Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 14, 1973
[00.36.10] Senator BAKER. What was the nature of your concept of intelligence operations at, that, point? Mr. MAGRUDER. My concept? Senator BAKER. Yes: or Mr. Dean's or Mr. Mitchell's if you know? Mr. MAGRUDER. I do not know what. their concept was. My conception was simply one of gathering as much information through sources in the Opposition's committee Would have been my concept at that time. I think -Mr. Porter has indicated some activities we has at. that time of that, nature. Senator BAKER. Do you now have any further information on that would shed any light on what Mr. Mitchell or Mr. Dean had in mind at that time about intelligence operations? Mr. MAGRUDER. The only thing I know is that Mr. Liddy, and this would be hearsay, of course. told me that Mr. Dean and other individuals and I cannot, honestly recall their names, had Indicated to him he would have $1 million for his plans, and I think in concept because these were very extensive, plans that he had obviously been working on them before he came to the committee. Senator BAKER. Who was present when Mr.-. Liddy made that remark? Mr. MAGRUDER. No one, sir [00.37.24] Senator BAKER. And it is your understanding of that conversation that Mr. Liddy said he would have $1 million for his plan? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Senator BAKER. Since that is a rather handsome sum, did it pique your curiosity about what he was going to use $1 million for, or what his plan was? Mr. MAGRUDER. Well, I thought at that time it was inappropriate for me to discuss that type of sum, it was exactly as you say, a handsome sum I said as I would normally do with any staff member we will have to go see Mr.-. Mitchell before any approval is given. Senator BAKER. And you did too see Mr. Mitchell, I believe, On January 27? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct. Senator BAKER. 1972? Mr., MAGRUDER. Yes, Sir. Senator BAKER. Had you participated in the formulation of this $1 million plan of Mr. Liddy's? Mr. MAGRUDER. No. sir. Senator- BAKER Had Mr. Dean participated in it Mr. -MAGRUDER. I do not know. Senator BAKER. But in any event on January 27, February 4, and March 30, as my notes reflect, you, Mr. Liddy, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Dean Met. -to discuss the Liddy plan? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Sir. Senator- BAKER. And at, the third of those meetings a plan was approved at approximately one-fourth or exactly I guess, the original Liddy proposal? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Sir. Senator BAKER. Many of the details of that plan. if not in fact. all of the material details of that plan in its final form were discussed Mr. Mitchell and .Mr. Dean? Mr. MAGRUDER. No sir, Mr. Dean was not. at. the, last meeting. Senator BAKER. All right. Fine. Only at. the, first, and second meetings? Mr. MAGRUDER. Yes, Sir. Senator BAKER. So Mr. Dean was not present when the, assent on plan in its final form was given? Mr. MAGRUDER. That is correct. Senator BAKER. Where was that meeting, the third meeting? Mr. MAGRUDER. In Key Biscayne, Florida. Senator BAKER. Who was present?. Mr. MAGRUDER. Mr. LaRue, Mr. Mitchell, and myself Senator BAKER. It is important for us to 'know, Mr. Magruder, know what took place at that meeting. It, is important for me to know exactly how the assent was given, and the scope and the extent of the knowledge of Mr. Mitchell Mr. LaRue, and your knowledge of the content of the. plan and the. Consequences that would flow from it. Can you enlighten us further in that respect? [00.39.38] Mr. MAGRUDER. Well, as I recall, it was the last, subject we brought up at our meeting. It was in the for form, as discussed in 8 1/2b x 11 sheets of paper without any heading, it had the figures and the amounts and it was quite obvious as to -what they were for. There would be, dollars next to equipment, as an example, and so on, and we discussed the pros and cons, 'Mr. LaRue and Mr. Mitchell and I, not any great feeling of acceptance to this plan, -with the exception that supposedly these individuals -were, professional , the information could be valuable, and that after starting at this grandiose sum of $1 million that probably $250,000 would be an acceptable, figure. I think we all had questions about Mr. Liddy but he had come with a, recommendation and Mr. Mitchell made some notes on his copies, indicated the targets as we had discussed previously, and as I recall, Mr. LaRue who -was acting as the telephone answering service at that time, and many calls came in to us at that time,, and be was answering the phones so I do not think Mr. LaRue was there at all or was not discussing this problem at all points in the time of our discussion, and Mr. Mitchell simply signed off on it in the sense of saying "OK, let's give him a quarter of a million dollars and let's see what he can come up with." Senator BAKER. Are you conveying the impression. Mr. Magruder, that the decision was sort of not made or that it was passively made under the circumstances? MAGRUDER. I don't want to say it wasn't made, the decision was made. Only Mr. Mitchell had authority to authorize any sums in that campaign. [00.41.31]