Reel

Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)

Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 29, 1973 (1/2)
Clip: 489195_1_1
Year Shot: 1973 (Actual Year)
Audio: Yes
Video: Color
Tape Master: 10432
Original Film: 116004
HD: N/A
Location: Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building
Timecode: -

[00.37.07-THOMPSON continues to ask DEAN about the finances of the COVERUP and DEAN'S dealings with the money] Mr. THOMPSON. Let me ask you about this entire fund. I think this merits some questioning with regard to the remaining money that was there: $10,350 that you said was not used. So you took $4,850 because you did not want it to be used in coverup activities or used to perpetuate the coverup. [00.37.35-THOMPSON tries to suggest that DEAN'S dealings with the funds were related to DEAN'S activities in the rest of the coverup, including taking materials from HUNT'S safe] Let us place this in context with Your own situation at, that time. Is it, not true that on October 11, Mr. Hunt had filed a motion to suppress in the criminal case in which he was involved at that time, alleging in an affidavit as part of its motion that certain documents or certain materials had not been turned over to the authorities when his safe was cleaned out? Mr. DEAN. I do not, recall the date when he had filed that motion, whether it was October 11. I recall there, was a motion filed to that effect. In fact, I recall that we received a letter at the White House. that it 'was a draft letter by Mr. Bittman to Mr. Colson that I received from Mr. O'Brien indicating the fact that such a motion might be filed and in that letter, the question was raised as to where given items that were in the safe were located. This immediate raised to me the problem of the fact that materials, had not one directly to the FBI, but rather had gone directly to Mr. Gray. So I was aware. of the fact that that motion was in the works and was going to be filed. [00.38.59] Mr. THOMPSON. And the basis of that motion was, at least One of the points, as I understand In the affidavit was that certain materials had not been turned over from his safe, had been withheld, and something had happened to them, is that not correct? Mr. DEAN. That is correct. Mr. THOMPSON. All right, and you -were one, Of the Ones involved. I believe you said Mr. Ehrlichman told you to see, that the safe, was cleaned out. You were the one who, I believe, held a suitcase for a while, carried it around in the trunk of your car? Mr. DEAN. That is correct. Mr. THOMPSON. YOU were the one who turned over documents to Mr. Gray? Mr. DEAN. That is correct. Mr. THOMPSON. In order that they would not be leaked, I believe you said. Did you -not consider when this motion was filed, -when this affidavit was filed, that there was some amount of pressure on you, that you might be called in a hearing in the criminal case in order to explain what might have happened to those documents? Mr. DEAN. Indeed, I was quite, aware -when the motion was filed and I was called down to visit with the prosecutors, with the fact that I was going to be called to testify. That is -what compelled me to go and tell Mr. Petersen that in fact, the documents had not all been turned over directly to the agents. Mr. THOMPSON So you -were concerned about that at that time? Mr. DEAN. I was concerned about what? Mr. THOMPSON. The fact that this motion had been filed and you knew that, you had been actually the one who had, in effect, diverted some of those materials. Mr. DEAN,. Let us understand this. I had been asked to deep six and shred documents. Mr. THOMPSON. You testified as to that. [00.40.27] Mr. DEAN. I did not want to deep six and shred documents. As far as I was concerned, I had been prepared to testify -when my name became known that in Mr. Gray's testimony my name was going to come out. Mr. THOMPSON. You had been prepared to testify that you had given him certain documents and that they were extremely sensitive and I believe you said you did not, tell him that they should never see the light of day. Mr. DEAN. That is not what I remember. I believe I testified yesterday that I said they were not to be made public. [00.40.55] Mr. THOMPSON. Were you prepared to testify that you carried the suitcase around in your car for a few days to decide -whether or not you would deep six it? Mr. DEAN. If I had been called, that would have come out. Mr. THOMPSON. Would that not have been a certain amount of pressure on you, coming in and testifying truthfully is one thing but wanting to do that or in trying to prevent yourself from being placed in a situation where you would have, to do that--you did not want to go down there? [00.41.19] Mr. DEAN. Mr. Thompson, you cannot believe the amount of pressure that, came on me after the Gray hearings by people not wanting we to testify. It became inevitable that I might have to testify. [00.41.31-IS THOMPSON suggesting DEAN wanted to take the cash and skip the country to avoid testifying? What is his point?] Mr. THOMPSON. I am talking about the specific point. I am talking about 'whether or not, on the, day before you took this money out, and, of course, the records speak for themselves--I believe it, was October 11 of that year--that the day before you took the, money out, this motion was filed and in your mental condition at the moment, whether it was a matter of great concern to you? Mr. DEAN. I would not, testify it was a matter of great concern; no, sir. Mr. THOMPSON. Would you carry a suitcase around with documents in it- Mr. DEAN. That was a long way off and let, me tell you the interviewing events. After the letter came to my attention before the motion was filed, I had conversations with Mr. O'Brien about this. I told him that if the motion were filed by Mr. Bittman that a lot of problems might be created for the White House. Mr. THOMPSON. When was this conversation? Mr. DEAN. Well, it was well in advance of the filing of the motion. Mr. THOMPSON. Was it well after October--before the motion was filed? Mr. DEAN. Yes, it was. Mr. THOMPSON. And what was the substance of the conversation? Mr. DEAN. I told him that, it would create real problems for the White House if it was. I didn't get explicit with him. [00.42.39]