Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 25, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 25, 1973
[00.07.25-DEAN discusses working to cover up the activities of Donald SEGRETTI, who performed political "dirty tricks" for the White House] When Segretti came to my office the next morning. he told me of his relationship with Mr. Hunt and that he had only had incidental dealings with him and recalled meeting a with him twice in Florida and several subsequent telephone calls. Segretti told me that Hunt had "scared him' and that he had really decided early on to deal with him as little as possible. Segretti then described how he had been hired and the fact that he had met with Kalmbach to arrange his compensation. He said he wanted to know whether he should mention the fact that Strachan. and Chapin had recruited him and Kalmbach was paying him when He was interviewed by the FBI. [00.08.07] I told Segretti that he should answer any and all questions asked about Hunt and his relationship with Hunt but that he should withhold the names of Strachan, Chapin, and Kalmbach unless the FBI felt it was absolutely necessary to have the names. Segretti departed and returned to California. Several days after Segretti' FBI interview he called me and told me that he thought his interview had gone very well. He said he told the., FBI everything He knew about Mr. Hunt and the fact that he had no knowledge of the Watergate incident and that the agents had not pressed him in a manner that required him to reveal the names of Strachan, Chapin and Kalmbach. I thanked him for informing me, of the results of his interview and did not hear again from him until much later. [00.08.55] The next time I heard from Segretti was in August, during the Republican National Convention In Miami. I received a call from Mr. Chapin who indicated that Segretti was concerned about the fact that he being called before a Federal grand jury in Washington to investigate the Watergate. Chapin told me that Segretti was looking for guidance as to his appearance before the grand jury and that he was concerned that he might have to reveal the names of Strachan, Chapin, and Kalmbach. I informed Chapin that it Would be impossible for me to go to Washington to see Segretti, but if he wished to come to Florida prior to his scheduled grand jury appearance. I would be happy to meet with him. [00.09.30-again, Henry PETERSEN is called on to fix a White House concern with the justice Department] After my conversation with Chapin, I called Mr. Peterson at the Department of Justice and explained the problem that was confronting Segretti. I told Petersen that to the of my knowledge Segretti had no involvement in the Watergate incident but he had had dealings with Hunt in connection with some campaign activities he had been performing for the White House. I also informed Petersen that he was being paid by the President's personal attorney, Mr. Kalmbach, and that he had been recruited by Chapin and Strachan. I said. that these facts, if revealed, would obviously be. quite embarrassing and could cause political problems during the waning weeks of the election. Mr. Petersen said that he understood the problem and would determine what he could do. I subsequently talked to Petersen again and be told me that he did not believe it would be necessary for the prosecutors to get into these areas when Mr. Segretti appeared before the grand jury. Segretti came to Florida a day or so before his appearance before, the, grand jury. To the best of my recollection it was on a Saturday, during the week I was in Miami preparing for the convention. I had a very brief meeting with Segretti not longer than 30 minutes, as I recall in which -we reviewed his potential problem. I told him that I did not believe that the, Government was particularly interested in pursuing the names of Strachan, Chapin, and Kalmbach in connection with his activities and I doubted if he would be asked any questions about these areas. I told him, however, if he, were asked the questions, that he should answer any question and every question truthfully, and if he were asked the names of who had hired him and who had paid him that he should give the names. I told him if pressed, he, should lay out the whole ball of wax. I later learned from Segretti that the names had come out during the grand jury appearance and I had a discussion later with Petersen, also on the subject in which he told me that Mr. Silbert had tried to avoid getting into this area and in fact did not ask him the question which resulted in his giving the names, rather that a grand juror had asked the question despite the fact that the prosecutors had tried to gloss over it. [00.11.40-the COVERUP widens, more holes to plug, H.R. HALDEMAN is in jeopardy of being revealed in complicity with WATERGATE] As a result of Segretti's appearance before the grand jury, FBI` interviews were scheduled for Chapin, Strachan, and Kalmbach. I had, by this time. learned the full story, that in fact Haldeman, in a meeting with Kalmbach, had approved Segretti's activities and authorized Kalmbach to make the. payments to Segretti, In discussing this Chapin and Strachan before their appearances or their FBI interviews, I should say, they both had great concern about revealing Haldeman's involvement. -In fact, I recall that Strachan came into my office when Dick Moor was present, and said that he would, if necessary, perjure himself to prevent involving Haldeman in this matter. I told Strachan that that was certainly not necessary in my estimation, but he was indeed, most loyal to Haldeman for taking that position. Dick Moore made a similar comment. When the agents came to interview -Chapin and Strachan, they contained themselves in their questioning and, to the best of my knowledge, all the answers that Chapin and Strachan provided were truthful though I must say that, pursuant to discussions I had had with them before their interview, they did not volunteer any information that was not asked for. [00.12.52]