Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 25, 1973 - Testimony of John Dean.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 25, 1973 - Testimony of John Dean.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 25, 1973 - Testimony of John Dean.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 25, 1973 - Testimony of John Dean.
During my conversation with Mr. Krogh about Young, he suggested that Mr. Gordon Liddy might be available in that he had just about completed his work. Krogh spoke very highly of Liddy's legal ability and said that his FBI Treasury Department background in law enforcement would qualify him to handle a demonstration intelligence and security operation for the reelection committee. I did not know Mr. Liddy, but I respected Krogh's judgment, both as to his judgment of other lawyers and his knowledge of law enforcement. Bud had dealt with the demonstration problems for the White House before I joined the staff. I asked Mr. Krogh to find out if Mr. Liddy was interested. Several days later Mr. Krogh informed me that Liddy was interested and asked me to come to his (Krogh's) office and meet Liddy and describe the job. I did this. I told Liddy that the primary responsibility for the job was to serve as the lawyer for the reelection committee but among the responsibilities of the general counsel would be keeping abreast of the potential of demonstrations that might affect the campaign. Liddy said he was interested. Krogh said that he would first have to clear it with Ehrlichman. I advised them that Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Magruder would be making the decision on filling the post. And if Krogh got the okay from Ehrlichman, I would set up a meeting for Liddy to be interviewed by Mr. Mitchell.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 25, 1973 - Testimony of John Dean.
When Mr. Krogh gave me the okay from Ehrlichman, I called Mr. Mitchell and told him that Krogh, with Ehrlichman's approval, had Suggested Gordon Liddy for the general counsel post and I arranged for Liddy to meet Mitchell on November 24th, 1971, after Mr. Caulfield met with Mr. Mitchell. I attended the meeting with Mitchell and Liddy, and I have submitted to the committee, exhibit 12, a copy of an agenda Mr. Liddy prepared for the interview session. While I cannot recall every detail that was as discussed, I do recall that it was a very general job-type interview. Mitchell realized that Liddy was not familiar with the election laws and asked if I would assist him in any way I could in getting himself familiar with those laws. I agreed. There was virtually no discussion of intelligence plans, other than that Liddy would draw up some sort of plans. Most of the conversation centered around title and compensation. Mr. Mitchell agreed that Liddy would be titled general counsel. I do not recall the rate of his compensation. I also recall that Liddy asked Mr. Mitchell when he would actually join the campaign, but Mitchell said he did not know.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 25, 1973 - Testimony of John Dean.
After this meeting, Mitchell called me to say that he wanted Magruder to interview Liddy because Magruder would be the man working most with him. I so advised Liddy and on December 8, 1971, Mr. Magruder requested I bring Liddy over to his office for an interview. The interview in Magruder's office on December 8 was brief and nonsubstantive. Magruder told Liddy that he had a host of legal problems that needed attention immediately and pointed to a stack of papers that I assumed contained the problems that he was concerned about. There was a brief discussion of Liddy's responsibilities for demonstrations vis-a-vis the campaign and Liddy said that after he got acclimated to the committee's problems and needs he would draw up a plan. Magruder requested that Liddy come to work as soon as possible which I believe was the following Monday.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 25, 1973 - Testimony of John Dean.
After Liddy was hired at the reelection committee, I informed my staff, principally Mr. Fred Fielding and Mr. David Wilson, that they should assist Liddy in becoming familiar with the election laws, I made my election law files available to Liddy and believe that he used them and he had periodic contact with my staff and myself on election law matters. I can recall that I had several discussions with Liddy about his responsibilities with the reelection committee in complying with the election laws. He told me that he had more work than there were hours in the day to complete it. I urged him to get volunteer lawyers to assist him and suggested several names of lawyers who might assist him. I can also recall that several weeks after Liddy left the White House he was asked to turn in his White House pass. Liddy came to me and asked me to intervene on his behalf so that he might retain his pass he and avoid the cumbersome procedures of clearance every time that he wished to enter the White House. I thought that my office would have a good deal of contact with Liddy, so I requested that he be permitted to keep his pass. This request was turned down, however, because they had decided to provide a fixed number of passes for the people at the reelection committee and Magruder would decide who got the passes. I so informed Liddy and never heard any more, about the matter.