Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.33.08-DASH interrogates MITCHELL about his knowledge of the developing COVERUP of WATERGATE] Mr. DASH. And then, to the best of your recollection and knowledge, were you aware, that Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Ehrlichman were being kept Informed on the question of the strategy to conceal Mr. Magruder's actual--- Mr. MITCHELL. I had no specific, knowledge of that. Mr. DASH. Did you ever discuss that with Mr. Ehrlichman or Haldeman? Mr. MITCHELL. No, Sir; I never did. You are talking about the Magruder's testimony? Mr. DASH. Yes, Mr. MITCHELL. To the best, of my recollection I have never discussed it with them. Mr. DASH. You don't recall that at all? Mr. MITCHELL. I don't recall that. no. I can only say that Mr. Dean' was the, conduit, was the party who acted between the two committees and came back and forth and discussed things with us so that whether---- Mr. DASH. Did you have any communication with Mr. Haldeman or Mr. Ehrlichman yourself during this period of time? Mr. MITCHELL. Oh, I am sure I had numerous communications but. I probably had to do with the running of the campaign, with other such matters rather than what, Mr. Magruder might be testifying to. [00.34.10] Mr. DASH. Did it have, anything to do with the so-called White House horror stories or the scandals you learned about, from Mr. Mardian and Mr. LaRue based on Mr. Liddy's statement, to back them up? Mr. MITCHELL. You are talking about this time, you are talking before, Magruder--- Mr. DASH. Before Magruder's testimony before the grand before the grand jury. [00.34.30] Mr. MITCHELL. Before Magruder's testimony before, the grand jury. I would believe that during that, period of time there were some discussions of the, so-called White House stories, yes. Mr. DASH. Was there----- Mr. MITCHELL. Horrors. I mean not stories. Mr. DASH. Was there a concern expressed by you to 'Mr. Haldeman or Mr. Ehrlichman concerning whether stories would be revealed during this campaign? [00.34.51-In other words, it was not necessary just to coverup WATERGATE, but a gigantic host of other illegal acts] Mr. MITCHELL. I think that -we all had an innate fear that during the campaign that they might be revealed. I recall discussing it, specifically in that area but I am sure we must have had a mutual concern about the subject matter. Mr. DASH, Well, did you yourself form a personal position as to what should be done about revealing this material [00.35.17-MITCHELL'S rationalization of COVERING UP the WHITE HOUSE HORRORS] Mr. MITCHELL. I formed the opinion and a position that I did not believe that it was fair to the President to have these stories Come out during his political campaign. Mr. DASH. Were YOU aware that there was a program actually going on so as to actually prevent these stories from coming out? Mr. MITCHELL. NOW, which program are you talking about, Mr. Dash, so I can be sure to answer your question properly? Mr. DASH. Well, a program on the part of yourself, 'Mr. Dean, Mr. Haldeman. Mr. Ehrlichman, and perhaps 'Mr. LaRue and Mr. Mardian to see to it that the information that got to the prosecutor or to the grand jury or to the civil suits did not in any way include this information concerning the so-called White House horrors as you described them'? [00.36.12] Mr. MITCHELL. Well, Mr. Dash, that is a very broad question and covers a lot, of areas. I may answer it. perhaps, by saying that we sure in hell were not volunteering anything. In addition to that, we were Involved in a very difficult series of civil litigation. as you know, that involved discovery and all the rest of it. So we were not volunteering anything. [00.36.34] Mr. DASH. But, you say you did come to know that, prior to Mr. Magruder's testimony that he was going to testify falsely? Mr. MITCHELL. I think I can put it On the basis that I had a pretty strong feeling that his testimony was not going to be entirely accurate. Mr. DASH. Right, and this discussion, I think you have already testified, was part of the discussion of some of the meetings with Messrs. LaRue, Mardian, Dean. and Magruder. Mr. MITCHELL. That is correct. Mr. DASH. it be Would it be correct---- Mr. MITCHELL. I think the best way to put it is that Mr. Magruder would seek an audience to review his story that he was going to tell, rather than somebody was trying to induce him to do so. I think Mr. Magruder has testified that nobody coerced him to do this. that he made up the Story, that he did it of his own free will. So it was more of a basis of Mr. Magruder recounting to these assembled groups what he was going to testify to. [00.37.36] Mr. DASH. But would it be fair to say, Mr. Mitchell, that it was in the interest of the group to have the story that, did go into the grand jury and the ultimate indictments that did come out cut off at Liddy? And Mr. Magruder, who was in such a high position in the committee, would not be involved in that type, of thing? [00.37.52-MITCHELL'S skill as a lawyer makes him seem arrogant and dishonest as a witness-splits many hairs] Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Dash, I think you are jumping from one conclusion to another without the bridge. What we were really concerned about were the White House horror stories. Now, if the cutoff that you speak Of helped in that direction, perhaps that was probably the case. In other words, Watergate did not have the great, significance that the White House horror stories that have since occurred had. Mr. DASH. Would you say that whatever coverup was taking place to this point, concealment and not volunteering information, had to do with actually preventing the so-called White House horror stories rather than Watergate break-in? Mr., MITCHELL. This was certainly my belief and rationale and I would believe the people in the White House, certainly some, of them, might well be involved and certainly would have similar interests. [00.38.44]