Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.48.28-Sen. TALMADGE interrogates MITCHELL about the first stages of the coverup] Senator TALMADGE. Did you talk to Mr. Colson about the same time? Mr. MITCHELL. I am sure that I would because he would have, attended those meetings. Senator TALMADGE. Did you direct Robert Mardian to telephone Liddy on June 17 and ask him to try to persuade Mr. Kleindienst, then the Acting Attorney General. to arrange for Mr. McCord to be released from bail as Mr. Magruder has testified? Mr. MITCHELL. NO, sir. I am sure, I assure you, that would not be the case. There was some conversation that somebody might call up the Acting Attorney General to find out, what the hell happened but I noticed in Mr. Magruder's testimony he said that, I selected Mardian because, Mardian was, a great, friend of Liddy's and if there was anybody who were on the opposite ends of the stick it would have been Mardian and Liddy. Senator TALMADGE. -Would You say then that Mr. Magruder committed perjury before this committee? Mr. MITCHELL. I cannot, characterize anything as perjury. Senator. That does not. happen to be, a fact, what you have just said, and I have just denied it and I am sure, the other people who were present Will also deny it. Senator TALMADGE. You are a good lawyer. Mr. Mitchell, testifying under oath to a lie is commonly referred to as perjury, is it not? Mr. MITCHELL. Well, Yes; but you also have to have intents, I think, along with it under certain circumstances and I am sure, that some of these conversations have rot garbled and mixed up in the, intervening year and a half or so. I would not, want to characterize anybody---- Senator TALMADGE. What you are saying is intentions might be good but, his facts are wrong, is that correct? Mr. MITCHELL. Could very well be that the recollection was not quite accurate. There are many of other circumstances some Of which I testified to and some of which I presume I will in connection with my answers relating to Mr. Magruder's testimony where I know damn well that, he has transposed events and got them mixed into other circumstances. [00.50.31] Senator TALMADGE. Mr. Dean has testified before this coil in committee that there was a meeting on March 22, 1973. When you met with him. Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Ehrlichman and you said that there was no more money problems for Mr. Hunt. Did this meeting take place? [00.50.51] Mr. MITCHELL. The meeting had taken place, Senator, I covered this earlier this morning and it to this effect. the meeting took place prior to a meeting with the President. It was, on March 22. those participating were Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Dean, and myself. Dean's testimony Is to the effect that, Ehrlichman asked me if Hunt had been paid or if his problems had been taken care of. and I am reported by Dean to have answered yes. something. To the contrary, I deny that it ever existed as far as I am concerned because I would not, know whether Hunt's problems have been taken care of or not, Senator TALMADGE. Then, you are telling this committee Mr. Dean was in error when he made this statement? Mr. MITCHELL. This may be another one of these cases where on---- Senator- TALMADGE. Intentions were good and his facts, were wrong? [00.51.38] Mr. MITCHELL. Well, he probably got the parties mixed up. I do not recall ever having talked to John Ehrlichman about payment of money to anybody in connection with the Watergate. Senator TALMADGE. I believe you stated you later met with the President that day? Mr. MITCHELL. Yes sir. we did. Senator TALMADGE. Mr. Dean said--he testified--you talked with the President about dealing with the Ervin committee at that point, is that correct? Mr. MITCHELL. Excuse me. this is a side joke that we have, he is afraid I am going to pronounce the chairman's name wrong as I have from time to time. The word "dealing: is a pretty broad term. Actually. the subject matters were a number that did have to do with the committee and it was also, of course the basis, the subject matters were the basis for discussion that took place previously that morning among Haldeman, Ehrlichman Dean, and myself in the meeting that we Just got Out of. The real problem that was discussed -it that particular time 'Was the problem the President was having in connection with executive privilege and that was the real focal point of it and, of course. that Was right in the middle of the Gray hearings where the concentration was on the executive privilege matter. The other aspects of it were as to who was to be the liaison in connection with the White House working with this committee, up here, and I believe that Mr. Dean is correct in testimony that during the meeting the President Called Mr. Kleindienst to ask him if he had met with the chairman and the vice chairman of the committee on the Subject matter to start discussing matters of privilege and the other relationships in that area. [00.53.36] Senator TALMADGE. Did you convince the President at that time that he ought to waive executive privilege? Mr. MITCHELL. I urged it. senator TALMADGE. Why was he so insistent on what he called executive privilege, Mr. Mitchell? Mr. MITCHELL. Well of course, I can't always--I can't say always, If can't read the President's mind but I -would believe that whatever the President does in this area he does it in connection with the Presidency and not in connection with some individual. problem that he may have at a particular time. [00.54.06]