Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
[=00.12.25-ERVIN questions DEAN about the hoops DEAN has to jump through to access his WHITE HOUSE files.] Senator ERVIN. Who originally denied you the right to copy them? Mr. DEAN. Well, when I was-my resignation was requested on the 30th, I recalled a, call from my secretary who said "What do I do?" They are in here putting bands around all your safes and all your material." And I said, "Just, let them band it all." And subsequently they transferred it all down to the basement of the Executive Office Building. Senator ERVIN. Did you talk to any individuals up there about having the right of access to them and the -right to have your files copied by Xerox or otherwise? Mr. DEAN. Yes, sir. I had my counsel send a letter, and I sat down and talked with Mr. Buzhardt and Mr. Buzhardt just said, "I am sorry, I cannot do anything for you about it." Senator ERVIN. Is he, not the White House counsel now? Mr. DEAN. He is a special counsel on the Watergate. [00.13.20] Senator ERVIN. Special counsel on Watergate and Mr. Buzhardt refused to allow you, or at least, he declined your request? Mr. DEAN. To permit me to copy; yes, sir. In fact, they were permitting me earlier to make some copies. My chronofiles which I would like to have just for future use., and my secretary was stopped from making any copies. Senator ERVIN. Unless there is some objection from some member of the Committee, I will direct the, staff of the committee to communicate with the White House and ask the White House to give Mr. Dean access to his files and also the, privilege of copying them by Xerox or other means. [00.14.06-Locking up DEAN'S files from him appears to be a last-ditch WHITE HOUSE effort to maintain the COVERUP] Mr. DEAN. I think. that a number of the questions that Senator Montoya asked about, executive privilege could also be answered if I had access to some of my files on executive privilege. I might add also that my office files were not, only contained in my own personal files, but they are contained in other members Of my staff who I do -not believe their files have been bound, and I would hope to have the opportunity to Check things that I knew they were working on for me that, relate to many of these items. [00.14.37] Senator ERVIN. And without objection on the part of the committee, I would request your counsel to supply the committee a copy of the letter to the President, asking for access to these files. Mr. SHAFFER. We will do that, Mr. Chairman. Senator ERVIN. Thank you very much. Senator INOUYE. Mr. Dean, You have just indicated that one of Our colleagues, the senior Senator from Massachusetts, was placed under surveillance. Was this electronic? Mr. DEAN. Not to my knowledge. It was initially--- Senator INOUYE. Any break-ins, burglaries? Mr. DEAN. Not to my knowledge. Senator INOUYE. Were members of his staff also subjected to this? [00.15.19-DEAN talks about getting dirt on Ted KENNEDY] Mr. DEAN. I do not know. I think there was some effort to make contact or do some examination of some of the. women who were also present during the Chappaquiddick incident, and there may have been some investigations made of them also. I do not have all the, details On this, and I am afraid that others, Mr. Caulfield and Mr. Ulasewicz, can tell you most about that. I do not, know, if Mr. Hunt is going to appear, but apparently he did an investigation for Mr. Colson of Mr. Kennedy, Senator Kennedy, also. [00.15.58-INOUYE asks DEAN about HALDEMAN and EHRLICHMAN devising strategy to deal with the ERVIN COMMITTEE] Senator INOUYE. On February 10 and 11, Important meetings were held in La Costa? Mr. DEAN. February 10 and 11, correct. Senator INOUYE. February 10 and 11, which have extra significance to this committee because from your testimony, I recall that On top of the agenda was the, discussion of the makeup of this panel. Mr. DEAN. That is correct. I believe the Senator recalls my comment on that. [00.16.24] Senator INOUYE. Did the meetings go beyond just the discussion of the background of panel members; did it go into how to influence how to intimidate, threaten? Mr. DEAN. Not at that point, sir, and I do not recall that. It -was more just an assessment of who, I think the White House was looking for friends on the committee then, you know, so they might, find out what the committee was going to do, was the initial concern. [00.16.57] Senator INOUYE. I refer to an article which appeared in the Charlotte Observer, dated May 17, 1973, and it reads as follows: "High officials in the North Carolina Republican Party confirmed Wednesday that H. R. (Bob) Haldeman, at the time President Nixon's chief of staff, made two attempts to get local parry officials to 'dig up something to discredit Ervin and blast him with it.' According to the sources, Haldeman placed two phone calls to former White House aide Harry Dent and asked Dent to relay The suggestion to State Republican Chairman Frank Rouse." Who is Harry Dent? [00.17.46]