should not let my personal animosity and his get in the way of this project. And then I went over to the White House and was working with Mr. Strachan on normal campaign matters and he brought up the same subject and as we walked back to the committee it was a Friday afternoon I recall and it was raining. He indicated that although he had the same personal difficulties with Mr. Liddy that probably Mr. Liddy was quite professional in this intelligence gathering and we should retain him in this area.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. Did Mr. Egil Krogh ever talk to you concerning Mr. Liddy or Mr. Hunt? Jeb Magruder. Mr. Krogh did talk to me about Mr. Liddy and mentioned a number of times we should keep tight control over him but he was very effective. Samuel Dash, attorney. Did you know at any time of Mr. McCord's participation in Mr. Liddy's plan? Jeb Magruder. No.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. After the February 4 meeting in Mr. Mitchell's office when the plan was not still approved, did there come a time when anyone else at the White House urged you to get the Liddy plan approved? Jeb Magruder. Yes. Mr. Charles Colson called me one evening and asked me, in a sense, would we get off the stick and get the budget approved for Mr. Liddy's plans, that we needed information particularly on Mr. O'Brien. He did not mention, I want to make clear, anything relating to wiretapping or espionage at that time. Samuel Dash, attorney. But in that discussion did you get the impression yourself that he knew what the Liddy plan was? Jeb Magruder. Again I want to be careful here. I knew Mr. Hunt was a close friend of Mr. Colson's. He had been referred to me earlier by Mr. Colson. I did make the assumption that he did know but he did not say that he was aware of the specifics and never did say that to me at any time.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 14, 1973 - Testimony of Jeb Magruder
Samuel Dash, attorney. Would Mr. Colson be one of those persons who would be a line of communication to whatever Mr. Strachan was communicating to the White House? Jeb Magruder. I think Mr. Strachan worked closely with Mr. Colson, but his line of command was through Mr. Haldeman. Samuel Dash, attorney. Was anybody present when you received that telephone call from Mr. Colson? Jeb Magruder. Mr. LaRue was. Samuel Dash, attorney. Were there any further contacts that you had with Mr. Howard, Mr. Colson's assistant, concerning the call that Mr. Colson made to you? Jeb Magruder. Mr. Howard and I were fairly good friends. He had worked for me at the White House and a number of times we discussed the general intelligence-gathering situation and he did indicate what he thought was the professionalism, particularly of Mr. Hunt and the need to gather this information. But I would like to make it clear there was a general, I think, atmosphere in the White House and the committee of the need to gather information. This was not necessarily information that would be gathered illegally. Samuel Dash, attorney. Were Mr. Howard's discussions with you also urging you to try to pursue the Liddy plan? Jeb Magruder. Yes.