Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
[00.19.29] Mr. DASH. Did you know or have any knowledge of any plans to pay attorney's fees or salaries to defendants or support. for the families of the defendants? Mr. MAGRUDER. I was aware that they were being taken care of because, of course, One of the questions I had if I was going to--particularly before the second grand jury appearance where I had to decide, to go up and tell this coverup story--that I wanted assurances that the other seven defendants, the seven defendants would hold and I was assured they were being taken care of. That -was the extent of my knowledge. Mr. DASH. Were you aware of any concern about any one of the defendants during this period of time? Mr. MAGRUDER. Well, at varying times there, -was concern over particularly Mr. McCord. I think Mr. Hunt to some extent at, various times and also I think Mr. Sturgis who I did not know. They were three, who were brought up most frequently. Mr. DASH. Were you aware of any plans to propose a CIA defense for the defendants? Mr. MAGRUDER. Again, in these series of meetings that we had from the, period, from the break-in to September, that defense, -was discussed in general terms at meetings I attended but, I could not be specific about it. Mr. DASH. -Now, you testified at, the first, Watergate trial? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. Mr. DASH. And at that trial did you tell this same false story that you testified before the grand jury and told the FBI? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, sir. [00.20.50] Mr. DASH. By the time of the trial in January all seemed, Mr. Magruder, to have worked well according to the plan that you had worked out, with Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Dean, -Mr. LaRue and Mr. Mardian. At what time, to your recollection, if it did occur did the plan begin to crumble? Mr. MAGRUDER. Well, I think that as soon we realized that the grand jury was going to reconvene much more so than McCord's statement because I knew Mr. McCord's statements would be hearsay, but as soon as I knew the grand jury was going to reconvene I knew that things would be difficult to hold. I knew I could not go through the same process, now that, the election was now over and the, reason for the coverup from my standpoint was now no longer valid. But also I knew that Mr. Reisner, the one--from my standpoint the only mistake the, prosecutors made was in going through the organization they missed Mr. Reisner, and if they had caught Mr. Reisner I think this story would not have been made but I knew they would get to Mr. Reisner now because it had been obvious he, had been my assistant at that time and so as soon as I knew that, and as soon as I knew Mr. Dean began to indicate some reluctance to discuss those, meetings in the same terms that I had discussed them at the grand jury, I knew the story would not hold up under a second investigation by your committee, which, of course, had begun to hold hearings. and also the grand jury. Mr. DASH. Did you have a meeting with Mr. Haldeman in January 1973? Mr. -MAGRUDER. Yes; I did. Mr. DASH. Could you briefly tell us what the nature of that meeting was and what was discussed? Mr. MAGRUDER. The meeting was for two purposes. I was the director of the inaugural at that time and was to discuss future employment regarding myself and also at that time there was a problem regarding Mr. Porters employment and I had made certain assurances, Mr. Mitchell had, about his employment and I wanted to be sure Mr. Haldeman was aware of that. And then, third, and I realize now that these were probably taped conversations. I had some conversations with Mr. Dean in his office where he indicated a certain lack of memory to events, and I became rather concerned. He indicated at one point that, "wasn't that surprising how this plan was ever put into operation, and I said , "Well, John, surely you remember the, meetings we attended" and he didn't seem to remember those meetings, and I said to myself something is going to happen here. if that continues. I think as it turned out these conversations were taped, so I thought I had better see, Mr. Haldeman and tell him what had actually happened. I thought probably that, this -was becoming scapegoat time and maybe I was going to be the scapegoat, and so I went to Mr. Haldeman and I said I just. want you to know that this whole Watergate situation and the other activities was a concerted effort by a, number of people, and so I went through a literal monologue on what had occurred. That, was my first discussion with Mr. Haldeman where I laid out the, true facts. Mr. DASH. Do you know what, day or date approximately in January that occurred?, Mr. MAGRUDER. It would have been before the inaugural because we were still working on. the inaugural but, I would have, to look in my diary as to what date specifically. Mr. DASH. Did there come a time when you met with Mr. 'Mitchell sometime after the trial? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes. Well, the McCord letter basically activated a great concern in the sense---- Mr. DASH. That letter, I think the record will show, was March 23' Mr. MAGRUDER. That. is correct. Mr. DASH. That, was read out by Judge Sirica in the courtroom on the Sentencing on March 23. Mr. MAGRUDER That is Correct, and that, of course, accelerated THE process of concern on, I think, all of the participant parties, I, on Monday, the 25th, went to see the two lawyers for the committee. As you are aware at this time I did not have my own counsel so I was dependent on counsel basically from our committee, and I went over my problems which I think were, more acute at I that time than the problems with them, the other participants and they agreed that, I had a serious problem and suggested that I see, retain my own counsel. I think they then transmitted that concern of mine to Mr. Mitchell because on Tuesday he called me in the, Commerce Department and asked me, to come to New York. I flew to New York that afternoon and discussed with him--- Mr. DASH. Do you know, what date that was? Mr. MAGRUDER. That would be March 27. Mr. DASH. 27? Mr. MAGRUDER. A- Tuesday. Mr. DASH. And the year we are talking about 1973? Mr. MAGRUDER. 1973. [00.25.50]