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Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 26, 1973

Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 26, 1973
Clip: 488845_1_1
Year Shot: 1973 (Actual Year)
Audio: Yes
Video: Color
Tape Master: 10419
Original Film: 113005
HD: N/A
Location: .Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building
Timecode: -

[00.29.06] Senator MONTOYA. Well, weren't you kind of curious as to what had happened to the scaled down plan 'which involved the expenditure of $250,000 and which was discussed by Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Magruder, Yourself. and Mr. Liddy? Mr. DEAN. YOU mean between the meeting on the 27th and the meeting on the fourth ? Senator MONTOYA. February 4. Mr. DEAN. February 4. Well, after the meeting on the 27th, I was frankly very surprised, given the precedent that had been followed before with Operation Sandwedge, that Mr. Mitchell even reconsidered the matter. I think that he expected, when the meeting was reconvened, that there was going to be something totally different than it was. It was when I came in that meeting late and it was the same type of discussion going on that I interjected myself and terminated the meeting. Senator MONTOYA. When were you first aware that the scaled down plan had been approved by Mr. Mitchell? Mr. DEAN. As I think I testified. I have never asked Mr. Mitchell directly whether he approved the plan or not. Mr. Magruder--- Senator MONTOYA. Well, were you aware--- Mr. DEAN. Yes. after June 19, when I was having conversations with Mr. -Magruder, he indicated to me that Mr. Mitchell had authorized the plan, that he indicated also that the White House was recipient of the, information. and he indicated at that time that there had been pressure from the White House to get the plan moving. But it was never very clear as to exactly what had happened. Senator MONTOYA. Well. did you have any conversations with Mr. Strachan, who was the emissary or liaison between the CRP and Mr. Haldeman or Ehrlichman? Mr. DEAN. Yes. that raises a point that came up in the questioning that, Mr. Thompson was going into this morning. At one point. Mr. Strachan called me and told me that Mr. Magruder and Mr. Liddy had had a serious falling out. I behave Mr. Magruder raised the fact with me that he just could not work with Liddy. Strachan got in the middle of it and called me and he said, what should I do? I said. I have no idea. but I would suggest now That Bob Mardian is over there, that if there are personality problems and personnel problems, that Mr. Mardian handle it. That, was my recommendation to Mr. Strachan and it was only later that I heard that he had been moved from the reelection committee to the finance committee. Senator MONTOYA. Had you become aware, since the break-in that Magruder was transmitting memorandum through Mr. Strachan to Mr. Ehrlichman and Mr. Haldeman? Mr. DEAN. Not to Mr. Ehrlichman. I was aware from a conversation I had with Mr. Strachan on the 19th that he had destroyed documents that. indicated that he was transmitting this information back to The White House. Senator MONTOYA. And why would Mr. Haldeman destroy these documents if he was not aware, and still professes unawareness, of anyone at the White House being involved in the Watergate affair prior to June 17? Mr. DEAN. Well, as I think I have, said before, Senator, publicly, it is inch by inch that the truth is coming out. [00.32.41] Senator MONTOYA. Would you say that in view of the correlation of events, in view of Mr. Strachan's missions between the CRP and Mr. Haldeman, in view of the admission by Mr. Jeb Magruder that he Was sending this memorandum to Mr. Haldeman as well as to Mr. Ehrlichman about all these things, that Mr. Haldeman as well as Mr. Ehrlichman were, fully aware of -what Mr. Liddy's role was with respect to collecting intelligence. and with respect to the possible plan of breaking into the DNC, the McGovern Headquarters, or the O'Brien suite at Miami during the Democratic convention? Mr. DEAN. You have drawn, that is a rather broad conclusion. But, I would say this: That I think that anything that was transmitted to Mr. Strachan. Mr. Strachan was a very good, thorough, man. Anything of any import that came to his attention he would regularly report to Mr. Haldeman, and I can only assume that that material that came To Mr. Strachan was reported on to Mr. Haldeman. [00.34.04] Senator MONTOYA. Well. I can only assume from your testimony and what has been adduced before this committee heretofore by other witnesses that Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Ehrlichman were very precise in 'the missions that they undertook and in exacting performance by those, to whom they made assignments of missions. Would not you say that that is a correct statement? Mr. DEAN. Yes, Sir: I would. [00.34.32]