Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 27, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 27, 1973 (1/2)
[00.12.50-Sen. INOUYE confronts DEAN with a memo prepared by the WHITE HOUSE, using it as a form of cross-examination-THE MEMO IS ACTUALLY PRETTY FUNNY IN IT'S ATTEMPT TO "BLAME IT ALL ON DEAN", it's so blatantly transparent that it's sad, actually] Senator INOUYE. [continues reading] [QUOTING FROM WHITE HOUSE MEMORANDUM] Whatever the facts may be on the matters that are uncertain in the spring of 1972 about Dean's knowledge or specific approval of the break-in, it must have been clear to Dean as a lawyer when he heard on June 17 of Watergate that he was in personal difficulty. The Watergate affair was too clearly the outgrowth of the discussions and plans he had been in on that he might well be regarded as a conspirator with regard to them. He must immediately have realized that his patron Mitchell, would also be involved. It appears that Ehrlichman called Dean on June 17 to advise him of the problem and to direct him to take charge of it for the White House. Even without an instruction this would have been his responsibility as counsel for the President, from the time Or the occurrence and he was active in that role from the moment of his return to the city a day or two after the break-in, This is a statement from Mr. Ehrlichman's deposition. On June 19, Dean met with Liddy, Mitchell, Strachan and Magruder and Sloan. Dean, Mitchell, and Magruder also met with LaRue and Mardian that evening at Mitchell's apartment, At these meetings the coverup plan was hatched-- This is from the Magruder testimony-- A Series of meetings followed throughout the summer. [END QUOTED SECTION FROM W.H. MEMORANDUM ATTACKING DEAN] [00.14.11] Mr. DEAN. Senator, I just might footnote as you go along. I believe, that the policy regarding the coverup was set, long before I returned from the Far East over the weekend of the break-in and -when I came, to the office and talked to Mr. Strachan 'I realized that the White House already decided initially that it was going to start, destroying incriminating documents and certainly was not going to step forward as to what its knowledge Of the matter was at that, point in time. Senator INOUYE. If I may ask at this point, when you refer to the White House had decided, who do you mean by the White House? Mr. DEAN. I am sorry. Senator, I did not hear you. Senator INOUYE. You have just testified that the White House had decided. Mr. DEAN. Well, I mean by that that certainly Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Ehrlichman, because 'Mr. Haldeman had given specific instructions to Mr. Strachan to destroy the incriminating documents that were in his possession. [00.15.12] Senator INOUYE. [QUOTING FROM WHITE HOUSE MEMORANDUM ATTACKING DEAN] "At these meetings the coverup plan was hatched. A series of meetings followed throughout the summer. Dean and Mitchell were Magruder's principal contacts on the, coverup. Dean was not, merely one of the architects of the coverup plan. He was also its most active participant. Magruder correctly concluded that, Dean 'was involved in all aspects of this coverup,'" and this is, from the Magruder testimony. "It was Dean who suggested to Haldeman that the FBI was concerned that it, might run into a, CIA operation." This is from Mr. Haldeman, If you wish to comment I hope you will. [00.15.57] Mr. DEAN. Yes. As you recall, when I testified I had been asked by Mr. Ehrlichman to stay abreast of what was happening in the Department of Justice. In my meeting with Mr. Gray, which I believe was on the 21st, Mr. Gray told me of the fact that they had uncovered banking transactions in Mr. Barker's account and were at that time looking for the Dahlberg check and the Mexican money and, indeed, I did report this back as the, reporting channels had been developed to my superiors. Senator INOUYE. Were you truly concerned---- [00.16.38] Senator ERVIN. Suppose you name, the superiors you reported to? Mr. DEAN-. Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Ehrlichman. Senator INOUYE. Were you truly concerned that the, CIA was in fact, involved? Mr. DEAN. I had no idea that the CIA was involved at that point in time. Senator INOUYE. Why did you suggest that, the CIA might be involved? Mr. DEAN. This, as I believe I testified, was not, at this point in time but that was at a later date when I went over to Mr. Gray's again and he told me his theories of the case. I explained these to Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Ehrlichman that one of his theories was that the CIA was involved. I had no idea, that Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Ehrlichman were going to meet with Mr. Helms, and General Walters, that was unknown to me until I subsequently was so informed by Mr. Ehrlichman but not as to the substance of the meeting they had held. [00.17.37]