Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Master 10363 Part 1 Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee Hearings on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 18, 1973 - Testimony of James McCord (Jim McCord) Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Senator Lowell WEICKER. Do you feel or do you know whether or not similar information, similar access to this information was given to the Democratic Party? Mr. James McCORD. I understood that they did have thru some channels, some access to information of this type. Whether it came from that office, I do not know. [Senator WEICKER continues to question Jim McCORD about information obtained for the Nixon re-election effort] Senator WEICKER. Was the information which you received the basis for the apprehension which you described in answering the questions Of Senator Inouye relative to your activities? Mr. MCCORD. It added to my apprehension, sir. It was not the basis. It came some weeks after my decision, but it added to that apprehension, because it dealt specifically with violence at the Republican National Committee. Senator WEICKER. Now, I would like you to describe for me as best you can the types of information, in further detail that you received from the Internal Security Division. Did you receive from the Internal Security Division, for example, or from the FBI any information as it related to the candidates or their staffs? Mr. McCORD. Yes, sir, there was one such report that I do recall specifically. Senator WEICKER. Can you give me details on that report? Mr. MCCORD. One such report dealt with, as I recall, a funding operation that was reported in which the McGovern committee purportedly funded a so-called barn storming tour of several members of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War on the west coast, as I recall, starting from Los Angeles, Calif., and going up the coast. It came concurrently with some other information that that same group was planning violence at the Republican National Convention involving danger to, threats to life of individuals. I think that was succeeded very shortly, in a matter of days, by the indictment of members of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War in Tallahassee, because of the violence that they did plan, including a number of things that would endanger the lives of the people at the Republican National Convention. Senator WEICKER. I want to be most careful on the grounds that we are covering. Mr. Chairman, let me say this, [cut to wide shot of whole committee table] that I would like to proceed for a few more minutes if I might, with the idea that the committee I think should pay very close attention to what obviously is a very serious matter. It is certainly the first time that I think I have ever known that the Internal Security Division of the Justice Department and the FBI were participating rather actively in a campaign, and I think that the facts should be laid out most carefully. Now, can you tell me precisely what the dates were in which this type of activity took place? In other words, when you first made contact with Mr. Martin and started to receive this type of material? Mr. McCORD. My best recollection would have been within the last 2 weeks of May, 1972. Senator WEICKER. In the last 2 weeks of May, 1972, and you received this material between May of 1972 and when you were caught at the Watergate, is that correct? Mr. MCCORD. June 17, yes, sir. Senator WEICKER. Of '72? Mr. MCCORD. '72.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities - Testimony of James McCord.
Senator WEICKER. Have you ever been on the fourth floor of the Triangle Building? Mr. MCCORD, I believe that is the offices of that evaluation section, sir, if my memory is correct. Senator WEICKER. Well the Triangle Building is at 9th and D Streets. Have you ever been on the fourth floor of that building? Mr. McCORD. If that, is the offices of the analysis and evaluation section, I have been there, yes, sir. Senator WEICKER. And this, as you understood this, you were with the intelligence evaluation committee at that time, or with the officers of it? Mr. MCCORD. With the Internal Security Division, Mr. Martin's particular office there, yes, sir. Senator WEICKER. And on how many different occasions did you get this material from Mr. Martin and was he the only one that passed this information on to you? Mr. McCORD. It would have been either Mr. Martin or Mr. Lisker, It was normally done in their offices when I would visit their offices. I recall a few occasions in which there were phone calls from these gentlemen, one of the two of the gentlemen , when we had 60 to 75,000 demonstrators in Washington and there appeared to be some information of relevance affecting the possible physical security of our installations by demonstrators that were then in the city, and I would get a call in that connection from one of the two men, saying in effect, we think you ought to be aware of thus and so information. I recall specifically one such call dealing with the bombing of the Pentagon at that time. Senator WEICKER. Again, I just want to repeat my first questions, how many different occasions did you receive this material? Mr. McCORD. Almost daily, sir. Senator WEICKER. Almost daily? Mr. MCCORD. Yes, sir. Senator WEICKER. And the nature of the material given to you related to groups, is that correct, individuals? McCORD. Yes, sir. Senator WEICKER. Individuals? Mr. MCCORD. Yes, sir. Senator WEICKER. Both political and nonpolitical? Mr. McCORD. Yes, sir. Senator WEICKER. Now, when you received this material, what did you do with it ? Mr. MCCORD. If it were of sufficient consequence, I would pass it along, to Mr. Mitchell's office, usually through Mr. Odle. Quite often, I would put it in a memorandum for him for distribution to those other staff members, of the committee who would normally want to know of forthcoming demonstrations in the Washington area, some of which might affect the committee. Senator WEICKER. Why did YOU feel this was--- now, you would pass this on to Mr. Mitchell at the Committee to Re-Elect the President, is that correct? Mr. MCCORD. Yes, sir, and other staff members. Senator WEICKER. Well, and other staff members. Who is "and other staff members"? Mr. McCORD. About six of the senior staff members, which included Mr. Sloan, who passed it to Mr. Stans, included Mr. Liddy, included Mr. Odle, included the protective officers for Mr. Mitchell's wife, Mrs. Mitchell, and two or three other division chiefs there under Mr. Mitchell.