Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities May 17, 1973 - Testimony of Robert Odle. United States Senate Caucus Room, Washington DC
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Senator Sam ERVIN (D-North Carolina). Senator Inouye. Senator INOUYE (D-Hawaii). Thank you Mr. Chairman. Mr. Odle I recall your testimony this morning to the effect that prior to the Watergate break-in you had never heard of E. Howard Hunt? Mr. ODLE. Yes sir. Senator INOUYE. Am I to presume from that that he was not on the payroll of your committee? Mr. ODLE. Yes sir, we were asked about that and we checked and found that he was not. Senator INOUYE. And you had no official relationship with him? Mr. ODLE. I've never seen him, met him, talked to him or had any other kind of conversation with him. Senator INOUYE. Since that date. Mr. ODLE. Never. Senator INOUYE. You've never met him? Mr. ODLE. Never met him. Senator INOUYE. It's been reported that a former secretary of the white house domestic council has indicated that you are an occasional visitor to Mr. Hunt after the break-in. Mr. ODLE. What? I'm not aware of that. That it's even been reported, but it's not true. Senator INOUYE. You have never seen ... Mr. ODLE. Are you referring, there was a story in the Post a long time ago about a secretary who worked for Mr. Liddy and Mr. Hunt at the White House and that she was trying to describe telephone conversations between the white house and between that office. And I think she may have mentioned my name, that was a story. Um, she was also the secretary just before that to one of my best friends who worked at the White House and perhaps that's what she's thinking of. I am saying sir, categorically, I have never talked to Howard Hunt, met him, seen him, written a memo to him, received a memorandum from him. Senator INOUYE. So to this date, you've never seen Mr. Hunt? Mr. ODLE. To this date I have never seen Mr. Hunt. And in terms of Mr. Liddy, I met him for the first time in December at the campaign committee. Senator INOUYE. Thank you sir.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Senator Lowell WEICKER, Jr. (R-Connecticut) Thank you Mr. Chairman. Just a few questions Mr. Odle, I know you've been very patient, and very good on trying to refresh your recollections of the 17th. But let me see whether or not I might not be of some assistance in that regard. Is it true that on that particular evening, you and other members of the staff were in Magruders office watching news on television ? Mr. ODLE. We did watch, yes we watched the evening news. Senator WEICKER. And just so we got, I'm trying to be helpful ... Mr. ODLE. I understand. Senator WEICKER. ... in placing the phone call. Is it true that the phone call took place after the television news? Can you recall that? Mr. ODLE. It could have sir, I thought it took place before, but it could have taken place afterwards. Senator WEICKER. Who was present when the call was made? Mr. ODLE. I think just Mr. Reisner and myself. Senator WEICKER. When you were watching the television show was anybody else in the room with you? Mr. ODLE. I think that one of the secretaries was who was working that day, yes. Senator WEICKER. And so when the call was made was Mrs. Odle present in the room while you were watching the television show? Mr. ODLE. She may have, she may have been. I don't believe she was, she arrived a little later. (scratches head) Senator WEICKER. In any event, when the call was made, there was just you and Mr. Reisner in Mr. Magruders office. Mr. ODLE. Yes, as I remember it. Senator WEICKER. Now, did you ask Mr. Reisner what he was doing there at that time? It's rather late in the evening. Mr. ODLE. I don't remember that I did, no. (WS courtroom from behind Senator Weicker, press photographers seated, kneeling in front of table taking pictures) Senator WEICKER. I know that you don't recall, I know that you don't recall the reference to "gemstone", but does the, or do the words "sensitive material" does that ring a bell? Mr. ODLE. Sensitive, no sensitive material does not. Sometimes we used the word sensitive does. Sometimes you might label a memorandum in government or at the committee I suppose confidential sensitive possibly, but not sensitive material. Senator WEICKER. Now, did Mr. Magruder make the request that these particular files be searched for at the time that you were on the phone with him? Mr. ODLE. I, again.... Senator WEICKER. In other words at the same moment in time that you and Mr. Reisner we in this call with Mr. Magruder, was that the point in time that the request was made to search for the files and did a search go on while, while Mr. Magruder was on the line? Mr. ODLE. I don't think so, no. But that recollection could be, is pretty hazy. Senator WEICKER. Is there any recollection that you have, that you indicated to Mr. Magruder during that phone conversation that the files which he referred to, in fact were now in hand? That they'd been found. Mr. ODLE. Sir, I don't think that they were lost. I mean, I think that Mr. Reisner was fairly familiar with the way in which Mr. Magruders office was organized. I don't think that they were, had been misplaced or anything. I don't think it would have been difficult for him to locate the files he was referring to. Senator WEICKER. So you have no recollection what so ever then of searching for particular files while you were on the phone with Mr. Magruder? Mr. ODLE. No, no, no. I don't have a recollection of that. Senator WEICKER. You have a recollection as to the fact that there was a question as to what sensitive material was being referred to by Mr. Magruder? Mr. ODLE. No, I don't remember that term sensitive material being used.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of Robert Odle.
Senator WEICKER. Alright, then one last question. In the hiring (clears throat - says "excuse me") In the hiring of high level personnel at the committee to re-elect the president, who was involved in the clearances? Mr. ODLE. Could you name an example, cause that would, you know there wasn't any great strategy or set of circumstances by which people were hired. I think it would depend on the person, you know as to how it went. Let us say for example that it was in the political division, the process would be much different than if it was in some other division. Senator WEICKER. All high level personnel, would you say that they were interviewed or cleared by either Mr. Malek or Mr. Straun? Mr. ODLE. No. (shakes his head) Not necessarily. I think that Mr. Straun may have interviewed a number of them yes, um but I don't think that would have applied in all situations. For example, in the political division I don't think that Mr. Straun would have interviewed those people who were brought on as regional directors. He could have, but I don't .... Senator WEICKER. As an example, Mr. Reisner. Mr. ODLE. Yes, now that's another area, that's very possible. Senator WEICKER. What's possible? Mr. ODLE. It's very possible that Mr. Reisner might have been interviewed by Mr. Straun. Senator WEICKER. Who was in overall charge of hiring of personnel at the committee to re-elect the president? Mr. ODLE. Um, at what point in time? Senator WEICKER. At the period, let's say March, April, May, June. Mr. ODLE. Seventy Two? Senator WEICKER. Right. Mr. ODLE. I would say Mr. Magruder, Mr. Mitchell, and I would say in many cases those people would be cleared by Mr. Straun. Senator WEICKER. And under the chain of command, which you referred to before, would it be, could one make the assumption that clearance by Mr. Straun did involve Mr. Haldeman? Or was this an independant function of Mr. Strauns? Mr. ODLE. I would say that Mr. Straun would be looking out for Mr. Haldeman's interests in the clearance process, yes. Senator WEICKER. I have no further questions. Thank you.