Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.44.41-DASH interrogates MITCHELL about NIXON'S knowledge of Watergate and the COVERUP] Mr. DASH. Generally is it fair to say that much of your opinion that, you express is based on your faith in the President and your knowledge of the man, rather than any specific statement he President made to you or that you made, to the President? Mr. MITCHELL. Well, I subscribe to the first two. I do have faith in the President and I do think I have, knowledge of the man and I do think there were enough discussions in the area, in the general area, to the point where I think the general subject matter would have come out if the President had had knowledge. [00.45.15] Mr. DASH. Well, now, Mr. Mitchell, you did become, aware, as you have indicated, somewhere, around June 21 or 22, when you were briefed or debriefed by Mr. LaRue and Mr. Mardian about the so-called--as you described it, the White, House horrors of the Liddy operation and the break-in. Did you, yourself, as the. President's adviser and counselor, tell the President what you knew or what you learned? Mr. MITCHELL. NO, sir, I did not. Mr. DASH. Why didn't you ? [00.45.44] Mr. MITCHELL. Because I did not believe that. it was appropriate,, for him to have that type of knowledge, because I knew the actions that he would take and it would be most detrimental to his political campaign. Mr. DASH. Could it have been actually helpful or healthy, do you think? [00.46.01] Mr. MITCHELL. That was not my opinion at the particular time. He was not involved; it wasn't a question of deceiving the public as far as Richard Nixon was concerned, -and it was the other people that were involved in connection with these activities, both in the White House horrors and the Watergate. I believed at that particular time, and maybe in retrospect, I was wrong, but it occurred to me that the best thing to do was just to keep the lid on through the election. Mr. DASH. Then it is your testimony that you in fact. did not say anything to the President at that time Mr. MITCHELL. No, sir, I did not. Mr. DASH. So whether the President had any knowledge of it, it certainly couldn't have come, from, his lack of knowledge or knowledge from any statement, that you made to him? Mr. MITCHELL. That is correct, Mr. Dash. [00.46.57-DASH interrogates MITCHELL on the subject of MAGRUDER'S commission of Perjury before the grand jury-what was MITCHELL'S role in the perjury?] Mr. DASH. Now, were you aware of the fact that actually prior to Magruder's testimony, Mr. Dean rehearsed Mr. Magruder for his testimony before, the grand jury? Mr. MITCHELL. I do not recall that, Mr. Dash, if you are talking' about the testimony that took place on the--- Mr. DASH. In August. Mr. MITCHELL. In August the second appearance. Mr. DASH. The second appearance. Mr. MITCHELL, I am not aware Of that. Mr. DASH. Then prior to Magruder's third appearance, which dealt with the diaries and the meetings in your office, were, you aware or do you recall; the meeting between you, Magruder and Dean. in which a discussion was had concerning how to handle that testimony and how he was to testify concerning those meetings? [00.47.45] Mr. MITCHELL. Well, it wasn't a question so much of how to handle the testimony, it Was a question of what the recollection was. That, I recall, Magruder's testimony had to do with the destruction Of diaries that were already in the possession of the grand jury. But I think Mr. Dean's testimony is a lot closer to the recollection that I have Of the meeting It was a question of what was the purpose of it. who was there. and what could be Said about it to limit the Impact of the whole---- [00.48.21] Mr. DASH. And did Mr. Magruder indicate That he was not going to testify concerning any intelligence plans, but would testify that he was there to discuss the election laws. Mr. MITCHELL. Well, the election laws were discussed -and I think the result was that he would limit it TO the election laws. Mr. DASH. And you were aware. then, in September that he would testify not completely, if not falsely, concerning the meeting on January 27 and February 4? Mr. MITCHELL. Well. that is generally correct. AS I say again, this is something that Dean and I were listening to, as to his story as to how he was going to present it,