Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 25, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 25, 1973
[00.02.00-DEAN discussing his dealings with the FBI to gain information about the process of the Watergate investigation, which information was given to the principals in the case to aid in the COVERUP] RECEIPT OF REPORTS FROM THE FBI And I will begin by summarizing and saying to the best of my recollection it was in early July when I called Gray to discuss the, matter of receiving reports from the FBI. Gray indicated that, he was going to be, in his office on Saturday and that, I should come to his office and take a look at the reports in his office. I told him that I thought it was unwise for me to be coming in and out of the Justice Department, particularly since most of the guards and people at the Justice Department knew me. Accordingly, we arranged to meet later at his apartment and he said that he, would discuss the matter with me then. I recall we took a stroll to the side of his apartment building and sat, on a, bench in front of the river and talked generally about the case and I raised with him the matter of my receiving some of the raw FBI data regarding the investigation. Gray said that he would have to check but wanted an assurance from me that this information was being reported to the President and that was the principal purpose of the request, I assured him that it, was being reported to the President. Even though I was not directly aware of the fact, at that time, I was aware that Ehrlichman or Haldeman had daily discussions wit), the President, and I felt certain, because Haldeman often made, notes of my reporting back about the information I was, bringing to their attention that this information was given to the President. I do not recall when actually I received the first written information from the FBI, but I believe it was after July 21 when I received a summary report that had been prepared on the investigation to that stage. I would also like to now summarize to the bottom of the page, and indicate that when--- Mr. DASH. Bottom of page 72. Mr. DEAN. Seventy-two correct, and indicate that after I did get possession of the documents the FBI files, I found them not very meaningful and later Mr. Mardian, Mr. Parkinson, Mr. O'Brien came over to my office and read I the reports, and Mardian, they all reached the same conclusion and [00.04.15] I recall Mardian's reaction was that the documents indicated that the investigation was too vigorous and he was quite critical of Gray and asked me to tell Gray to slow down but I never made such a call. It was after I showed a copy of the July report to Mr. Mitchell that Mardian insisted that he be permitted To see the FBI report-,. Mitchell agreed. and thought that Paul O'Brien and Ken Parkinson should also see them. I recall that when Mardian, O'Brien and Parkinson finally came to my office to look at the reports they realized that they were, not very meaningful. It was Mr. Mardian, however who became very excited because Of the scope of the investigation that Gray was conducting and the tone of the cables he was sending out of headquarters. Mardian clearly thought that Gray was being too vigorous in his investigation of the case and was quite critical of Gray's handling of the. entire matter. He demanded that I tell Gray to slow down, but I never did so. Summarizing the first paragraph on page 73. I would also note that that I never showed any of these reports to any persons who were interviewed by the FBI and they were only given to Mr. Dick Moore of the White House Staff when he was working on the Segretti matter for Mr. Ehrlichman and Mr. Haldeman. [00.04.50-LEHRER in studio] LEHRER states that DEAN will next explain attempts to involve the CIA in the coverup] [PBS network id-title screen "SENATE HEARINGS ON CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES"] [00.07.19-LEHRER in studio] LEHRER states that DEAN will next explain an attempt to blame WATERGATE on the CIA. [00.07.34]