Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973 Testimony of John Caulfield.
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973 Testimony of John Caulfield.
Master 10373 Part 1 Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973 Testimony of John Caulfield. Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973 Testimony of John Caulfield.
Senator Sam ERVIN. Senator Talmadge? Senator TALMADGE. Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield to the distinguished Senator from Hawaii, Mr. Inouye. Senator INOUYE. Thank you very much. Mr. Caulfield, am I to conclude from your responses to Senator Weicker that you were aware that you were involved in a criminal act of obstructing criminal investigations? Mr. John CAULFIELD. Yes, sir. Senator INOUYE. On your first call to Mr. McCord soon after the Watergate break-in, I notice from your testimony that you contacted Mr. Ulasewicz? Mr. CAULFIELD. Yes, sir. Senator INOUYE. A man on the Mr. Kalmbach's payroll doing espionage work to go through some very secretive process to get in touch with you. Why all this secrecy when, as you have stated it was just to convey your sympathies to Mr. McCord? Why did you go through all this secret movement? Were you afraid that the phones were tapped? Mr. CAULFIELD. Are you speaking about my call to, asking Mr. Ulasewicz to call James McCord, sir? Senator INOUYE. Yes, why did you go through all that secret stuff get in touch with Mr. McCord. According to your statement, all You wanted to say is I feel sorry for you, can I do anything for you. is that right? Mr. CAULFIELD. Yes, sir. To have spent a career in security work as I have, and as Mr. McCord had, and to watch the daily accounts of the Watergate developments from June 17 on, it certainly occurred to me, sir, that any conversations taking place over Mr. McCord's home telephone conceivably could have been the subject of some type of wiretapping by either governmental parties or other people who were concerned about Mr. McCord. Plus the fact, sir, well, I should go back a little bit. That impression, and Mr. McCord, I understand, has indicated that he had the same concerns, indicated to me that a circuitous route, if I wanted to speak to him, would be the appropriate way to do it. Senator INOUYE. I would like to call your attention to page 16 of your prepared remarks, in which you describe Mr. McCord's plan. 'This plan called for Mr. McCord's calling two foreign embassies and telling the official in such embassies that he was a defendant in the Watergate case and requesting a visa. From this, did you gather that Mr. McCord was trying to blackmail the U.S. Government? Mr. CAULFIELD. No, sir. Senator INOUYE. Or were you aware that if he carried out his plan, it would place in jeopardy the national security of the United States of America? Mr. CAULFIELD. That is a two-part question, now. Did I think that this was blackmail? Senator INOUYE. Yes. Mr. CAULFIELD. No, sir; I didn't think that this was a blackmail. I viewed this as an attempt on the part of a man who was distraught, who wanted his freedom and had come across a means of obtaining that freedom. I did not consider it to be blackmail, sir. I considered it, based upon my conversation with Mr. McCord, that he was distraught. Senator INOUYE. Didn't you think that there was a risk of compromising the security apparatus of the United States? As he pointed out, the Government would have to dismiss the case or admit that there were taps on these two embassies. Mr. CAULFIELD. Well, sir, again in passing these messages back and forth, and I passed this one back to Mr. Dean, certainly a matter of this type would, in my judgment, work its way up to any questions of policy and national security. Senator INOUYE. Did you think that this was a reasonable plan? Mr. CAULFIELD. I thought it was an interesting one, sir. Senator INOUYE. You didn't think it was illegal or dangerous? Mr. CAULFIELD. Sir, again, it, is possible that these thoughts, crossed my mind, but I have no recollection of it. And again I am being put in a position of being a messenger and I was focusing on that. I wasn't giving consideration to all of the nuances, serious nuances, that would be included.
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, May 23, 1973 Testimony of John Caulfield.
Senator INOUYE. Now as you sit here as a witness, do you consider that that plan was dangerous or illegal? Mr. CAULFIELD. I can't judge that, Senator. It is certainly a serious matter. Senator INOUYE. So you think it is proper to set up a government in a trial like this? Mr. CAULFIELD. No, I don't think it is proper to set up the government sir. Senator INOUYE. On page 24, there is one sentence that puzzles me. It says, "When you make your statement, don't underestimate them." What did you mean by that? Mr. CAULFIELD. Well, as I indicated in the statement, this was an extremely friendly conversation, Senator, I don't know if this has come through in my statement. We were talking now for an hour, an hour and a half about families, my boys, his children, his wife, my job. He gave me the suggestion that he might be able to help me in liaison with the Post Office, as I recall, this was all a very cordial conversation under very difficult conditions amongst friends. Now, as I indicated, I was convinced in my mind that he was going to go ahead at some point in time and make a statement. And looking at the broad picture, I could envision an ordeal for him, significant ordeal. He could be effectively on the other side of the people that I was talking to. I was a friend. I don't know if be fully appreciated that, but that was the intent of my remarks, to let him know, Senator INOUYE. You were giving him friendly advice? Mr. CAULFIELD. That is right, sir. Senator INOUYE. You were giving him friendly advice? Mr. CAULFIELD. Yes, sir. That is right sir Senator INOUYE. Not to underestimate it, what did you mean? Mr. CAULFIELD. Not to underestimate the tough-mindedness of all the players in this game. Senator INOUYE. What, did you think that the other side would do to Mr. McCord? Mr. CAULFIELD. I had no idea. It is apparent that Mr. McCord apparently has misinterpreted that, looking at his statement but that was not the intention. I would say that to any friend that was about to make a major decision that would be tough and I did. Senator INOUYE. I thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.