Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.02.00-MITCHELL testifying that he was not involved in giving orders in the COVERUP] 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. 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, 1 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. 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? [00.03.10] 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. 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. [00.04.14] Mr. THOMPSON. Or with these other- points about--well, is that a matter of memory as to whether or not you called him and asked that the, $350,000 he sent over, or as to whether or not, you requested that, Kalmbach be, used to make deliveries of moneys to families? Is that a matter of memory ? Mr. MITCHELL. I think it is a, matter of confusion of people. I think as you look at this total picture, you get two aegis, one over in 1701 and one over in--what is the' White House? 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Mr. THOMPSON. I am sure you know better than I, Mr. Mitchell. Mr. MITCHELL. And Mr. Thompson, this fellow, you know he. was just Carrying messages back and forth, according to his statement,. He had to have somebody over there as principals with which to get to do all of this, Unfortunately , at times, he, has picked out some of these, principals that just, were not on the scene at, the particular time, as I have indicated about the meeting of the, 28th. Mr. THOMPSON. Do you know of any other indications of this? Mr. MITCHELL. Well. I can go back through the testimony and I Sure Provide you With some, if that is your desire. Mr. THOMPSON. DO you recall that is you remember his statement or have you read his statement? Have, you read his statement? I assume that that you have---- Mr. MITCHELL. I have read his statement, yes. Mr. THOMPSON. Do you recall whether or not there are other points, without specifically naming in one. I if you cannot? Mr. MITCHELL. Yes, there are. I am not sure I could pinpoint them today, but I can provide you -with material, if it is something. Mr. THOMPSON. If you return tomorrow--as I expect you tonight you could go through his statement--- Mr. MITCHELL. You mean I am going to be invited back tomorrow? Mr. THOMPSON. Most cordially. Mr. MITCHELL. Thank you. Mr. THOMPSON. And refresh your memory on those points. Some of the Senators might want to ask some questions. Mr. MITCHELL. I will attempt to do so, sir. Mr. THOMPSON. Let me ask you about one, more meeting. the meeting you had with, not with Mr. Dean, but Mr. Ehrlichman, on April 13 at the White House. Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Ehrlichman? Mr. THOMPSON. Yes. Mr. MITCHELL. If I am not Mistaken the meeting was On April 14. It. was a Saturday. [00.06.27] Mr. THOMPSON. What was discussed at that meeting? Mr. MITCHELL. Very little other than the fact that I had known that Mr. Magruder had tried to be the first one into the prosecutor's office and that he had already been there, and that Mr. Ehrlichman had learned that and had talked to Magruder and Mr. Ehrlichman advised me as to what Mr. Magruder was saying. I said. thank you very much and he said, would you not like to see the President? And I said under the circumstances of what is unfolding here. I think it would be inappropriate for me to see the President. So we left it at that. Mr. THOMPSON. Was this, in effect, telling you that from Ehrlichman's standpoint anyway from what was going on, that, you could anticipate problems? Mr. MITCHELL. That I could? Mr. THOMPSON. Yes. Mr. MITCHELL. I do not think it is so much that way as he was recounting to me what Magruder had said, which, of course, did involve Me. Now, as to Mr. Ehrlichman's motive. I am not trying to guesstimate that. [00.07.37]