Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
[00.22.51-INOUYE probes DEAN for evidence of efforts to tamper, intimidate, or interfere with the ERVIN COMMITTEE] Senator INOUYE. You just stated that at a later time you came to the digging up dirt. When did you get to the digging up dirt stage? Mr. DEAN. That must have, been, I can only recall an allusion to the fact that this would be, you know, looking into at some point in time but it really was not the focus of any discussion I can recall. Senator INOUYE. Who suggested this, sir? Mr. DEAN. The only comment I can recall making myself is, and I had made a similar comment with regard to the Patman committee hearing, and you will recall that I requested, after a discussion -with Mr. Haldeman that we cheek the financial or the campaign filing requirements Of the members of the Patman committee. I did receive a, document I have submitted that, document. To this day I have not, read that document and I cant tell you what it says. I didn't, have any interest in that. I had also been suggesting, I had had a suggestion, for Mr. Haldeman to call Governor Connally, to ask him about Mr. Patman and he said, "I think Mr. Patman might have one soft spot," but he also indicated some Republicans might have similar soft Spots, and when -Mr. Timmons and I discussed this -we realized this might create more problems than it would solve. [00.24.14] NOW, coming back to this committee, I can recall a comment when this discussion came up that it would be. very difficult for some members possibly some of the members of this committee, to throw stones when they were living in a glass house, and that is the comment I recall making. Senator INOUYE. Returning to the, President's statement which you quoted, "That we will take care of them after the election," did the President ever tell you what he meant by that? [00.24.50-INOUYE asks DEAN about references by NIXON to "taking care of" hostile reporters after the election] Mr. DEAN. To me, the way the conversation was evolving. and it moved right from there to the Internal Revenue Service, and there may have preceded that--because I am taking such care in any reference that I make to my conversations I recall with the President- to something about the Internal Revenue Service that led into the fact that I should keep a good list and then he -went on to talk, I do recall him very clearly telling Me to make a good list Of those who are giving us problems. that we will take care. of them after the election, We will make life less than pleasant for them, and it moved. the conversation moved, directly from there to a discussion of the Internal Revenue Service and I told him how, I was really telling him the fact that, I could not call Mr. Walters and tell Mr. Walters to get an audit started. [00.25.44-DEAN contends that NIXON pushed him to get the IRS to reward friends and punish ENEMIES.] And the President was rather annoyed at this and I told him the reason why when he asked me and I said, -well, because the bureaucracy of the Internal Revenue Service Is primarily Democratic and something like this cannot be done. Senator INOUYE. Did you ever call Mr. Walters to attempt to provide special treatment for anyone ? Mr. DEAN. To provide special treatment? Senator INOUYE. Yes or no? Mr. DEAN. No. I called him and asked him a number of questions on occasions on tax cases. Yes, but I don't recall ever asking him for special treatment and. to the contrary, Mr. Walters, is the type of man that, he and I discussed on a number of occasions the extreme danger of the White House doing anything that would politicize the Internal Revenue Service and he felt very strongly about That and the like. I got criticisms--- Senator INOUYE. Mr. Walters was not the man to see, who was your contact man in the Internal Revenue Service? Mr. DEAN. Mr. Caulfield had a contact man and he -will have to tell you who that, is because I do not know. Senator INOUYE. I thank you very much, Mr. Dean. Mr. DEAN. Thank you, Senator. [00.26.55-ERVIN, grinning, responds to the allegations that the WHITE HOUSE tried to dig up dirt on him] Senator ERVIN. I sort of regret that anything was brought out about the alleged attempt, the request, of Bob Haldeman about me, but I am glad it happened because President Nixon's campaign manager in 1968 and again in 1972 Charles R. Jonas, Jr., made this statement, and I cannot refrain from reading it because I am very grateful to him for it. He said, "Charles R. Jonas, Jr., who headed 'Nixon's reelection campaign in North Carolina, and has recently said he might run for Ervin's Senate seat, said he had not been contacted by anyone to discredit Ervin. "That would be an impossible task and almost foolish to attempt,' Jonas said when reached by phone. 'I think that Senator Ervin is one of the handful of people in the Senate whom it would be impossible to discredit. I think that is why he was chosen. He has a record of impeccable honesty and integrity. If I had to depend on any one, person in the Senate to proceed fairly and in a way that would protect the innocent, it would be Senator Ervin."' [00.28.12]