Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
[00.11.24] ****SEE RESTRICTIONS FIELD IN RIGHTS SECTION***** Senator MONTOYA. If the Chairman and the members of the committee will permit me to read this into the record and then I will introduce it. [reading] July 28, 1971, Confidential: Memorandum for the Attorney General: Dick Whitney, who is Secretary Stans' political Special Assistant spent some time with me discussing 1972. One idea which he brought up might be useful n other departments. The Secretary has built up a discretionary fund at Commerce that will total approximately $1,000,000. He is using this fund for conferences, hiring, and other activities that will be beneficial to the President's re-election. If you feel it is appropriate, Secretary Stans might discuss this concept with other Cabinet Officers to see fi they can develop the same kind of fund within their own departments. [end of read section] Senator MONTOYA. And then you have a line for "Approved, Disapproved, Comment", and your name appears, "Jeb S. Magruder," and this was your memorandum submitted to Mr. Mitchell. Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir, that is correct, sir. Senator MONTOYA. I submit this for the record, Mr. Chairman. Senator ERVIN. I believe it is already in there. I am not certain; if it is not, we will put it in as an exhibit. Senator MONTOYA. It was not admitted. Senator ERVIN. Like Senator Montoya. I have a compassionate heart, and I have a great deal of sympathy for thee predicament in which you find yourself. I was very much encouraged by your statement that you are not going to let this keep you from going ahead and living a useful life, and I would recommend to you go get the poem by Walter Malone called "Opportunity" which tells of "Each night I burn the records of the day. At sunrise every soul is born again," and I think it is the most encouraging set of words ever put together by any man. And despite your very unfortunate state at the present time, you have got about the greatest asset that any man can have, you have a wife who stands behind you in the shadows where the sun shines, so I wish you success in your future endeavors. I want to thank you for your testimony, and I presume that if we need to recall you, you will be available on proper notice. Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir, and I thank you for your comment. Senator ERVIN. Since the committee has some internal affairs to deal with on Monday, we will not have a public session on Monday. The net public session will be at 10 o'clock on Tuesday. [00.14.16--MacNEILL in studio] MacNEILL states that that is the end of one of the longest and most dramatic days of the four weeks of hearings, with MAGRUDER admitting that he and other high campaign officials took part in the planning and the coverup of Watergate. States that MAGRUDER's testimony points to H.R. HALDEMAN, former White House chief of staff, implicated in the activiites of the CRP by his aide, Gordon STRACHAN, who was the link between HALDEMAN and the CRP. STRACHAN has been added as a witness, reported to be willing to testify that HALDEMAN was in on the plans for WATERGATE all along. States that the hearings will resume on Tuesday with testimony of John DEAN. DEAN, former presidential counsel, likewise has a dramatic story to tell. [00.15.02--guest commentators Alan BARTH and Jack KRAMER] LEHRER introduces the commentators. Asks BARTH for his comments after four weeks of WATERGATE hearings. BARTH states that many people are troubled by the image of American politics being presented to the world by the hearings, and there is a great deal of soul-searching attendant that is vital for the health of self-government, compares to the trials of dealing with civil rights and racial inequalities. It's indisputably clear that the US has a problem that can be dealt with by resolute action and honest self-analysis MacNEILL asks him to define what the problem is BARTH says the problem lies in a devaluation of ethical life of the country, that there is unprecedented laxity where meand are justified by ends. At high levels, even leaving out the President for the moment, the tactics taken to win the election are unconscionable with the way Americans view the national character. [00.18.20]