Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.59.29-MITCHELL is interrogated about the COVERUP] Mr. DASH. At that time, did you hear that Mr. Caulfield had been authorized to promise some form of Executive clemency to Mr. McCord? Mr. MITCHELL. I don't believe so. I think the only conversations that I had heard about Executive clemency had to do with Mr. Colson and Mr. Hunt. Mr. DASH. Well, what Was that, to the best of your recollection?, Mr. MITCHELL. To the, best of my recollection, it was that somewhere along the line, and I gather that that would be in 1973, early 1973, there were discussions of whether or not Mr. Hunt ---well, I gather he had approached Colson, or through his lawyer had approached Colson on the subject matter. [01.00.14] The essence of it was that Mr. Colson's word was the only Word that Mr. Hunt would take with respect to Executive clemency, whatever that meant. That is the subject and substance of my overhearing of discussions on Executive clemency. Mr. DASH. Now, Mr. Mitchell, you became aware., apparently, that after the election and after the questions concerning the funds that were being used by Mr. Hunt and Mr. 'McCord's concern, that whatever you discussed as keeping the lid on might become uncovered. Did that, sometime around December or January, occur to you? [01.01.02] Mr. MITCHELL. Well, it always occurred to me, the possibility that the so-called lid would become uncovered. Of course, I always hoped that it didn't, for the very simple, reason that there was no necessity of scaring the President, who was not involved, through his White House activities or the activities in the, White House, Mr. DASH. But the real possibility of it becoming uncovered, -now that the election was over, could not, affect his election. Mr. MITCHELL. No, it, Would not affect his election but it Would affect his Presidency, Mr. Dash. [01.01.39] Mr. DASH. But you were aware. and I think from your own statement that the President Was unaware, and You had personal knowledge or knowledge of information you had received from others of certain activities, that if they did become known publicly could either injure or destroy the President's second administration. After the election, did it occur to you to tell the President then? Mr. MITCHELL. Well, I am sure it occurred to me and probably on hindsight I probably should have. I do not think there is any doubt about, it. [01.02.08] Mr. DASH. Did you not think it was the President's prerogative to know what to do about these matters? Mr. MITCHELL. The decision had to be made, and it is a tough one, whether or not he is not. involved in it but he does not know about them, will this go away. I knew they were going to change the personnel in the White House and hopefully they would be gone and he would not have to deal with it and he could go on to his second term, the second Presidency, without this problem. Mr. DASH, But you were taking a major risk. were you not. Mr. Mitchell? Mr., MITCHELL. I think you are taking a major risk any time you have to deal with the White House horrors under any circumstances. [01.02.49] Mr. DASH. 'Now, you spoke to the President quite frequently on the telephone. you met with him, your logs indicate, so you did have plenty Of opportunities. and on no occasion. I think it is your testimony. did you speak to the President about these matters? Mr. MITCHELL. Now. which matters are we talking about? Mr. DASH. Again, the White House--- Mr. MITCHELL. About disclosing these, matters. Mr. DASH. Disclosing the matters, the White House horrors, the break-in. Mr. MITCHELL. I did not--well, let US not pass this over to the point where--on the 20th of June when I talked to him I apologized to him for not knowing what the hell had happened and I should have kept a stronger hand on what the people, in the committee were doing, et cetera. And then, further on down the road in these political meetings that are shown on the, logs. there were discussions about appointing a commission of the type of the Warren commission to Investigate this matter. and special prosecutors and things like that. I do not want to leave the, impression that it was never touched under any circumstances. [01.03.53] Mr. DASH. I am not talking about when you talked about Watergate as such. I am talking about the so-called coverup, the White House horrors and what your own knowledge, based on information given you, [01.04.03-TAPE OUT]