1973 Watergate Hearings; 1973-11-07; Part 1 of 6

it's been is is and the investigation nevertheless combination with others in the presidential election of nineteen seventy two when the campaign says the name is it told the previously that when it injects to mr stan siegelman miami that sustains it that the fall of an epidemic or wrongly mr franzen fernandez has been present as shrek tonight i didn't object he did not think the phone

call senator obama and i asked him and i said what do you gaze at the check and it as possible way that what always was that a phone call here as promised secretary romney recall in the fall and out mr stan said that you don't make a call and therefore he couldn't tell me that their retirement check is typical ventilator and knowing it in my company to say it would make godzilla third nicely what do it reassures the pain for my money i mean it in the competition so for any other reason than that you're not seeking to make that vision for the reelection presidents know so i wasn't really interested in the information and that brings to washington

tonight on a great videotape coverage of today's hearings by the senate select committee on presidential campaign activities here is npr correspondent yuki jugglers out of town on assignment will be back with us tomorrow night six months after hearing its first witness the senate watergate committee begins the third and final phase of its investigation of the presidential campaign of nineteen seventy two an inquiry in the campaign financing and the first day produced to light fireworks the first man to testify was a somewhat unlikely witness for an investigation that promises to explore the relationship for in between raising money for president nixon's re election campaign and some of the biggest corporations in america the witnesses' names william amato is a former white house staff aide and he played a key role in marshalling election year support among spanish speaking people he was followed by john jay priest is a miami baylor and

was previously gave a startling testimony when he said was there was an alleged deal between him and former commerce secretary laurie stands to exchange a campaign contributions in exchange for favors from the federal housing administration mr spencer nemo the knife is midnight tonight is the russian misses the committee council is in charge of this phase of the investigation davis first they produced a sort of a classic quid pro quo of the campaign contribution in exchange for a favor that is this going to be the pattern of future testimony well i'm not sure that we can to make an ipad and we intend to show a variety of conduct that is relevant and they might make some comments on what you said first i think the major thrust of the first witness mr amado was that there are other ways of financing when you can claim and raising money and spending money and part of the class was to show the committee and the public that there are hatch act problems and

resources available to the incumbent that familiar to spend resources without having to raise a dime some non literal adjective not yet we see the attention he deserves and should be the focus of any committee that hopes to make new legislation in this area that within seconds to face this i think the testimony of speaks for itself i'm not sure in fact i was question whether it shows any quid pro quo arrangement with mr stearns that i think is something that i would rather not comment any further but i think that the story would lead them astray negotiations between was the priestess and benjamin hernandez the head of the hispanic finance committee and of course mr stearns is the chairman of the finance committee was poured into it but i do want emphasize that i think we actually have to send them to me but the approach was made in a pre quid pro quo but says mr cruz sees as wilson whether to testify that you have another was given money though that about

some of the other things that are coming up i'm going to give into them up front well let me go into larceny what we had on public hearings up to the united states centers out what i can say is another public reprimand me that three high officials or from a high officials and that the three cases of associated milk producers incorporated the largest milk producing cooperatives have been rather than be on the committee and what this means is that they can be required to testify despite any information they may have to plead the fifth amendment are there any indications unite subpoenaed former treasury secretary can in this regard and in the newspapers what about it at any given that our present information is not so that is a major area which are we would require and others that the size of the one we have now and it's not really equipped to do it and if we look into it it would require us

packing wants to produce the evidence for the public no comment situation in the prison the senate rules committee continued its hearing behind closed doors on vice president of a major oil fired and the house judiciary committee announced it would begin hearings on ford in one week senator george mcgovern the phoenix his opponent in the last election the president either would be impeached or would resign and republican senator george aiken of vermont said congress should adrian peterson actually get off his back a federal court judge answer record

turned down a bid for a new trial by the six watergate conspirators and at the white house a presidential lawyers said they would not oppose the appearance of the phoenix is confidential secretary rose mary woods before silicon to testify about missing tapes finally the continuing revelations about a three hundred thousand dollars secrets fund for florida republican edward kennedy a member of the watergate committee i'll be back after today's testimony to talk to fellow gailey of the night newspapers washington bureau about the story and reports of similar shutdowns reports industry praised he's testified to today that today's testimony in the first hour former presidential aide william amato city at a mafia white house group set up to capitalize politically on administration programs to help spanish speaking americans during the second hour drama coach testified that funds to a minority consulting firm were cut off

because of farm was not on the next city and our number three mile markers testimony was interrupted by an argument involving senator like her in mind and chief counsel send theirs montoya cop car mama those efforts an incredible and so just like we said the committee staff seeking to lend legitimate political activities with previous reports of illegal acts in the final hour john j priestess said he took a twenty five thousand dollar campaign contribution scrapbook of his troubles with the fha to murray stands crp finance chairman and former commerce secretary stanton right now most of you did not help greece does and the money was not accepted now call them on it's

been great thank you well trial counselor for his turmoil in its chairman <unk> else could hear a brief opening statement which we would like to present to the committee's time this is a written statement like media restated an open myself the questions is i mean it was suggested first episode as they didn't come here today voluntarily also the company by counsel with him in trouble

within the limits of the law and yet without leaving any legal rights as punishment yet without waiting any of my own legal rights to respond intelligently to all questions of this committee and the virus that the reason for the colony here today is to provide information relating to my work and president nixon's administration to my involvement presidential election of nineteen seventy two and was happy to provide this information what i did i believe to have been a public service for the american people and most importantly spanish speaking americans of a country you now say categorically here and now and for the public record that at no time they ever involve myself in illegal or unethical activities or even engage in a typical political dirty tricks on the contrary at all times i try to the best of my ability for more

quality ministration in the campaign in nineteen seventy two honestly openly on her own without anything to force the mine three years and white house staffer stan including individuals for sub cabinet positions for the executive branch nato is responsible concretely for the coronation this administration efforts on behalf of spanish speaking americans i work closely with a candidate committee on opportunities for the spanish speaking people some agencies identifying it's creating programs and making sure the program to implement you may know spanish speaking people are the second largest minority in our nation have been for many years soaring intellect president nixon set out to do something about meeting the needs of the spanish created a statutory chemical media opportunities for the spanish speaking people you sign up members of his administration which include cabinet

officers and members of the white house that just begun making federal government since then that means spanish speaking most of all he made the spanish speaking people active participants in the government this month's executive level policy making positions his administration is significant that the president waited more than fifty spanish speaking people of top positions in government couldn't record this is a time for the last two administrations combined there the morning and she had sixteen points program to greenspan's americans and all levels of government as a result was speaking peoples people persons have been brought in the federal government ever before edition president nixon co the spanish speaking people do not have to take a backseat any other americans and benefiting from government programs and aids education he created special programs for spanish speaking children and how some innovative programs to write more in their homes for spanish speaking

americans and health president prove more and more funds to improve health care programs a new economic opportunities that decision would increase business job options this is because we discovered that the spanish speaking americans what have the economic mainstream of this country they want to be businessmen industrialists developers share nation's economic woes as nixon also wanted him to have that legitimate opportunity consequently <unk> nixon's administration more spanish speaking have to stay in business the opportunities provided by government than any other time this is due in part to the fact that a team of which i was a part of how to identify spice picking people that want a piggy bank of these options we help spanish speaking people to know and understand a great variety of federal programs qualify for them and doing this work never compromise the principal legitimacy we also been a

compromise the right of opportunity for those who want it government programs and contracts because this activity in their progress was we created you may ask why i was chosen for this job the asian american simple reason is that i wanted to do and the japanese americans who look at the mexican americans in the body odors of southern california i like them nowhere discrimination and lack of opportunity to me i was eight years old in the united states of america in my family the concentration camp but also know what opportunity and justice is in america john i know the private job that comes with some give you the opportunity the dignity that most all other americans has always been the birth of richard nixon gave me a millionaire spanish speaking americans that opportunity that dignity he did it and it continues to do and not just because he's seeking their votes and patronage but because he's doing what is basically right

and basically just and counselors in the vicinity the polling station can you tell us when you first get a while i guess i came in the fall of nineteen sixty nine was first that at w with iran certificate staffers assistant to him and then in the fall of nineteen seventy came over the white house as part of a new executive recruiting effort at an apartment not like and a possible a deposition in the latter position that india more than three years there i was part of the team that

helped recruit individuals throughout the executive branch with considerable emphasis in the mine leaving green area for blacks are spanish speaking and other minorities in addition to that i had recruited other individuals not fit that category for all different kinds of positions and then then the laptop the last two years i can correctly i was responsible in a big day basis for programs affecting the spanish speaking korean control so and i would be fair to say that you were white house liaison for opportunities that i would try to define a price in terms of mr maliki made to meet two high level what's now during the year of the herbal what might be considered a campaign in nineteen seventy two was the atm and understanding that you had witnessed a mallard with regard

to your position that you're also engage in seeking opportunities for updating where for spanish speaking american twenties i think it was much broader it's basically a felony and five years we're assisting eligible and qualified spanish speaking firms in organizations took aim federal funds or whatever program they were involved in this could range from npr programs health education and economic opportunity secondly we're responsible for any special activities and related to spanish speaking community and one example is when president champion mexico was here i believe last year and now we have to provide some suggestions as to what states and cities and

activities that might participate in conjunction with some are spanish speaking community we were responsible for the communications pertain to the spanish speaking in terms of equations of publicity of cordon eighteen i first went to various agencies and the white house for me i had a responsibility of all the recruiting efforts for spanish speaking terms primarily of presidential support they positions but in addition to that we also assistant sixteen point program and fourthly in conjunction with the speakers the white house scheduled most generous years and also what the service program at the committee for the reelection of president we had a separate spanish speaking service program that's when the army's sometime in the year

nineteen seventy two when her vehicle with regard to where the opportunities for granted as i'm speaking a nineteen twenties was explained in terms of relationships to work with the committee elected president the finance committee also the various agencies i don't think there was any discussion in terms of committee for the reelection or for the finance committee which was firstly there was discussion in terms of trying to get a better handle on on the grant making process what does on with our listeners will equate it with the one gentleman who headed up one part of the finance committee and this was group that dealt primarily with the

spanish community called the finance committee vehemently force chartered the first part of nineteen seventy two and had a void benjamin fernandez los altos california i'll he interned organized a national effort and about the most distasteful we have a high concentration of spanish speaking and i might add that this was the first time that the spanish speaking community had any kind of meaningful role in a national campaign was any responsibility to engage in fundraising for libya under the national hispanic finance committee christians were this tremendous blow i think for the revenue that goes by million dollars movies about four hundred thousand i was at an andy lee is our working relationship did you have with any other person in the committee elected president about was that

speaking about tax on the finance committee the committee yesterday parliament elects on virus was the director the spanish speaking to vision of the committee for the reelection and what that it was an informal arrangements set up with the these and other members of the community there was an informal arrangement was very first of all we had a team about their five hosts were involved in spanish speaking area and donna rodriguez who was my deputy carlos condit was on roberts' mind staff at that time was the director communications all what they closely with a phobia and the rumors he was chairman of the committee an optimist spanish speaking and fourthly and some of us we used to me every monday afternoon beginning i believe the report

nineteen seventy two to strategize in terms of the spanish speaking role and to keep herself a breast of our crops and this is amazing globalization i think there's certainly something you can and it was disgusting those meetings were political nature in terms of what kind of impact would make unspecified community yet and i think that kind of commitment and dedication that members of this team head was one of the advocacy role what we felt that this was the first time in his vision gave this particular minority group an opportunity to get into the mainstream of the american economic social political i think there's a twofold

situation do you have any specifics i will say this consistent with her opening statement the information in the system i mean my question

that's up the solomon islands that i used to do a weekly basis chuck colson and but now i think it's fantastic would you thank you the plan includes big mm

hmm mr mala khan you and this was whitney reports oh this is the i guess the humorous apartment at the top of the news reports we do that i think that very focused on a few occasions and dropout not only of suggestions from our but also we decided to not be a good use of that talent these entities

amish mafia these groups as well thank you i think substantial

assistance is provided through use of the control of the executive plans through this controlled and fill in any gaps in the president's record and generally favorable publicity thank you for us an additional identify ensure that those federally subsidized programs with opposition political operatives are closely supervised sort of

now a garrison well i was meeting was what you want to learn the trade give you an overall view of how this fit into the big picture under arrest colson he had a responsibility for special interest groups such as the veterans use the jewish vote the ethnic catholic women the elderly spanish speaking while i think there are several others all of us have the mandate to develop programs that would best benefit our respective constituencies and within that umbrella included pointless to high level positions clear that generating grants and contracts and

included trying to publicize all these accomplishments achievements under the next administration to our respective constituencies when he says responsible human rights for now the plan and implement the plan to well to use the power of the executive branch's department spent making powers of the power in this particular a campaign ad the plan is now liz's at white

house and to deliver and editorial was some problem with the organization told me you know what the need is this year but what the national economic development association which is suing national spanish speaking economic development organization funded out of the office of minority business enterprise at the department talks you say that i am attaching an editorial written by anita employee opposing viewpoint made up as deputy director and they want something amusing office landlord business in france this is the latest example of the unwilling and the administration i think

and usually a good and it's lined the fact of what i would reshaping the court matter i was muslim cemetery commerce he was president of veterans of the organization what should explain let me just explain that on this to me and if i recall correctly was responding to that the polling doing that the past year or so we've found that in finding a fine spanish speaking africa couple of the senior people with that decision were

very disruptive uncooperative in trying to further some bartles objects and this editorial was latest one for some reason was recommended for the job after a national search as the number two man at the last minute as a surprise for some reason some of the members now just in one year that they felt that he was a threat it would've been very controlling agency for the pope i'm sorry of course the point i would make is the fact that this was the first time there's been speaking individual and opportunity to be number one or number two position bielawski says the unit

he was at the time the executive vice president of the organization and that you'll ever ask him tuesday jerry avorn a demonstration in front of the los angeles times yes i don't know if i can follow to demonstrate that i was asked on that occasion by mr paulson and the los angeles times came out with antennas vision editorial calling particular subject we had to as the video was organizing who demonstrated for the los angeles times i think after a couple of very simple messages can do was that part of the strategy of your program that the organizations that show themselves beyond friendly to the administration or any individuals who were causing trouble and send information no

no i don't think so i think our main thrust was not that so much as it was to try to enhance and do everything we could to get the spanish speaking people in the mainstream of the government process i understand that that was due to be among those who were competing in the spanish speaking community that was part of this question was not out in those agencies as to who would get whacked in some cases recession might be totally anti administration there would be a neutralizing effect of the us

which is a a weekly have a weekly report that's it the poem the compilation of events this is a grey nineteen seventy two we can report

to you that that report and then you arrange for that jacobs you have that i am like many businesses here now what we know

from the committee or the president is the political branch of the year in its entirety for the campaign a meeting with the black granite low yesterday he was signing off on an economist at mit it really is a sign that it was there was a moment meaning and therefore it was necessary that's a testament to this

if patients well again as they do on this and i scheduled to see larry silva and later that night in a gw and job whatever that action next week they should wrap up the debate was this an effort at this period in march to you from the white house and mr almond dust from the committee to be meeting with this as a couple of us i think it was more grants again we try to do is select any deep on her agency that had vacancies for high level positions or grants or contracts that would pertain to this community and we asked are we asked to cooperate in trying to involve the

arctic a constituency are you aware of the program you briefly tell the committee what your understanding about this believe it was the latter part of the nineteen seventy one of the first park since nineteen seventy two top officials on the white house staff decided that we needed a vehicle to court made any requests and action through the executive branch in terms of high level appointments friends in contrast publicity of abortions other things that would fit into this area yet for five men who were are the first reports that now i can and i believe today he's well what was the way what was the years

within the four or five men who work on their staff they each had responsibility for so many departments and so many agencies those of those schools is operations special interest groups and would fund any of our requests so that there was a court native effort on the white house and the leaders and this was of his time now they're trying to work with both of the saints have it's a memorandum from two about yourself now it's on windows with temple and john adams mr brown a special

assistant to the president and had responsibility for the black community also mr jones was the director of the black tradition and the committee for their actions mr cole as the number two man at the mosque the council under this is a different i believe was on the legislative and congressional relations staff of the time mr evans was a member of the domestic council and among other things that responsibility for it out us presidents and the recently about the use of the audit that i thought oh this opportunity to make a contribution and they had waited in the black i have discussed the situation that can go on the importance of this program is a

real effect and it must be as you are but the white house beat and i believe that thank you i am liberty there's a couple that any early today we sat down with jon discuss the blacks and thinking problems respectively and sure he's fully apprised of your needs and other people is on as that out that was at the beginning of the sort of concentration of dealing with one person and that is that they're expecting up to this point was fragmented for us so we're trying to jam into one office

i do so yeah we were i think of preferred was before before the march nineteen seventy one at the earth well melissa visual the only a wave of improving ordination and more effective means of getting political impact and as that one about a tremendously decentralized in your capability to seize whereby one would obtain data regarding west of any congressional district organization publishes a system we talk about this i think on several occasions

but never could put together until you're beating again i guess it was at that time was special counsel to the president in unison at a legislative office at the white house and then there's the software improving coordination and more effective means of getting political impact we wanted it to spanish speaking and also the site that's political and that the installations and what they want i'm on page two have refined mr

evans now assuming the role that verified with the state's attended in the world by john evans regarding my body business enterprise as that are imposed on her greatest also be invited skulls were recipients of grants for fiscal year seventy two as well as those being considered for additional grants for fiscal year nineteen seventy nine when i represented the political rancher the committee the campaign and one of the purpose of the recipients of the day the fiscal that seventy two as well as an additional question says the us senate there were some instances where these two cities could get a refund so for that reason that the group was reviewed and i think there's a typographical error here in the second dimension to shoot rabin now

you report that really is i'm the rhythm masters tradition as vision presented all of those material if you set aside three hundred thousand dollars for one of our contracts what was the meeting jimmy before answering explained what service under the nixon this fish and reestablished a minority business program a sba and commerce we can encourage more minority business more minorities to get into the business this program which calls for set aside or department agency of funding organization put aside so many dollars for a minority country in terms of our i think here we really met

one of our own qualified competent management consultants from the community well this is an application within the impact that is because one of the meeting your best recollection of it if i recall speaking greek do any work and transportation so that i think the site disinfect a mention of the podcast vision there's one other notion and i think the firms names will recover will compete against each other so the effort here to work who prefer which is your weekly report that enables them

to have them out in the polls and then on page two hundred and you have that as an immigrant at reporter curious and i work on the following the first thing you mentioned it's revealing with john evans brown and wally poland where i'm going to make sure the right people are being considered and receiving grants a right people want i think those who are eligible for funding you have to remember that there are very few number of spanish speaking firms have gotten government contrast in the past several years well things and we're trying to do is get new ones and tall to make themselves qualifying apply for federal funds including so that's it yes and i think you

hear like to clear the air in terms of any fact that we were just looking for republican contractors because in the spanish speaking community and very very few actually looking for those who qualify well as i think you've indicated earlier was was for you and those who are working on this special program to fill gaps in the federal government has the resonance of the gaps in their imaginations and believe me that was to bring in more spanish speaking american people that was not the effort of the committee rejected president to be a lot of as many of the democratic side the americans the president said it would be democrats but it's

time to a distinction between a qualified sporting now the pittsburgh which is your weekly reports some of them out to the polls and make twenty six nineteen seventy two and the age to fight me and then your reports you mr mallard with bolton you say expressed concerns over yet polio ray three million dollar grant to the mexican american unity council on the find there are some legal kind of trying them all they promised at least the opposition

i think this is a situation where they had received any aggression or you know before sunrise that they've had been through that it weren't necessarily supported the administration and listen and korea is trying to find them and checking with their general counsel we found good question i don't recall some so the average loan fund them really was based on their body that they were not support of music that was always the balance that has been seen as another one of the reports of my thought about the

polls and if he'll send a bakery and well rodriguez is in the process of developing the list of all federal employees rage he has fourteen and out for various uses by sevens you know why not say the one we're on standby now on this to me was that the military like the president but what use is where they made of the federal employees great ideas for him out they seem to be going purpose of this particular project all that i can recall frozen played it because you could not get any computer that i can recall that proposal intended purpose was trying to identify who they were you know we can get them to assist us in identifying programs that you can get involved in addition

to help the state that the case in terms of demonstrations students what he's oblivious fourteen and over there's a state task force for the administration is i mean you were what roll it might guess but i don't think we asked them to get involved politically to to articulate to the best to the nazi achievements of these ministries and a general sense that might be a legitimate use of income because of the un programs in they could demonstrate them this would also have an impact on the campaign sixteen you report and another weekly report was not often rodriguez

medley well as a measure to talk about setting is that doesn't have money for some about republican setting aside but you know i was at it the widow of thousands of money for some of your republican i think perceived as this is one of very few times that the republican has ever been written in these reports i don't think that that intentionally intent was all right mr lombardo and i think you have medically obese they've been the main question and this actually made it there was a very substantial effort made on your car uses spanish speaking americans and american businesses but i think it is fair to

say that in the effort to do so there was in kept in mind the political impact that such an activity would have as another factor was preference that you've already indicated on a number occasions but those were supported by the bundling of the number these references to reports it's a show repeatedly and reports some of them out and is suppose that you're reporting meetings with this federal agencies in which an effort was made to want to establish a relationship and two i'm saying and irresponsible rebel un program preference for supportive does that is that a fair statement now there is the memorandum that i won't notice

would be different with that in total talk about these in general the idea with particular that happens that you know is that the you know this is the last clue a company were what they do the services and in his firm's jamison solutions has been he just had his own firm here in the district for a little over ten years or so please democrat pleaded up the maryland virginia district committee for the national hispanic finance committee a number of your mind you indicate that progress has been made throughout the tang clans for him or what programs that so

he had already received some government contracts and before this program by the administration then they're in a course of our effort again was a lot of that it had received a few years well we have refrained from time to time and you said it repeatedly you qualified spanish speaking american businessman how our bt chairman larry to their business was qualified or not when you look over graham who made that decision it was the program the agency will of the vices the firm was totally unqualified we would have to explain that to happen next to these firms that i would say generally speaking that most of the firms that's made proposals won't qualify

this question of the season you mentioned and leon all of libya are qualified the agency would report that you and you would not press for prayer that's right it was not support the ministrations was more qualified than another was aboard the preference would be given that one was for years and i think that that was an exceptional situation rose's organization was that yes i think so i

generally did not deal directly with these contractors consultants security that it was very big yes i think that we as the mysteries of my staff bits and checking on him two or three agencies were really good of the country well another number that's right there were friends of those systems within the rest who as you say was the head of the year both the ceo of maryland and virginia is that it or finance committee for the president on that tax can you march thirty one report page three the nineteen forty one occasion of polio of washington of the city but then you look at that fifteen page to

seven of the department of transportation working with underrated seventy soldiers in washington state and that comment about the polls and he is the chairman of the dc maryland and virginia section of the nationals finance that they said and were just selecting it a few days ago that i'm aware that time going through all the minor ones that thirty seven to pay recommended they're what make a contract to us facilities that was a standard that they are not related to intercept the companies

so yes it's been fb