Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973
[00.07.46-DASH continues to interrogate MITCHELL about his role in giving money to LIDDY.] Mr. DASH. NO did you recall that in this particular Case, Mr. Stans was asking you about Liddy?: Mr. MITCHELL. I don't have that recollection on the issue of Magruder's continuing authority but I would not challenge or dispute Mr. Stans' statement on the subject. Mr. DASH. Well, that was his testimony. Now, you had had a meeting with Mr. Magruder on March 30, In which Mr. Magruder was asking you to approve a quarter million dollar plan that would authorize giving Liddy this kind of money. Your statement now, then, is that you did tell Mr. Stans that -Mr. Magruder could pay Mr. Liddy any sum of money that Mr. Magruder wanted to pay him. [00.08.26] Mr. MITCHELL. Don't put it in the context of any sum of money. It was a fact that existed, Mr. Dash in connection with--Liddy had been in the intelligence and information gathering field. I think Mr. Stans has testified in here that to that time, he had been authorized $125,000 and it is again in the Context of the fact that Magruder had continuing authority to authorize moneys and Mr. Stans said, with respect to Liddy, I can take it on the Same basis to authorize money in connection on with the ongoing programs that Liddy had been carrying out. Mr. DASH. That would be true, Mr. Mitchell, in the abstract. Mr. MITCHELL. Well, this Is in the abstract, Mr. Dash because there were no sums involved and none discussed, and this has been the testimony. Mr. DASH. Well, Mr. Stans felt, it necessary to come back to You and this was shortly after you were aware that Mr. Liddy was seeking to get approval of a plan for a quarter of a million dollars. [00.09.25] Mr. MITCHELL. No, we had had no discussion whatsoever with respect to approval of a Liddy plan of a quarter of a Million dollars. and Stans has testified that he never heard about it. And I am so testifying that I never heard about it in connection with the discussion of whether or not the authorization from Magruder to Liddy had anything to do with a quarter of a million dollar plan. Mr. DASH. But shortly after the March 30 meeting, you were asked by -Mr. Stans If Mr. Magruder could pay sizable amounts to Mr. Liddy? [00.09.55] Mr. MITCHELL. No, there weren't any sizable amounts. We didn't talk about numbers, we didn't talk about sizable amounts at all. What we talked about was did Magruder have continuing authorization, Stans said, to provide money to Liddy. I say continuing authorization and it is still the fact, that it is continuing authorization to Liddy. We are not talking about a quarter of a million dollars, we are not talking about sizable amounts, we are talking about what was conceived to be an ongoing program that had already expended $125,000. [00.10.25] Mr. DASH. Just one last question on this, Mr. Mitchell. Then why was it necessary for Mr. Stans to come to you if it was not a sizable amount involved? Mr. MITCHELL. Mr. Stans has already testified that he didn't know the amount involved and didn't discuss it with me.. Mr. DASH. I think Mr. Stans' testimony is that he asked you if any amounts were to be paid by Mr. Liddy, would that, be all right? Mr. MITCHELL. I do not recall on that basis, Mr. Dash. [00.10.53] Mr. DASH. Let me just read to you, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Stans' testimony on page 1644. "I said"--meaning Mr. Stans--"you mean, John, that if Magruder tells Sloan to pay these amounts or ANY amounts, to Gordon Liddy that he should do so? And he said, that is right." Mr. MITCHELL, Would you go back and pick it up so I can hear the prior testimony? Mr. DASH. Let me just go back. "I will quote the conversation with John Mitchell as best as I can paraphrase it. It is not precise. But I saw John Mitchell a relatively short time after and said, Sloan tells me that Gordon Liddy wants a substantial amount of money. What is it all about?" "And John Mitchell's reply was, I do not know. We will have to ask Magruder, because Magruder is in charge of the campaign and he directs the spending." Mr. Stans said, "I said, do you mean, John, that if Magruder tells Sloan to pay these amounts or any amounts to Gordon Liddy, that he should do so? And he said, that is right." Mr. MITCHELL. Well, I would respectfully disagree with Mr. Stans on the fact of substantial amounts or that the discussions had to do with respect to the authorization by Magruder in the continuity Of the way he had been acting. This was as I was coming aboard in connection with the campaign. [00.12.35]