Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 27, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 27, 1973
[00.50.20-GURNEY continues to try to suggest DEAN had embezzled campaign funds to discredit his other testimony] Senator GURNEY. Just a couple, of other questions about, the use of the money. You mentioned that you had this work done, in the patio I think that, was about $500 worth of work, is that correct?, Mr. DEAN. That is approximately what I recall, yes. Senator GURNEY. Why did you not pay that, by check? That would be the normal procedure? Mr. DEAN. I ultimately did. Senator GURNEY. I thought, you said you paid it out, of cash out of this account? Mr. DEAN. 'No, I told you I was anticipating what, my needs -would be, at, that time, but, I did not use it, for that purpose ultimately. As I said, I made personal expenditures out of the, money for everything from groceries to other incidentals. Senator GURNEY. Why did you not pay those things by check? Mr. DEAN. Because I had the cash in my possession and I was using it for that purpose. Senator. Senator- GURNEY. But cash out of this trust fund. Mr. DEAN. That is correct. [00.51.17] Senator GURNEY. I am curious about the wedding trip. Do you use credit cards? Mr. DEAN. Sometimes, Sometimes not. Senator GURNEY. You do have credit cards? Mr. DEAN. Yes, I do. Senator GURNEY. Did it ever occur to you to use these, on your honeymoon instead of this cash? Mr. DEAN. Well, as my wife well knows, I try to use my credit cards as infrequently as possible, because I don't like to live on credit. [00.51.40-Mrs. DEAN shown, laughing, seems a bit embarrassed that her husband is publicly admitting to being tight with money, laughter from audience heard] Senator GURNEY. Turning to the meetings with the President, now, as I understand it, you engaged your counsel--I think this is where we left off when we adjourned this morning--on April 2 of this year. Oh, yes, Mr. Chairman, I would like to make this statement of the National Savings & Trust Co. of John Welsey [sic] Dean III's account a part of the record. Senator ERVIN. The reporter will mark this as an exhibit and insert it in the record at this point. Senator GURNEY. Would you state again now when you engaged your Present counsel? Mr. DEAN. I engaged Mr. Shaffer on the. 30th of March. Mr. McCandless was engaged, as I recall, sometime in mid-April, after Mr. Hogan had removed himself from the case. Senator GURNEY. Now, at that time, I suppose you discussed with him your criminal liability, is that correct--your possible criminal liability excuse me. Mr. DEAN. At the first meeting I had with Mr. Shaffer on the 30th, I think we spent initially about 5 hours in which I went over the highlights. He said, I would like to think about that over the weekend and meet with you again on Monday morning. That was on a Friday. On Monday morning, we met again, spent about 2 hours or more going over -further details, in which I was giving him the highlights of everything that I knew about the entire picture. [00.53.58-GURNEY wants to know if DEAN had contact with NIXON while he was deciding to cooperate with the prosecution] Senator GURNEY. Did you have any discussions in this time frame with the President of the United States? Mr. DEAN The President--- Senator GURNEY. The time frame, you are talking about? Mr. DEAN. The President had gone to 'San Clemente at that time. Senator GURNEY. Actually, did you have any meeting at all with the President from the meeting on March 22 and the phone calls on March 23? 1 understand there, were two. Mr. DEAN. No, one. Senator GURNEY. One only? Mr. DEAN. There was one call. As I said, when. I arrived at Camp David, they said it. was the, President calling but it was Mr. Haldeman. I assume. he was calling from the President's office at, that time. Senator GURNEY. Then. there were no phone calls on the 23d with the President? [00.54.39] Mr. DEAN. Yes, there was. There was one phone call on the, 23d. I don't recall the precise. hour, sometime after lunch, when we discussed my going to Camp David. Senator GURNEY. Y. And that was the last,, contact with him until April 14, is that correct? Mr. DEAN. I believe it was April 15, Senator. Senator GURNEY. April 15? Mr. DEAN. Yes. [00.55.00]