Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973 (1/2)
[00.41.00-MITCHELL testifies about meetings he had in connection with Watergate] Senator GURNEY. Then, the next, meeting is the one that I skip to, July 27 at the navy yard with Haldeman, and Harlow, and MacGregor. Mr. MITCHELL. This, as I recall, was a dinner discussion of poll on the Sequoia because of the reference to the navy yard and the time frame and it was a general discussion of politics, had nothing to do with the Watergate and coverup, Senator GURNEY. The next log reference is August 1, a morning telephone call from the President to you. Do you recall the Substance of that call? Mr. MITCHELL. No. This is one of the couple here that I have no recollection of what, the call may be. It could be in connection with the, upcoming convention, but I have no recollection of the nature of -that conversation. Senator GURNEY. And then, on August 4 through August 6, it says that, you were a guest, of the, President it Assateague Island. Do you recall what occurred there or did -anything occur about Watergate there? [00.42.25] Mr. MITCHELL. Well. there is nothing occurred on Watergate. It was a purely social occasion. As I testified this morning, I do have a very distinct, recollection that, this was the particular time and event, when Senator McGovern became a thousand percenter that, Senator Eagleton was not going to be with them and they were selecting a new Vice President. During that weekend we had quite a number of discussions about that subject matter. That was the topic of it but I do not. recall discussing anything relating to Watergate. Senator GURNEY. There were meetings on August 14 in the oval office, Haldeman was present. part of the time or I guess all of the time and MacGregor was present part, of the time. What were those discussions about? Mr. MITCHELL. They were about the campaign, the 1972 campaign, and unrelated to the Watergate or anything else that might have to do with it. Senator GURNEY. And on August, 25 there was a call from San Clemente from the President to you here in Washington in the morning Do you remember what that was about? Mr. MITCHELL. I don't, know whether it was this one. or the earlier one, but as I think I testified this morning and I have -a reasonably good recollection that the President and I discussed during this pre-Republican convention activity and probably by telephone, according to my recollection, the problem the Rules Committee was having down there, with respect to the representation of the various factors in the 1976 convention, As you recall there was quite an active, ongoing question that covered lots of areas of the party, and I believe I have a recollection of talking to him on the telephone on that subject matter. [00.44.35] Senator GURNEY. On September 13. There was a meeting in Camp David with the President. Besides yourself, Mr. MacGregor was there, and Mr. Connally, and Mr. Haldeman Do you recall what the subject of those meetings was? Mr. MITCHELL. Yes, this had to do entirely with the political campaign the political campaign and the scheduling of the President. I might say here that, which I think I mentioned this morning, one of these meetings, and I remember particularly that Senator Connally was there--not Senator Connally, Governor, Secretary Connally was' there--that we discussed the, Watergate to the extent of the desirability of the President, appointing a commission such as Warren Commission, to investigate it or a Special Prosecutor, et cetera, and I believe it was the unanimous opinion that the appropriate thing to do was to let the normal Courses of justice take its place. Senator GURNEY. On September 26 there was a meeting between you and the President and it says Waldorf Astoria. I presume that, was in New York, and then also that was an afternoon meeting and there was also an evening meeting between you and the, President in New York. Haldeman was present at that occasion, and Then a dinner later on at the Waldorf. What about these meetings? [00.46.23]