Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 26, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 26, 1973
[00.25.07] Mr. DEAN. Well, now, the IDIU was a unit that was in existence at one point in time in the Justice Department. Senator WEICKER. Right. Mr. DEAN. It was basically a newspaper clipping operation to follow what the demonstrators were doing, and as I understand, they subscribed to the magazines and publications of the New Left to try to just analyze from those publications what they were doing, as well as anything else they could pick up. When the decision was made to establish the IEC, the IDIU was virtually defunct at that time and as I recall, there was discussion about the fact that the IDIU did exist, and that it, could very easily be the explanation for -the IEC, which -was not due to be a publicly known intelligence evaluation group. This was the decision, to put the IDIU cover over the IEC. Now, as I recall, the initial person that was placed in charge of -the IEC was Mr. Doherty, who had been with the Internal Security Division for quite sometime but was planning on retiring at some point. There were also suggestions that others---somebody else might come in and head this unit, up. Senator WEICKER. Well, I appreciate your answer and you have answered my question. If we can just track this in logical time sequence, that is all. So it is true that the concept of the IEC does sit there covered by the office, of Analysis and Planning, the position of IDIU, is that correct? Mr. DEAN. That -is correct. Senator WEICKER. Was this the subject, of a letter which you wrote John Mitchell? Mr. DEAN. I believe in the documents that I turned over to the court initially, there was a memorandum in there, that was based on a conversation that Mitchell and I had had as to how to establish this very small segment of a, rather large and dramatic plan. Now, whether that was in that, document or not, I cannot recall, I have not reviewed those documents virtually since the time they were written. So you are asking me to recall something that is about 3 years old and I am not terribly fresh in my recollection on it. Senator WEICKER. In other -words, when I show you a position report that is dated April 15 of 1972, -which has in the position report, a unit which both of us have Identified as the IEC, under the cover of the IDIU, this was the recommendation made back in the summer of 1970. Is that correct? Mr. DEAN. I think that is ,in accurate statement to the best of my recollection. Senator WEICKER. I am not, talking about illegal activities. Mr. DEAN. NO. I know exactly what you 'are talking about. Senator WEICKER. Nothing else, just setting up of the unit as recommended in the summer of 1970, it does still exist in the office of Analysis and Planning section, IDIU; is that correct? Mr. DEAN. To the best of my recollection it is, Senator, but as I say, I would have to check documents in my own office to remember the, accuracy of that and that is generally the way I recall it occurring yes, Senator WEICKER. The first step, then, -was taken in setting up the structure? Mr. DEAN-. Was that the, first step ? Senator WEICKER. Yes, right. Mr. DEAN. I think the step, the first step, was the decision to take a very small part of the plan, the only part, of the plan that was not, illegal, and begin with that. And then there was a series of correspondence and I believe I had some meetings with Mr. Mitchell about this in his office and we discussed some of these concepts. Senator WEICKER. Do you have any idea when those meetings took place? Mr. DEAN. Well. they would have occurred about the time. that, my initial memorandum went over, either preceding it and so that followed it. There was still resistance at this point in time on the part. of the FBI as to its participation in the unit and it was as a result of this resistance by the FBI that Mr. Haldeman told me to talk to Mr. Mitchell about it and Mr. Haldeman also said, as I recall, that, he was willing to come over and talk to 'Mr. Mitchell himself about. it if I had any problem. [00.30.32]