Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, July 10, 1973 (1/2)
[00.51.05-Sen. GURNEY questions MITCHELL] Senator GURNEY. In these, various meetings did the President ever bring up to you at any time the, coverup business that was going on in Watergate? Mr. MITCHELL. 'No, sir. I am thoroughly convinced that, the President was not aware of it. Senator GURNEY. And I hesitated to use this word "impression" but it certainly has been used often enough in these hearings. Did you ever get any impression that the President had knowledge of the coverup of Watergate? [00.51.40] Mr. MITCHELL. No, sir. It was quite the, contrary. Senator GURNEY. One other question, Mr. Mitchell, here about the FBI reports. There was testimony about a meeting of June 24, this was a meeting of you and Magruder and Mardian and Dean. Dean testifies that you suggested it, would be helpful to see FBI reports. Can you shed any light on that? Mr. MITCHELL. This -was his testimony at a meeting of June 24? Senator GURNEY. Yes that is right. [00.52.41] Mr. MITCHELL. I have no recollection of the discussion of anything at, that meeting of June 24: except this problem that we had with respect to trying to iron out, this was the Saturday that I was talking about, trying to iron out the problems we had the discrepancies between Magruder and Sloan that substantially the day was spent on that, subject matter other than the conversation that I had with Mr. Stans later on. Senator GURNEY. I Would like., to go over just one other meeting here'. Mr. MITCHELL. Counsel, I think makes a very good point, and I am sorry that I didn't think of it. that there might not even have been FBI reports by the 24th of June. I don't know when they started interviewing people. Senator GURNEY. Well, that may well be. Of course, we can--- Mr. MITCHELL. Let Me say in connection with that Mr. Dean also said that I asked to see his. I guess he called it a summary and so forth. and he showed it to me, and then he testified he never took the, documents out of his office. and I have never been in Dean's office, and I have never seen the summary from the FBI so while we are on the FBI reports I thought I might give you at least the sequence, and I think that Dean testified that he did not receive FBI reports until Sometime in July. 'Now. whether It, was July 23 or 31 or sometime but it was well on into July. so I don't See how they could have been discussed back on the 24th of June. Senator GURNEY. Well, We certainly can cheek out the FBI records on that. You may well have a point there, Mr. MITCHELL. It might be a good idea to take the fingerprints off them and find out who did see them. Senator GURNEY. Thanks for that suggestion. [Laughter.] If they are still there. Just, one, other area of inquiry., You had a rather long meeting with Mr. Dean in your law office.' This memorandum which Mr. Dean prepared says April 10 but I don't think that is the exact, date. Mr. MITCHELL. Yes. I believe it is, Senator; I believe it -was April 10. Senator GURNEY. Anyway that is the meeting I am talking about. Mr. MITCHELL. This is the part where Mr. Dean lays out, all of his options. Senator GURNEY. That is right. Mr. MITCHELL. Including to go to South America or wherever it was he was going to go. [00.55.26]