Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973. Testimony of Anthony Ulasewicz.
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973. Testimony of Anthony Ulasewicz.
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973. Testimony of Anthony Ulasewicz. Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973. Testimony of Anthony Ulasewicz.
Senator TALMADGE. Mr. Ulasewicz, had you been aware of the watergate affair at the time you were asked to make this call? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Yes sir. Senator TALMADGE. Why did you agree to serve as a contact in this situation? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Because of my friendship with Mr. Caulfield, and in his original call to me with my arguments of why I didn't want to, his demeanor, his conduct I could see that it was very important to him he was in some kind of position that caused him great concern and as friends I said I would do it. Senator TALMADGE. Did you assume that Mr. Caulfield's authority was coming from high authority in the White House? Mr. ULASEWICZ. I assumed it was coming from at least Mr. Dean, somebody above Mr. Caulfield. Senator TALMADGE. Did you believe that these White House sources would approve of what you did? Mr. ULASEWICZ. (pauses) I uh, yes I suppose so. Senator TALMADGE. Were you paid for your services in contacting Mr. McCord? Mr. ULASEWICZ. No sir. I was on no one's payroll at the time of these conversations in January. I was not in anyone's employ I meant to say. Senator TALMADGE. I have no further questions at this time Mr. Chairman. Senator ERVIN. Senator Weicker. Senator WEICKER. No questions Mr. Chairman. Senator ERVIN. Senator Inouye.
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973. Testimony of Anthony Ulasewicz.
Senator INOUYE. Thank you very much. According to Mr. Caulfield s testimony you were a member of a "private security entity in Washington D.C. for the purposes of providing investigative support for the White House", is that correct? Mr. ULASEWICZ. That's correct. Senator INOUYE. You worked under Mr. Caulfield, but was on the payroll of Mr. Kalmback? Mr. ULASEWICZ. That's correct. Senator INOUYE. What were you receiving as salary from Mr. Kalmback? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Twenty two thousand dollars a year plus expenses. Senator INOUYE. Are you still on Mr. Kalmback's payroll? Mr. ULASEWICZ. No sir. Senator INOUYE. When were you taken off the payroll? Mr. ULASEWICZ. In 1971, well to the end of the year '72. Senator INOUYE. What was the nature of your work? Mr. ULASEWICZ. It was supporting, outside supporting investigative to Mr. Caulfield. Senator INOUYE. Can you describe some of your activities? One of the newspapers described you as the "super spy", is that a correct definition? Mr. ULASEWICZ. The newspapers have painted quite a few pictures of me recently, but I was no spy of course of any kind. I did investigative work and support of whatever Mr. Caulfield related to me, I did no slanderous spying as newspapers, allegations etc. I can best put it in it's category probably supporting anybody that s conducting legitimate investigations, I used no wire-taps, I never used any surveillance, etc. Senator INOUYE. You consider your work to be legal? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Absolutely legal, yes sir. I took the, when I left the police department, I left a fine ongoing career not to get involved in anything illegal and I made that a stipulation with Mr. Ehrlichman at the time the job was taken. Mr. Caulfield would certainly know that I wouldn't go for it. Senator INOUYE. But in this very special assignment which you received from Mr. Caulfield to serve as contact with Mr. McCord, were you aware that you were an accessory to the commission of the crime to obstruct criminal investigation? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Yes sir. I knew that it was wrong. Senator INOUYE. You knew that you were an accessory to a crime? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Yes sir. Senator INOUYE. But as a matter of friendship you proceeded? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Yes sir. Senator INOUYE. Did you have another assignments of similar nature? Mr. ULASEWICZ. No. Senator INOUYE. I have no questions senator.
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973. Testimony of Anthony Ulasewicz.
Senator Howard BAKER. Thank you Senator Inouye. I might say that the question hasn't been asked you, but I'll put it now. While we're limiting our inquiry to a single set of events and circumstances, do I understand that you're willing to return and testify further at the pleasure of the committee on other matters that you may have knowledge of? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Yes sir. Senator Howard BAKER. Very good. Senator Weicker ....Senator Montoya has no questions .....Let me ask just one question then if I may, or one line of questions, it really doesn't bear much on the matter at hand I suppose. Did I understand you to say that McCord was a pretty good wire-man? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Well, yeah from what I've read of the case and the fact that Mr. Caulfield hired him, I would say he was one of the best wire-men in the business. (courtroom laughs) Senator Howard BAKER. (smiling) Well, I'm not familiar with the term, what do you mean a pretty good wire-man? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Well a wire-man in police parlance would be anyone who is familiar with applying wire-taps, any type of surveillances by electrical means and so forth. In a room, on a person, in an automobile, in a tire, anyplace, and I would say he was a good man. Senator Howard BAKER. Is that a term of general usage in your trade? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Yes sir. However, I was never a wire-man. (courtroom laughs) (MS Crowded courtroom) Mr. ULASEWICZ. Well, while we were in the police department many of the functions that we did, of course they were all legal and with proper papers etc., and judicial permission, we have some of the finest wire-men in the department and uh ..... (courtroom laughs, crowd shot) So, it would be a thing of common knowledge to myself or anyone else. Senator Howard BAKER. (putting glasses on and off) Do you think your wire-men were better than McCord's wire-men? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Well, I'll tell you there were no retired man in the New York City Police Department would become involved in a thing like that, and if he thought he had to for whatever reason it was he wouldn't have walked in with an army, that's for sure. (laughter) Senator Howard BAKER. He wouldn't have walked in with an army, would he have walked in with identification papers and serial numbered hundred dollar bills and an address book? Mr. ULASEWICZ. He would probably walked in like any decent common looking citizen laid something in the right place and walked right out and that would have been the end of it for a long time. (laughter) Well, they say that you must be honest here Senator. (laughter, member of audience seen clapping regarding Mr. Ulasewicz's remarks)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973. Testimony of Anthony Ulasewicz.
Senator Howard BAKER. How could you have gained the information that Mr. McCord obviously or apparently was seeking, that is telecommunication link with what was going on in the Democratic National Committee, without going in there with an army and taping the doors and all the rest. Describe to us how else that might have been done by a good wire-man? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Well a wire-man would only do wires, he might not necessarily be a good man for a different type of investigation. If it's a question of obtaining information from Democratic Party or Republican or anybody else the easiest way is to write a postal card and ask them to mail you all their leaflets, they'll put you on and forever you'll have everything. Even after it's over with, you'll still get it, their very happy to do so. (MS Committee members smiling at Ulasewicz's remarks) Senator BAKER. (smiling) You mean politicians are pretty anxious to add to their mailing list. Mr. ULASEWICZ. And politicians are most vulnerable people in the world, in my experience in the last three years to any kind of scandal etc, and etc. Senator BAKER. Well .... (Crowded courtroom and committee members laugh at funny remarks by Mr. Ulasewicz) Mr. ULASEWICZ. I don't say they're guilty of it, because I still have to come back here ... Senator BAKER. The last thing on earth I'd want to do is to convert your testimony into self serving purposes for this committee, but you don't have any good wire-men on us, do you? Mr. ULASEWICZ. Looks like there's plenty of 'em here. Senator BAKER. You know, that's not a very good answer, you're heightening my concern rather than lessening it. Mr. ULASEWICZ. I have none on anybody, thank you. Senator BAKER. Thank you. Senator ERVIN. I understand that you will come back when the committee requests you for further evidence. Mr. ULASEWICZ. Definitely Senator. Senator ERVIN. Thank you sir, thank you very much. I think it's almost recess time, and I believe it be better to recess at this point till two o'clock and then start on the next witness then. (committee members, reporters stand up for recess)