Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 27, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 27, 1973
[00.59.13-GURNEY challenges DEAN on points where MAGRUDER'S testimony conflicts with or implicates DEAN] Senator GURNEY. Let me refer to his testimony when be was here before the, committee. He said: "Well. I think the one occasion that did crop up when I asked for an appointment with Mr. Haldeman." I said: "When was this?" He, said; "That was probably in January probably in early January, December"-that would have been January of this year Or December of last year--it before that, meeting -with Haldeman, so it, must have been in December, it was when he indicated to me that he did not know how the Watergate had ever been planned, something to that effect. And I said, John, do you not remember, something to that effect? And I became concerned, of course, over that type of conversation, because obviously, that would be at a time that could be an indication that somebody was being set up, in effect. That was his testimony. He also testified some place else. Now, do you recall whether you had any conversation with him? Mr. DEAN. My discussions with Mr. Magruder while, he was at the inaugural committee, were basically around what he was going to do. The one conversation I recall very clearly did not relate to this at all. It was the conversation that occurred in the hall when I was trying to dissuade him from going to California to run for office. He said that he was going to go out and test the waters, because he thought that he had met so many people during the campaign, he could get good financial backing and now was the time to move. I thought, without telling him, that he was going to have some Serious problems down the road and he -would be putting a lot of people who had gone out to back him in jeopardy, and tried to persuade him not to do it. He was adamant. I later called Haldeman, -who agreed also that it was a very unwise, idea for Jeb to go out and pursue office. He told me he was going to call Mr. Finch and speak to him about it to try to dissuade Jeb from doing it. And he was also going to call Kalmbach, who was one of the persons Magruder was going to meet with. Then, when I met with Jeb, we had a number of discussions to the effect, he said, I have told Higby and Haldeman my problem. They are going to help me. They also know the problem and I want to get a good job. That was the tenor. It was a job-oriented discussion and I cannot recall a specific conversation where I told him that. [01.01.47-DEAN disputes the charge that MAGRUDER'S testimony implicates DEAN in prior knowledge of the break-in] I do recall in February-excuse me, in March--when I -was at Camp David, and this is in one of the exhibits I have submitted, when he wanted me to have a very fresh recollection of the, meetings that had occurred in February, or January and February of the preceding year, At that point, in time, I was trying--I said to him--I thought I had gotten a bum rap for being accused of having prior knowledge of this matter and Magruder agreed. And I have submitted a tape--that is a conversation I did record, with a Dictaphone held to the receiver. I happened to have the suggestion from Mr. Haldeman that I do that while I was at Camp David, and I thought it -was a pretty good idea, so you will find that exhibit is one of the ones I submitted'. Senator GURNEY. Of course, what be was saying is that you and he were discussing, I guess, the Watergate and what led up to it and that his I impression was that you were, forgetting, I guess, about the meetings in Mitchell's office, and the discussion -of the electronic bugging and Liddy's plan and all that, sort of thing. Do you recall that at all? Mr. DEAN. I only recall that, I have always told Magruder that I was never clear an what happened between February and June 17. I have repeated that to him on a number of occasions, because I have not--in fact, some of Mr. Magruder's testimony -was a revelation to me. [01.03.40-GURNEY wants more on DEAN'S meetings with NIXON] Senator GURNEY. Let us go to the meeting now of March 21 in the White House, which is a, very important. meeting, of course, with you and the President. That, as I understand it, is 'When you gave him a pretty -complete rundown of the story about the Watergate, is that correct? Mr. DEAN. That is correct. [01.04.08-TAPE OUT]