Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 25, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 25, 1973
[00.07.15-specter of Senate investigation growing stronger] It was learned in late December--early January that Senator Mansfield was pushing hard for Watergate hearings but there was, a debate as to who should handle the hearings. It was learned in late December--early January that Senator Mansfield had sent letters to Senator Eastland and Senator Ervin. regarding the holding of hearings. Before that letter became public, however both Wally Johnson and Fred LaRue had informed me, that they had talked with Senator Eastland. [00.07.45] The White House wanted Senator Eastland to hold such hearings because they felt that Senator Eastland would be friendly and that the White House had more friends on the Judiciary Committee than on Senator Ervin's Government Operations Committee. I was told that the White House congressional relations staff was doing what it could to get the hearings before Senator Eastland's committee. On January 11 of this year, the Senate Democrats formally voted that Senator Ervin would head the inquiry into the Watergate incident and related matters, and I must add, much to the displeasure of the White House. [00.08.19-shot of Sen. ERVIN smirking] On February 5, 1973, the chairman introduced his resolution to create this committee. An advance copy of that resolution was a was forwarded to me by Timmons and I was subsequently requested to attend a luncheon meeting with Ehrlichman Timmons, and Johnson to discuss the resolution. Ehrlichman -was tied up in another meeting and never attended. I was asked what I thought about the resolution and did I have any suggested amendments that the Republicans might offer. I had not had an opportunity to study the resolution closely so I reread it and offered a few suggestions off the top of my head: that it be broadened to cover other elections than the 1972 Presidential campaign; that the minority members have adequate staff', that it be bipartisan with equal representation of the Republicans and Democrats and that the minority members have the power to call for an executive session when they believed it necessary. Wally Johnson indicated that he could get someone at the Department of Justice to draft amendments and that he and Timmons would peddle them to friendly Republicans. [00.09.25] I later had discussions with Haldeman and Ehrlichman about the Senate hearings and they felt that it was time to develop a strategy for dealing with the Senate situation. I received what I interpreted as mild criticism that I wasn't getting the White House prepared for the forthcoming hearings and it was as recognized that we -were fast moving into an uncontrollable, if not hostile, forum. We had made it through the trial without any problems, but the Senate hearings were a new and possibly larger problem. Accordingly, I suggested that there be a meeting called where these matters could be discussed. I also suggested that we might call on Mr. Bryce Harlow. Ehrlichman, Haldeman, and Mitchell all agreed that, Mr. Harlow's counsel would be most helpful. Accordingly, I had my secretary schedule a meeting in Ehrlichman's office on February 6, 1973. 1 recall that it was at some hardship that Mr. Harlow attended, in that - he was scheduled to fly to Arizona that day, but I explained to him that my superiors were anxious to focus on the problem and wanted his advice. Prior to this meeting, but after my meeting with the President in September when he had mentioned to me that Mr. Hoover had told him that he (the President) had been bugged during his 1968 campaign the thought of getting this information that had been discussed. I can recall discussing it with Ehrlichman and Haldeman and in turn, discussing it. with Mitchell. Haldeman, and Ehrlichman wanted Mitchell to get the, information from Mr. DeLoach, I so informed Mitchell, Mr. Mitchell informed me that he was trying to get the facts regarding the bugging from DeLoach whom he believed I would have known if it had, in fact, happened. -Mitchell had talked to DeLoach prior to the February 6 meeting and had received some information, but not much. The meeting assembled in Ehrlichman's office. Mitchell was late in arriving because of a delayed flight from New York City. Those present were Ehrlichman, Haldeman. finally Mitchell. Harlow, Moore. and myself, When. Mitchell arrived, he reported that there had been some Surveillance by the Johnson administration but DeLoach -was unaware Of a bugging or wiretap. I remember that I told Harlow that I thought he had been recorded when he was traveling with the Vice President In 1968. 1 based this on a conversation I had had with Mitchell earlier. The surveillance that DeLoach reported' to Mitchell was related to Anna Chennault and a foreign embassy. Also the telephone records from the, Vice Presidential candidate Agnew's airplane when he had stopped in Albuquerque, New Mexico, had been checked by the FBI. [00.12.19]