Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Tape Part 1 Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle. Senate Caucus Room, Washington DC
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Senate Committee Chairman, Senator Sam Ervin (D -North Carolina). Counsel will call the first witness. Samuel Dash calls Robert Odle is called and he makes his way to the witness table.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Senator Sam Ervin. That the evidence you shall give the Senate Select Committee on the Presidential Campaign Activities, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Robert Odle. I do, so help me God.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Mr. Odle, I understand you have a brief statement you would like to read to the Committee. Would you please read it? Robert Odle. Thank you. I would like to use this opportunity to make just one brief point. I joined the staff of the Committee for the Re-election of the president more than two years ago, because I believed in President Nixon and in his hopes and dreams for America. I still do. During my association with the committee, I came into contact with more than 400 members of its national staff salaried and volunteered. It now appears tragically, that some of those people have acted un-ethically and illegally. Indeed two former members of the staff have been convicted of crimes, and if others are guilty I hope that they will be exposed and prosecuted. These hearings will help in that purpose. The point I want to make is this, that when we discuss the committee, we should remember that in addition to those who did wrong, and who did act un-ethically, there are a million volunteers across the nation and 400 people at national headquarters who did nothing unethical or illegal. They joined in a campaign because they believed in the President. A President who opened the door to China, all too long closed. A President who traveled to Russia and signed substantive agreements while there. A President who brought an end to the longest war in our history. I found those hundreds of people with whom I worked for two years, most of them, to be among the finest most decent hard working Americans I have ever met. And I was proud to be associated with them in the cause of re-electing a man who I feel will ultimately be regarded as one of the greatest Presidents this nation has ever known. I want to associate myself with the spirit and substance of the opening statements of the Senators which I just heard. I have been and want to continue to be of assistance to the Senate Select Committee in any way I can and I appreciate the opportunity to make this statement. Thank you.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash asks Mr. Odle to state his name and address. Robert Odle. Robert C. Odle, Jr., (address) Samuel Dash. And what is your present occupation? Robert Odle. I am presently a consultant to the committee for the re-election of the President. Samuel Dash. Prior to that time, what position did you hold at the committee for the re-election of the President? Robert Odle. I was director of Administration of the committee from May 1, 1971 until approximately May 1, 1973. Samuel Dash. Could you tell us, when the committee for the re-election for the president was set up? Robert Odle. Yes sir, it was set up and announced I believe on May 1, 1971. Samuel Dash. And can you state briefly, to your knowledge, what purpose the committee for the re-election of the president was set up? Robert Odle. Yes sir. In early 1971, a number of people began to look at the 1972 campaign. There was the thought that people would have to begin to work full time on the President s campaign. They did not want those people to remain on a government payroll or on a White House payroll. They did not want that activity at the Republican National Committee because at that point, it appeared the President might have competition in the primaries from two Congressmen, and it would be technically inappropriate for the RNC to house presidential campaign activities. So therefore, the committee for the re-election of the president was set up in May of 1971.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Now Mr. Odle, who where the initial persons who came over and formed the committee for the re-election of the President when it was started? Robert Odle. There was Mr. Jeb Magruder, Mr. Harry S. Flemming, Mr. Hugh W. Sloan, Jr., myself, Dr. Robert Merrick, Mr. Herbert Porter, and a number of secretaries who went there to assist us. Samuel Dash. Of those persons, could you identify which of those had positions in the White House, before they came over to the committee? Robert Odle. Yes sir, Mr. Porter, Mr. Magruder, Mr. Flemming had been at the White House, he left the White House and went into private business and then came to the Committee, but he had been there before. And Mr. Sloan, and myself.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Now Mr. Odle, would you please go to the chart. Now Mr. Odle, would you first state what that chart reports to be? Robert Odle. Yes, this is a chart of the Committee for the Re-election of the President, in 1972. Samuel Dash. Up until what time? Robert Odle. Up until July 1, 1972. Samuel Dash. Now, had you seen that chart prior to this hearing? Robert Odle. Yes sir, it was part of the campaign records that the staff had asked for. Samuel Dash. And you helped prepare that chart? Robert Odle. Yes sir, I did. Samuel Dash. And does that chart accurately reflect the structure of the committee? Robert Odle. Yes sir, it does.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Now, could you please point out the particular persons on the chart and the roles they played for the committee? Robert Odle. Yes sir, Mr. Dash the other point I was going to make is that this also shows the finance committee to re-elect the President in addition to the committee, and the budget committee which was between the two of them. Samuel Dash. What was the difference between the committee to re-elect the president and finance committee to re-elect the president? Robert Odle. The essential function of the finance committee to re-elect the president was to raise the necessary funds for the campaign. To account for them, to keep records and to disperse the funds. The job of the committee for the re-election of the president was to conduct the national campaign programs, campaign activities. The budget committee, between the two committees was made up of representatives of each, and the function of the budget committee in effect, was to decide how campaign dollars ought to be allocated. In other words, how the pie was sliced.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Now would you point out principally the key persons on that chart and just very briefly state what their position was in the committee. Robert Odle. Mr. Francis Dale was president and publisher of The Cincinnati Enquirer. He was Chairman of the Committee for the Re-Election of the President. Mr. Mitchell, formerly Attorney General, was Campaign Director. Mr. LaRue was Special Assistant to Campaign Director. There were 8 co-chairman under Mr. Dale who server - distinguished citizens from around the country. There were three principal divisions. Political division - five political co-coordinators, their job was to divide the 50 states among them and to organize state re-election committees in each state. The various other national programs under Mr. Magruder, Mr. Reisner was his administrative assistant. Do you want me to go through all of them? Samuel Dash. No, not the names.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. On that chart where you have Mr. Magruder, and Mr. Reisner as his appointment secretary and assistant, what was the role of Mr. McCord that appears on that chart? Does he in fact appear on that chart? Robert Odle. Yes sir, he does. He appears here under me. Mr. McCord was among about 5 assistants who worked for me. His job is office security. That's what he was hired for is office security.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Now, do you have Mr. Liddy, appearing on that chart? Robert Odle. Yes sir. Actually what was done here is an asterisk was used. Mr. Liddy was General Council of the Committee for the Re-Election of the President, September 1 to April 1, 1972. About the time that the new campaign legislation was taking effect, Mr. Liddy moved from here to here, to the Finance Committee where he became General Council of that. And he was replaced here on April 1. Samuel Dash. Now, do you have Mr. Sloan appearing on that chart? Robert Odle. Yes, Mr. Sloan was Treasurer of the Finance committee. Samuel Dash. And do you have Mr. Stans appearing on that chart? Robert Odle. Mr. Stans was Chairman of the Finance committee. Samuel Dash. And I see Mr. Kalmback above the little box where Mr. Stans, can you please explain what Mr. Kalmbacks relationship was on that chart? Robert Odle. Mr. Kalmback was associate chairman of the finance committee's predecessor committee, the finance committee for the re-election of the president, which was in existence from February until April. I do not believe he had an official role in the campaign after April, although I believe he assisted Mr. Stans.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Can we have the Finance Committee chart, number three? Now do you find Mr. Liddy on that chart? Robert Odle. Yes here as council. Samuel Dash. Now, from what period does that chart represent the role of the Finance Committee? Robert Odle. Well, it's a basically from April to November. Now within that time period various changes were made in individuals, but that is the basic structure of the Finance Committee, as I understand it, from April 7 until November. Samuel Dash. Now, uh who was Sally Harmony that appears on that chart? Robert Odle. Mrs. Harmony was Mr. Liddy's secretary.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. And um, can you just go back now to the first chart for the moment. Does Mr. LaRue appear on that chart? Robert Odle. Yes, Mr. LaRue is right here, special assistant to the campaign director. Samuel Dash. And does Mr. Mardian appear on that chart? Robert Odle. At that time, Mr. Mardian was a political co-coordinator, one of the five in the political division. Samuel Dash. Does Mr. Malek appear on that chart? Robert Odle. No, Mr. Malek was not a full time member of the staff at that point.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17,1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Samuel Dash. Now, you of your own knowledge or opinion, of your opinion you express how you have that opinion, know on the original shift from White House to the committee how Mr. Magruder came over to the committee? Who appointed the various persons who came over to the committee for the re-election of the president? Robert Odle. My understanding at that point in time was that Mr. Haldeman and Mr. Mitchell had asked Mr. Magruder to assume that position. Samuel Dash. Who appointed Mr. Sloan, to your knowledge? Robert Odle. I believe at that point, Mr. Haldeman asked Mr. Sloan to come over. I can't say sir that I know he appointed him, but my best knowledge at that point was that Mr. Haldeman had asked Mr. Sloan to come to the committee. Samuel Dash. Is it your opinion that Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Haldeman were playing principal roles in selecting the key people for the committee? Robert Odle. Yes.