Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 28, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 28, 1973
[00.30.29-WEICKER turns to questioning DEAN] Now, I know, Mr. Dean, that I have been making you sit through an event that you only had a small part in but I think it is important. Mr. DEAN. If I might just add, Senator, there may be a parallel story but I don't pretend--but I Would not like to get into it right now-as far as efforts to attack my own character in some of the individuals that I have become aware that have been involved in that, also. Senator WEICKER. Let me ask you this: Have there been any attempts to influence you in your testimony regarding your testimony before this committee? Mr. DEAN. There had been every effort in the world to make me look in the worst possible light, to try to intimidate me through that process, to try to make it as difficult as possible for me to testify. That has occurred. Yes. [00.31.20-Sen. WEICKER states that he has had enough of the subterfuge and chicanery] Senator WEICKER. Let's put it this way: whether it is you in that Witness chair or whether it Is me in this committee chair or any other man in back of this table or any other witness who is going to come before this committee, there are going to be no more threats, no intimidation no innuendo, no working through the press to go ahead and destroy the credibility of individuals. if the executive branch of Government wants to meet the standards that the American people set for it in their mind then the time has come to stop reacting and stop playing this type of a game, and either disavow it completely or make the very specific charges that apparently are being leaked out either against the committee members, or against the witnesses appearing before this committee. Now I am going to conclude this way, Mr. Chairman, and then I am done, and I have tried to, as I say, accomplish one role that I think needed accomplishing in these hearings: among the rumors that are floated around, and this isn't hearsay, are on three different occasions Plants to the effect that I am such a disloyal Republican and I am going to switch to the Democratic Party. [00.32.43-WEICKER defends his Republican status and seeks to separate the Party from the kinds of actions that have been described] Now, I am going to tell you, in your memorandum, Mr. Dean, you went ahead and had me described, whether it was you or Mr. Haldeman or whoever was there, as an independent who would give the White House trouble. But I say before you and I say before the American people and this committee that I am here as a Republican and, quite frankly, I think that I express the feelings of the 42 other Republican Senators that I work with, and the Republicans of the State of Connecticut and, in fact, the Republican Party, far better than these illegal, unconstitutional, and gross acts which have been committed over the past several months by various individuals. Let me make it clear because, I have got to have my partisan moment, Republicans do not, cover up; Republicans do not go ahead and threaten; Republicans do not go ahead and commit illegal acts; and God knows Republicans don't view their fellow Americans as enemies to be harassed but rather, I can assure you, that this Republican, and those that I serve with, look upon every American as human beings to be loved and wanted, Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. [Applause.] [00.34.26] Senator BAKER. Senator Weicker, thank you very much. I think that it might be in order at this time to remark that I had the opportunity to discuss this matter with you this morning before the committee hearings began and, at that time, you and I discussed the possibility that if there were, in fact, indications that anyone had tried to create an atmosphere or to produce a malicious impact on any witness or any member of this committee, that under the. statute law and according to the precepts of fair play, that would be a legitimate inquiry for the staff of this committee and for the other law enforcement agencies of the country. So may I call on you, and any other member of this committee and, in the absence of the chairman, but I am sure that I speak his sentiments as well, to say that as, if, and when we develop information of past occurrences that ought to be investigated, and certainly of future ones, relating to any person, relating to any witness, relating to a member of this committee that, that will promptly be investigated by the staff of this committee surely within the scope and jurisdiction our effort. With that, it is 5:30 and I would ask the sentiment of my colleagues on whether we should continue at this time or adjourn until 10 in the morning. If there is no objection, then the committee will stand in recess until 10 tomorrow morning. [00.36.08]