Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.58.56-THOMPSON interrogating MITCHELL about ordering money to be raised to pay off the defendants as part of the coverup-brief shot of ERVIN looking intently at something] Mr. THOMPSON. Doan testified that after the, President's statement on August, 29 referring to the Dean report he began thinking that he might be being set up in case the whole thing crumbled at a later time. He testified he discussed this with you and others and that you assured him that he need not. worry because you didn't believe anyone in the White House would do that to him. Do you recall such a conversation with Mr. Dean? Mr. MITCHELL. I recall such a conversation. Mr. Thompson. but it, seems to me it, was much later than August -29, Mr. THOMPSON. Do you recall I when? Mr. MITCHELL. No, I don't recall the date but., it was much further. In fact, I think it was into 1973, Mr. THOMPSON. Do you recall the month? Was it, into April, perhaps as late as April? Mr. Mitchell. No, it would be before that. It would be in February or March I would believe. Mr. THOMPSON. Did he state to you the basis of his fears? Mr. MITCHELL. No, I don't believe he did. As a matter of fact, to the best of my recollection I only had, of course. one Conversation with Mr. Dean in April, and a very limited number of them in March so it had to be sometime in early March or February. [01.00.23] Mr. THOMPSON. Dean testified That during the first week Of December you called Dean and said that you would have to use some, of the, $350,000 at the White House to take care of the demands that were being made by Hunt and the others, for money, and that, you asked him to get Haldeman's approval for that. Is that a correct statement? Mr. MITCHELL. No, that is absolutely untrue 'as far as I am concerned. I had no official capacity. I have no control over the money and there, -would be no reason why I should call Dean, or anybody else, With respect to it, and I did not so call Dean. [01.01.00] Mr. THOMPSON. Dean testified that shortly before the trial when the demands for money Were reaching the crescendo point., again you Called Dean and once again asked him to ask Haldeman to make the necessary funds available and that after Dean talked to Haldeman the, decision was made to send the entire $350,000. Mr. MITCHELL. Well, I would respond to that the same way I did to Your last question. [01.01.23-THOMPSON asks MITCHELL about his involvement in giving assurances of EXECUTIVE CLEMENCY to defendants] Mr. THOMPSON. Dean testified that, on January 10 he received a call from O'Brien and you indicating that since Hunt had been given assurances of clemency and that those, assurances were being passed to Hunt and others that Caulfield should give the same assurances to McCord who was becoming an increasing problem and again Dean was told that McCord's lawyer was having problems with him, Is that---- Mr. MITCHELL. I think that Mr. Dean, if he will go back and check his logs will find that I was out, of town in Florida when he started the, McCord dialog, and that there would be no reason in the -world for me to direct Mr. Dean to do anything vis-a-vis Caulfield or McCord, Or anybody else. [01.02.12] Mr. THOMPSON. The, logs indicate, I believe, you were in Key Biscayne from January 1 through January 7. Mr. MITCHELL. I think it was December 20 through January 8, I believe. Mr. THOMPSON. All right, sir. Let me ask you about one, more, piece, of testimony, the meeting on March 22 which you had with Haldeman, Ehrlichman and Dean; I understand you met with them and that afternoon you met With the President. Mr. MITCHELL. Yes, sir. [01.02.47] Mr. THOMPSON. I believe, that Dean testified that Ehrlichman turned to you and asked if Hunt had been taken care, of, or his money situation had been taken care, of, and you assured him that he had been taken care, of, is that correct? Mr. MITCHELL. It is absolutely false as far as I am concerned because, I have never, to my knowledge, discussed any of these, payments 'with John Ehrlichman and any of the specifies of that nature with respect to -any individual, and I wouldn't, have known on the 22d of March whether Mr. Hunt had been taken care of or hadn't been taken care of. [01.03.25-MITCHELL has to be careful not to accuse DEAN of lying, because MITCHELL himself is in a tricky position legally] Mr. THOMPSON. Do you think Mr. Dean could be mistaken about these various points? Mr. MITCHELL. No, I think Mr. Dean may have, in putting together --how long was his statement? You know, it is awfully hard to recollect on what day -what was discussed. Mr. THOMPSON He did not seem to have any trouble at, the time. Mr. MITCHELL. Well, you said it, not, I. Mr. THOMPSON. Are you saying that perhaps Mr. Dean's memory might not have been quite that good ? Mr. MITCHELL. Well, it certainly cannot be with respect to the specifics of the March 22 meeting. I am sure of that. Mr. THOMPSON. Or with these other- points about--well, is that a matter of memory as to whether or not----- [01.04.03-TAPE OUT]