Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
[00.13.09] Senator ERVIN. Then after those two meetings. there was -a third meeting held in Key Biscayne In Florida, you went down to talk to Mitchell about this -With LaRue and you and LaRue and Mitchell participated in a meeting there where the plan was formalized and where they finally agreed to spend to enable Liddy to carry out the plan? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Mr. Mitchell approved the plan. Senator ERVIN. As a matter of fact, Mr. Mitchell had charge of the political branch of the Committee To Re-Elect the President, did he not? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, I had worked for Mr. Mitchell from the beginning. He and I were very close personally and he was in charge and responsible, for all of the authorizations and--- Senator ERVIN. Now, to summarize it, as a result of these matters, these discussions and the, determination to bug and surreptitiously enter the Democratic national headquarters, Liddy was employed and Liddy employed Hunt and Hunt, or Liddy or both of them employed McCord and Barker and Martinez and Gonzales and Sturgis. Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Sir. Senator ERVIN. And five of these, men that were caught in the Watergate, entered the Watergate as a result and pursued to carry out this plan which you and Mitchell and Dean and LaRue had approved. Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir, although I think that we should say that it was, the approval only was in one individual. Mr. LaRue had no authority nor did I nor Mr. Dean. Senator ERVIN. Well, he was in the meeting -where the plan was discussed and the decision to bug the, Watergate and to surreptitiously enter the Watergate were made? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct, Senator. Senator ERVIN. So these people were arrested in the Watergate carrying out the plan, -weren't, they? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. Then after that was done, some of those who were interested in the election of the President, some of those who had been associated in the White House, and some of them in the Committee To Re-Elect the President, became fearful that if the truth was revealed to the American people, it might have a bad effect on the chances of the President to be reelected? Mr. MAGRUDER. That was my feeling, Senator. Senator ERVIN. Yes. And it resulted that in order to avoid. that happening, then they agreed upon a coverup; did they not? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And the coverup had two aspects. One was based on the realization that Liddy, who had been arrested, Hunt, who had been arrested, McCord, who had been arrested, Barker, who had been arrested, Gonzales, Sturgis, and Martinez, who had been arrested, might spill the beans, so the expression is, unless they were taken care of. Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. So those who were interested in the election of the President, used funds that, were raised for his reelection in part and other funds that, were raised for that purpose, to provide them attorney fees and provide, them, compensation and to take, care of their families; did they not? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir, Senator ERVIN. And the, object of that was to keep these people from revealing the truth about the IV Watergate, was it not? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct; yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. Yes. Then for fear that, the trail might be pursued by the prosecuting attorney and the Committee To Re-Elect the President they devised a coverup story to the effect all of this money had been given to Liddy for him to engage in legitimate intelligence operations? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Sir: that IS correct Senator ERVIN. That, Matter was discussed by you. with Mitchell, Dean, LaRue. Strachan, Mardian, and all of those, was it not? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And they all acquiesced in it and encouraged it? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And after they had agreed on the story for the coverup, they told it to Parkinson and O'Brien, attorneys for the committee? Mr. MAGRUDER. Senator, I would like to clarify that. I only spoke to Mr. Parkinson about the true story. I did not discuss it, with Mr. O'Brien. Senator ERVIN. I may have misunderstood you. Mr. MAGRUDER. Mr.. Parkinson I think in fairness to Mr. Parkinson had different stories form other people so that, he may not have been aware of what was occurring. Senator ERVIN. I may have misunderstood the testimony but, I understood you to say first that you talked to Mr. Parkinson and that at that time, you told the true story. Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct, Mr. Mardian asked me to tell the truth to Mr. Parkinson, I told him the truth. Senator ERVIN. You told him who was implicated in it? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct. sir. Senator ERVIN. And then, I understood you to say that, later you had another conversation with Mr. Parkinson and Mr. O'Brien'? Mr. MAGRUDER. That was after the coverup story had been developed and as far as I know, Mr. O'Brien thought that was the legitimate, story and to be fair. to Mr. Parkinson, I think he was, told by others that, Magruder's true story was not true, that the coverup story was the true story and that was the story to be used. Senator ERVIN. I want to be just -to everybody. The story you are telling me, in effect, is that Mitchell. Dean, LaRue. Strachan, Mardian and yourself were the only ones who participated in the coverup Story or acquiesced in it Mr. MAGRUDER. I think that would be the list that I had direct dealing with myself. Senator ERVIN. And Parkinson and O'Brien were not involved in the coverup? Mr. MAGRUDER. As I said, I think I told Mr. Parkinson the truth but to my knowledge, he was then told that the truth was not the truth. That the coverup story was the truth and he and O'Brien worked on that basis. [00.19.06]