Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
[00.24.34] Senator ERVIN. So there the public relations man either consciously or unconsciously was undertaking to deceive the American people, was he not? He kept that up month after month, did he not? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct, Senator. Senator ERVIN. There is a public relations, rather a White House press man, Ron Ziegler, and day after day when the news media and the hearers about this matter in these new discoveries, there was Ron Ziegler day after day in the White House giving incorrect statements to the American people to leave them under the impression that there was nothing, nothing was rotten in Denmark? Mr. MAGRUDER. I think in fairness to Mr. Ziegler, Mr. Shumway, and Mr. MacGregor, others to make public statements. I personally think that they honestly believed the story that we had come up with and they were only carrying out what they thought was the truth at that time. [00.25.33] Senator ERVIN. I will indulge in that assumption also, but here were all of these people who had participated in the planning of this including people of the stature of John Mitchell, and your stature, and LaRue and Mardian and Dean, knowing that every day the American people were being told things which were not true by Mr. Shumway and Mr. Ziegler, all of whom kept silent. Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir; that is correct,. Senator ERVIN. NOW, YOU talked to Mr. Haldeman in January before the trials were had? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And you told him at that time the truth about it, did you not? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And you also recommended that he take, care, by some kind of a, patronage job, of Mr.--- Mr. MAGRUDER. Porter, sir. Senator ERVIN. Mr. Porter. Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. Because he had rendered great, service in the coverup, was it not? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Sir. Senator ERVIN. Which service. consisted of committing perjury before the grand jury? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes sir. Senator ERVIN. And Mr. Haldeman certainly knew from January about your involvement, of Mr. Mitchell's involvement, and other people people's involvement that, you have discussed here in this sordid affair? Mr. MAGRUDER. I think to be fair. again, to Mr. Haldeman, he may have known it from me but, be probably did not know it from other officials and may have decided that their statements were more correct than mine. I do not know, I cannot speak for him, but I think people were indicating that, these things never did happen. Senator ERVIN. Well, do you not think that, to go to the relationship between Mr. Haldeman and the President which you witnessed while you were at the White House, it, was Mr. Haldeman's duty to go to the President with what, you told him ? Mr. MAGRUDER. Senator, I really cannot speak -for Mr. Haldeman. I do not think that is fair. for me to speak for him. I just--- Senator ERVIN. Do you think it -was somebody's duty, if they were interested in the President, to go and tell him the truth?, Mr. MAGRUDER. Senator, in hindsight, I think I agree with you completely. At the time of the case the atmosphere was different. Senator ERVIN. Notwithstanding the fact---- Mr. MAGRUDER. I cannot support my role in any of the, activities Senator, and I will not support it. It -was wrong. [00.28.04] Senator ERVIN. Well, the, scriptures say that men love darkness rather than light because of the deeds of evil. Somebody must have covered up something back in the, scripture days, to quote that. [Laughter.] Anyway notwithstanding. the fact that that you knew the truth about this. you saw time and time again where the President joined Shumway and Ron Ziegler in effect, by denying to the American people that anybody connected with the White House had anything to do with this? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct. Senator ERVIN. And at the time the President said that you knew that Strachan was connected with the White House and he was connected with it. You knew Dean was connected with the White House and he had been fully advised about it and you knew Mr. Haldeman had been advised by you about the truth? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is, correct. Senator ERVIN. Going back to this time the White House. the White House people there, they not only did not trust the people outside, the American people, they did not even trust themselves, did they not? The did not trust the FBI. They would not, turn over to the FBI investigations did they? Mr. MAGRUDER. I only know what you have read, I was not Involved in that, Senator so I cannot really comment. [00.29.38--LEHRER in studio] LEHRER states that Sen. ERVIN has finished for the moment {PBS Network ID--title screen "SENATE HEARINGS ON CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES"] [00.32.08--LEHRER] LEHRER introduces questioning by Fred THOMPSON.