Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 28, 1973. Testimony of John Dean.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 28, 1973. Testimony of John Dean.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 28, 1973. Testimony of John Dean.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 28, 1973. Testimony of John Dean.
Senator Sam Ervin (D North Carolina). And I will ask you, as a lawyer, if you do not think that surreptitious entry and electronic surveillance and penetration constituted a violation of the fourth amendment? John Dean. Yes, sir, I do. Senator Sam Ervin (D North Carolina). The fourth amendment provides "Right of the People to be secure in persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures not be violated. And no warrant shall issue other than upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be served and the personal things to be seized." Hasn't it always been a violation of the fourth amendment under the decisions of the court to resort to burglary for the purpose of getting Information? John Dean. Yes, sir. It has been. Senator Sam Ervin (D North Carolina). And hasn't the Supreme Court recently held by unanimous opinion that the use of electronic surveillance and penetration to obtain information concerning persons allegedly guilty of domestic subversive activities is also a violation of the fourth amendment? John Dean. That is correct, Mr. Chairman.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 28, 1973. Testimony of John Dean.
Senator Sam Ervin (D North Carolina). Now, I call your attention to what I designate as exhibit No. 3 and ask if you will read this document to the he committee. John Dean. This is a memorandum for Mr. Huston, Subject: domestic intelligence review. Its recommendations I might add here it is from Mr. Haldeman to Mr. Huston. The recommendations you have proposed as a result of the review have been approved by the President. He does not, however, want to follow the procedure you outlined on page 4 of your memorandum regarding implementation. He would prefer that the thing simply be put into motion on the basis of this approval. The formal official memorandum should, of course, be prepared and that should be the device by which to carry it out. I realize this is contrary to your feeling as to the best way to get this done. I feel very strongly that this procedure won't work and you d better let me know and we will take another stab at it. Otherwise let's go ahead.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 28, 1973. Testimony of John Dean.
Senator Sam Ervin (D North Carolina). Now, that letter can only be construed as a statement on the part of Mr. HR Haldeman to Mr. Tom Charles Huston, the aide in charge of domestic intelligence, to the effect that the President of the United States had approved his recommendations about removing the limitations on electronic surveillance and penetration, surreptitious entry or burglary, the use of mail coverage, and of sources of information on the campuses, and the military undercover agents for the purposes of gathering information upon the objectives of that. John Dean. That is correct, Mr. Chairman.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities June 28, 1973. Testimony of John Dean.
Senator Sam Ervin (D North Carolina). Now, when did Mr. Huston leave the White House? John Dean. I do not recall specifically the date. It seems to me he was on my staff 6 to 8 months at the most, as I recall. He had been talking about leaving for some time and returning to private practice. This had been one of his pet projects. He had apparently gotten into a serious dispute with Mr. Hoover over it and he felt that his effectiveness at getting this accomplished had been diminished as a result of the fact that his plan was not being implemented and was floundering. I can recall him coming to me and asking me if I could do anything. I told him I couldn t.