Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.31.10-TALMADGE continues to question MITCHELL] Senator TALMADGE. Mr. Stans testified before the committee, Mr. Mitchell, he. stated his sole responsibility as chairman of the finance committee was to raise, the money and he testified that it was your responsibility as I recall., as chairman to determine the expenditures thereof. [00.31.45-TALMADGE asks if MITCHELL was responsible for the unaccounted spending in the campaign] Now, we had some more than, a million dollars in cash that was not accounted for during the. expenditure. Thus, as I understand it, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Stans -has implicated you as being responsible for these cash disbursements. Would you comment on that? Mr. MITCHELL. I don't believe that, that 'Senator, in all deference to you, is the testimony of Mr. Stans in any form, shape, or circumstance stances about that. By the time that, I became active. and 1 am Saying active as distinguished from consulting, in the campaign, we were working on budgets, which Mr. Stans and his people on the finance Committee, were part and parcel of, just, as I was on the political side, and we, -were working under the budget. Mr. Stans was part of that. [00.32.38] Senator TALMADGE. Let's see if we can clarify it. It was Mr. Stans' responsibility to raise the money, as I understand it. Is that an accurate statement? Mr. MITCHELL. No question about that. Senator TALMADGE. Whose responsibility was it to disburse it? Mr. MITCHELL. It was the responsibility--to disburse it? Senator TALMADGE. Yes, Mr. MITCHELL. Well, it, was actually disbursed by the finance committee but, I am sure that, is not, the, thrust of your question. Your question is who authorized the programs for which the money was spent. I think that that is the question? [00.33.06] Senator TALMADGE. Yes. who could call up over there and say give x number of dollars or write a check for such and such an amount? Who had the. authority to do that? Was it you or Mr. Stans? That is what I am trying to get at. Mr. MITCHELL. It, depended on the period of time involved. Mr. Talmadge. 'Before their budgets were put together, it was done in the way you said, that we authorize this program and so-and-so can get so much money. Senator TALMADGE. When did you take over as chairman of the committee? Mr. MITCHELL. I didn't, become chairman. I became campaign director, Senator Talmadge. Senator TALMADGE. What date was that? Mr. MITCHELL. It was announced on the 9th of April. But, I had been working, as my time would allow. plus a vacation, from the 21st of November through the 3d or 4th of April in trying to put together working budgets under which these moneys would be expended, Senator TALMADGE. Thereafter then was It your responsibility to authorize authorized disbursements? Mr. MITCHELL. In connection with the budget., yes. Senator TALMADGE. And so-- Mr. MITCHELL. That, is up until the 1st of July. Senator TALMADGE. When you resigned and that, was sole your responsibility during that period? Mr. MITCHELL. No. as you have heard from the discussion here, this morning -when Mr. Stans consulted me about, it, because of the many other things that I was doing, including putting together the political organizations in the 50 States. I told Mr. Stans that Mr. Magruder had continuing authorization which, of course, Is part, of Mr. Stans' Testimony, to authorize expenditures of Money. [00.34.38-TALMADGE charges MITCHELL with approving the payments of money involved in the COVERUP-MITCHELL tries to split hairs and dodge the question] Senator TALMADGE. Then the expenditures that were paid out by Mr. Sloan, as I recall, various lawyers fees, and bail fees, and living expenses, were authorized by you, Is that a correct statement? Mr. MITCHELL. To my knowledge, Mr. Sloan never made such payments. Senator TALMADGE. Who did? Mr. MITCHELL. To my knowledge there was never any money paid out of the committee for that purpose.. Senator TALMADGE. There was some--- Mr. MITCHELL. If I can go back to my testimony a few minutes ago Senator TALMADGE. Yes. Mr. MITCHELL [continuing]. When this matter was first brought up it was turned down and turned down cold. The money that was used, if it was bail money and I am not, sure of that, but, attorneys' fees and support, were not committee moneys. Senator TALMADGE. Where did that money come from? Mr. MITCHELL. Well I believe Mr. Stans testified, and I am no expert on this subject matter because I don't know all of the answers to it, I believe Mr. Stans testified that at Mr. Kalmbach's request and this is the first public knowledge that I have as to how this got started, that on the 29th of June Mr. Stans turned over moneys that were not part of the campaign moneys to Mr. Kalmbach in the amount of $75,000. [00.35.58] Senator TALMADGE. I believe he, testified that he checked with you on that and you authorized it, is that correct? Mr. MITCHELL. Who did this? Senator TALMADGE. Mr. Stans, as I recall. Mr. MITCHELL. No, he did not, No, sir, I beg your pardon. Senator TALMADGE. Who authorized that disbursement? Mr. MITCHELL. That was not a disbursement of campaign funds. This was moneys that Mr. Stans testified that, he had outside of the campaign, and that he turned them over to Mr. Kalmbach at Mr. Kalmbach's request, Mr. Kalmbach having said this -was for an important White House mission and I am quite certain that is the testimony. [00.36.29]