Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
[00.07.01-Sen. INOUYE continues to question DEAN about IRS harassment being initiated against persons on the ENEMIES LIST] Senator INOUYE. Do you know from your own personal knowledge, Mr. Dean, if any Member of the U.S. Congress was ever subjected to an Internal Revenue Service audit or surveillance by the FBI? Mr. DEAN. The only--I do not know from my own knowledge of any audits being commenced on any Member of the U.S. Congress. I know that there was extensive, surveillance on Senator Kennedy, which I have testified to. Senator INOUYE. Was this for political purposes? Mr. DEAN. Yes, sir, it was. Senator INOUYE. Who else?, [00.07.38-Senator KENNEDY a principal ENEMY] Mr. DEAN. Senator Kennedy was the principal one. I would say the greatest amount of surveillance was conducted on Senator Kennedy, and subsequently, politically embarrassing information -was sought on----- Senator INOUYE. Was the FBI aware that this surveillance was for political purposes? Mr. DEAN. The FBI did not perform this. This was performed directly by the White House. Now, -whether any information was re, requested from the FBI, I do not know on this. Senator INOUYE. Are you a-ware of any member of the press being subjected to a special audit or surveillance by the FBI? [00.08.17] Mr. DEAN. I am aware of one member of the press being subjected to an audit, and this was an audit that was initiated as a result of an adverse story he had written regarding a friend of the President. Senator INOUYE. Who is this person? Mr. DEAN. I would have to check my records on this, which are unavailable to me still, as I have said. I do recall it was a reporter from Newsday, who had worked on a story on Mr. Rebozo. Senator INOUYE, Thank you. Who do you think could assist this committee in testifying as to whether these lists were ever used for purposes described in your memo? [00.09.05-DEAN suggests that COLSON was the man at the center of the ENEMIES PROJECT] Mr. DEAN. Well, I would say that the man who is most knowledgeable is the man who has described them as social lists, so I do not know if you will find out what was done there. Also, it is possible that Mr. Caulfield may be able to provide some assistance to the committee in this regard, and I feel Mr. Caulfield would be very honest and forthcoming with the committee. [00.09.36] Senator INOUYE. Then, your testimony is that with the, exception of this columnist and this television commentator and Mr. Chet Huntley and Senator Kennedy, you are not aware of how these lists were ever used? Mr. DEAN. No, sir. I am also aware, and I would have to again be able to look through my files on this, there were, a number of requests from various members of the White House staff to see if tax exemptions and alteration of the tax status could be removed from various charitable foundations and the like, that were producing material that was felt hostile to the administration or their leaders were taking positions that were hostile to the administration and on occasions I checked this out, and their activities Were deemed to be perfectly proper within the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, and nothing -was done on these. [00.10.42] Senator INOUYE. These files are presently available in the White House? Mr. DEAN. Yes, I believe they would be in my files in the White House. Senator INOUYE. Mr. Chairman, may I request that these files be made, available, sir? Senator ERVIN. Mr. Dash will communicate-- Mr. DEAN. I will have to at, some point, there have been a number of requests for material, that I would hope that the committee would put the White House on notice or they may -well not be there when I get there. [00.11.15] Senator ERVIN. In this connection, you have testified the other day that when you went to the White House to see some. of your files that you were required to write them out, as I understand, in longhand, and somebody would not allow you to make. copies like Xerox? Mr. DEAN. That is correct. Presently I am not allowed to Xerox any copies of anything and I would hope, particularly with the request of Senator Gurney for my financial records, that I not have to sit and copy all my own financial records. [00.11.50-Sen. ERVIN allows DEAN to tell further the story of how the WHITE HOUSE is making it as inconvenient as possible for DEAN to access his files] Senator ERVIN. I believe you also stated you had to stand up and copy it? Mr. DEAN. I was able to sit in a chair and write on a, safe that was several feet above the chair. Senator ERVIN. Did you make a request of anybody for the opportunity to have these copied on a Xerox? Mr. DEAN. Yes, I did and my counsel did. and I wrote a, letter to the President requesting it, and I was denied. Senator ERVIN. Do you have a copy of the letter to the President? Mr. DEAN. My counsel can supply the letter that, -was written, yes, sir. [00.12.25]