Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 26, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 26, 1973
Mr. THOMPSON. What was the purpose of your discussions with Mr. Walters of the CIA? Mr. DEAN. Which discussions are you referring to? Mr. THOMPSON. I am talking about the June 26, June 27--were there two or three? Mr. DEAN. Well, to the best of my recollection there was a meeting as a result of a meeting that had occurred in Mitchell's office, in which the decision had been made that there -was some, need for some sort of support. and there was a discussion in Mitchell's office about the fact that the CIA -would have the facilities to do this and the fact that these were CIA people and the CIA should have in interest in doing this sort of thing. It was from there I went to discuss this With Mr. Ehrlichman. Mr. Ehrlichman told me he thought it was a good idea that I explore this and that he told me I should talk to General Walters. I told him at that time I didn't know the people at the CIA. I didn't know Helms, I didn't know Walters. He told me "Well, you tell Walters to call me if you have any problems." So the purpose of that meeting was for me to explore if there was any possibility that the CIA could be of assistance in dealing -with' these problems. Mr. THOMPSON. Was it not the purpose of that meeting to get the CIA to help you in the coverup? Mr. DEAN. Yes, it -was. Mr. THOMPSON. Didn't you state to Mr. Walters that in fact witnesses were wobbling and could cause problems? Mr. DEAN. I think I used something of that nature. Mr. THOMPSON. Didn't you ask him whether or not the CIA could possibly be used to raise ball for some of these defendants? Mr. DEAN. That is correct. Mr. THOMPSON. I believe you also delivered a message to 'Mr. Hunt through Mr. Liddy to tell him to get out of the country is that correct? Mr. DEAN. I think, as I recounted that yesterday, there was a meeting in Ehrlichman's on the office on the evening of the 19th. Earlier I had met with him. he told me to attend this meeting and Colson Was present. Before the meeting really got underway, Ehrlichman asked where is Hunt and I said I have no idea. Mr. Colson made a similar response, that he had no idea. Ehrlichman then told to call Liddy and tell Hunt to get out of the country. I made the call. Subsequently I began to think about the call I had made and I reraised the wisdom of making such a call. We had a brief discussion about the, call. Ehrlichman--or Colson agreed that it was a rather unwise call. Later Ehrlichman concurred. I then went immediately back to the phone--I would say all this transpired within a 30-minute time span--I went back to the telephone, re-called Liddy who was still employed at the reelection committee and told him to retract the earlier request that I had made for Hunt to leave the country. I had--he told me something to the. effect that be didn't know if that was possible, that the message had already been sent, and I to this day don't, know whether the message was retracted or what happened to Mr. -Hunt. [00.08.22]