Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of Bruce Kehrli
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of Bruce Kehrli
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17, 1973 - Testimony of Bruce A Kehrli, Special Assistant to the President United States Senate Caucus Room, Washington DC [Odle standing to leave, cut to Sen. Ervin at committee table] Senator ERVIN. I would like to say to the committee that we have one witness this afternoon who has an engagement to be in a golf tournament tomorrow, Sergeant Leeper. And since he is to testify only upon the apprehension of people caught in Watergate, I am going to suggest that we be as restrained as possible in our questioning, so that since that proposition has been well established. First, we have another witness before Leeper, but, I just want to say I want us to do all I can to facilitate his getting to the golf tournament tomorrow. And that would necessitate us to finish with him today. Call the next witness. Mr. Sam DASH. The next, witness is Mr. Bruce Kehrli, if you'd please come to the table. [cut shot of full caucus room/audience, Bruce Kehrli standing at witness table, brown suit, conservative haircut, stodgy glasses, smiling in] Senator ERVIN. Mr. Kehrli, hold up your right hand, please. [cut Ervin standing to swear in witness] Do you swear the evidence you are to give to the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Mr. KEHRLI. I do. Mr. DASH. Mr. Kehrli, do you have any statement first to make to this committee? Mr. KEHRLI. I have no opening statement, but I do have a statement I may want to give later on in the testimony. Mr. DASH. Yes, alright will you first then for the record give your name and your address. Mr. KEHRLI. My name is Bruce Arnold Kehrli. And my address is 736 South Lee Street in Alexandria. Mr. DASH. And what is your present employment, Mr. Kehrli? Mr. KEHRLI. I am employed at the White House. Mr. DASH. What is your position? Mr. KEHRLI. My title is Special Assistant to the President. Mr. DASH. Now, how long have you had such a position? Mr. KEHRLI. I have had the title since January of this year. My Position is actually that of staff secretary, which I have had since January 1 of 1972. Mr. DASH. And to whom do you report, Mr. Kehrli? Mr. KEHRLI. Right now to General Alexander Haig. Mr. DASH. And prior to that time, to whom did you report? Mr. KEHRLI. H. R. Haldeman. Mr. DASH. Now, a chart has been placed on the easel to my left. Have you seen that chart before or something like it? Mr. KEHRLI. Yes I have. Mr. DASH. And did you assist our staff in the preparation of that chart? Mr. KEHRLI. Yes I did. Mr. DASH. Did you want to make some comment concerning the chart? Mr. KEHRLI. Yes, I would like to make a [2 second cut to angled view of committee table with chart on easel at top right] statement now about the chart itself. Mr. KEHRLI. The organization chart was prepared by the committee and checked with me for accuracy. It is accurate as far as it goes, but it could be misleading in two ways. First, it shows only those people about whom information was requested. It does not give an idea of the many hundreds of people who worked on or around various White House staffs, some of which, like the Domestic Council and the National Security Council are themselves administratively separate and independent entities. There are also the working relationships with members of the Cabinet and with other people in the various departments and agencies of the executive branch. In other words, the chain of command is not nearly so small or....