1973 Watergate Hearings; 1973-10-03; Part 1 of 5

as is is and humans of two teenagers in the senate of the united states on a resolution to establish a select committee of the senate to conduct an investigation and study which illegal or unethical activities were engaged in by any bears acting individually or in combination with the presidential election of nineteen seventy two on any campaign and there's a lot of activity related to that's

right today thats a great he said he was sorry for all political tricks he pulled on democratic presidential candidates in nineteen seventy two the thirty one year old attorney and former army officer apologized for any harm you may have caused his victims or their families and stated flatly that what he did has no place in american politics what specifically did he do well in his testimony delayed a mandate it i'm sending the infamous florida letter alleging sexual improprieties by senators humphrey in jackson and in an airplane fly over miami beach fluttering an anti mcgovern banner somebody said he was hired by two old college chums white house aides gordon strong and white shape shape and function as his boss and president nixon's attorney never come back eight and forty five thousand dollars to do it all so ready also registered some complaints today about the way he's been treated since news of his works first became public one hour in disagrees testimony this morning the committee also

suffered a dirty trick a bomb threat helps with cotton on schedule recess while the caucus room the search today's testimony today but the committee's course definitely into a new phase of the inquiry as peter kenyon reports from capitol hill the testimony of that insecurity the day the committee gets well into the second or dirty tricks phase of the investigation and for the first time it looks as if separate investigations will be conducted by the majority in the minority after somebody the committee is scheduled to hear from two of his ford agents rubber bands and that list kelly next week you'll be former white house a private eye chart caulfield if you've recovered from announcer attack and then to other alleged agents for the nixon re election campaign john that jack buckley and michael mccann away also known as a venture to then the republicans are scheduled to take over in an attempt to prove that no party has a monopoly on dirty tricks later on this evening i'll talk to fred thompson the minority council what his strategy they will be backed it with that interview of

minority counsel fred thompson at the close of tonight's reply and join me then will be professor richard small co director of the institute of election administration at american university will be talking further about the role of so called dirty tricks in american politics now to keep that help you plan your viewing tonight here's our hour by hour viewing got in the first hour battle cigarette he testifies that he was given a list of nixon advance men from nineteen sixty eight are using recruiting pranksters for the seventy two mary campaigns it came from white house appointed secretary white shape was ok ready orders to have senator must be followed two day swing through california in the second hour security admits that a campaign committee called democrats against losses was a fictitious money created to cause confusion in the california primary also in that primary he admits sending out three falls press releases one of those david falsely that shirley chisholm had been confined to a mental institution and the third hour it's a

gritty tales now john dean offered him a job in jamaica after the election somebody says it was in montego bay and would have paid thirty five thousand dollars a year also announced a great is that why he got involved in the dirty tricks operation details the senators' ears nose satisfactory answer for his conscience now number four the senators get into an argument over whether john dean and fred fielding wrapping his attorney for sobriety cigarette he says i thought they were and everything would be kept confidential the senators disagree because thing was working for the white house not as a private lawyer senator evan rule that there is no sufficient evidence to support the privilege and waters and testify about meeting with being on october can last year and the fact that our security says it was john dean who suggested that he keep a low profile at the watchman post uncovered as activities you also suggested he returned to california via train rather than fly back now to the center historically

momentarily get no reason we're chatting through the better but it will get that's retired from the robot was not one where the fusion via this is like a middle of the crew level now let the record show that this is really is testifying involvement and while all week new legislation

yes i am beverly hills california in nineteen sixty three i graduated from the university of southern california i majored in business administration it and attended the university of california berkeley and graduated from law school in nineteen sixty six my first job was as an employee of the office of the comptroller of the currency in washington dc after a few months i was inducted into the united

states army that was in may nineteen sixty seven what's in the army and wiper commission in the judge advocate general's corps i was accepted i was really struck back on the active duty in september of nineteen seventy one after serving four years and four months a year which was in vietnam after my graduation the university is seven california i maintain infrequent social contact with two college friends like chabon important straw so it did not seem unusual when i was contacted in early nineteen seventy one it to friends about the possibility of doing some work for them after my release from active duty it indicate interest although i had no concept of what they had in mind in the summer of nineteen seventy one i flew to washington dc and met with mr chabon in this distraught

it was explained in aid and i would be employed can perform certain political functions for the reelection of president nixon at that time i was aware that both men were employed at the white house i consider the political functions we discuss the selective college whites which had occurred at the university of southern california impression was given immunity so called quite performed by both parties in presidential campaigns and then and that there was nothing improper or illegal in such traditional activities subsequently i was told to contact mr herbert com bought in newport beach california for the purpose of finalizing my employment i met with mr khan bought in august nineteen seventy one and was offered a salary of sixteen thousand dollars or an m plus

expenses for my activities mr come out and i did not discuss the specifics of my employment and i myself had no concrete ideas as to what worked i was to perform it was not even clear to me whether or not i would be working for a mr kumquat mr chabon or others however i was happy to accept employment from people who held a prominent positions in and out of government after meeting with mr carlock i met with mr chabon not far from the western white house in san clemente california during this meeting mr chabon gave me a list of cities in which i was to acquire operations is to assist me in my teacher and others mr chabon stressed the secrecy of my duties and stated that he would be my contact at the white house he further explained that my duties would consist of various activities and into

foster a split between the various democratic hopefuls and to prevent the democratic party from uniting behind one candidate i was told that this was a common campaign strategy even though it had at one time been a registered democrat and was apolitical vermont army came here i was in agreement with president nixon's announced policies at ending the vietnam war and a draft it was not my favorite his reelection it was this combination of factors by law any concrete career plans my friendship and respect for the individuals involved my belief in the reelection of president nixon the opportunity of working for the white house in the change of pace for my army duties which led me to accept the employment

from september nineteen seventy one through the end of the year i traveled to various parts of united states attempting to light up political associates mr chabon had instructed me not to use the names of any person's at the white house or the name of any person associated with the republican party when making my contacts i was also told not to use my real name so that i would never proven embarrassment to the president or his campaign supporters it was therefore difficult for me to explain to people exactly what i was doing who i was working for or what we will be doing together during the initial period of my employment i myself had no specific idea as to what i was doing or how i was to do it i did indicate to people i've

recruited unquote that their task will be to pick the various democratic candidates under the guise of working for a rival democratic candidate we asked difficult questions at news conferences an impossible get someone to work in a candidate's the orders the purpose of planning so called quote spices unquote was primarily to obtain candidates travel schedules to assist in the planning a nicotine activities during this period i received five thousand dollars travel and expenses for mr khan law and a solid six hundred and sixty seven dollars every two weeks and a salary apart from the idea the following year in nineteen seventy one one i prepared a list of questions to ask senator must be one year period we would hear it

in southern california the questions were passed out among the audience and i believe one of the questions was asked to i contacted him in the video in california who provided three or four persons in census cup and picketed any of various democratic various democrats were signs saying quote kennedy the president unquote are words that really i guess senator must be volatile for today's while he was in los angeles california this was a one and only time that i had ever had any candidate to follow and it was then pursuant to an earlier suggestions for mr chabon that i have a familiarity with how presidential candidates travel to the best of my recollection those are the only activities i performed in

nineteen seventy one in january of nineteen seventy two i received a second son of a five thousand dollars bonus to come on this summit was paid following my request for additional money to cover my travel and expenses on her about fenway ticket in nineteen seventy two i receive my last my weekly chat in the summer of six at sixty seven dollars from a trust account currently maintained by mr khan law and about this time mr camargo explain to me they're rather than receiving for other mines by kat of the river that we were switched to green unquote honor about march first nineteen seventy two i received the sum of five thousand dollars in cash from mr khan bought secretary and on her about march twenty third nineteen seventy two i received a sum of

twenty five thousand dollars in cash for mr camargo this letter came it was made up on my request for the sum of five thousand dollars which i anticipate was needed to cover my traveling and salary expenses it was my impression at the time that the extra twenty thousand dollars was given to me so that i would not happen on contact us to come walk on a frequent basis i now believe that the new campaign a lot regarding the reporting of income in this president's had something to do with this payment the funds revert to hear again it only money that i have received it not anytime discuss with mr camargo in a specific to my political activities and i have no personal knowledge as to whether or not he spoke with others about i was about what i was doing

i should add to my statement but i did receive some of the four hundred dollars in cash that summer to cover my expenses for travel to watch me see any witness to combine military mr chabon in this restaurant greasy are traveling and living expenses a complete accounting to the best of my ability has been provided to this committee into the special prosecutor's office in the center in nineteen seventy one i traveled to the state of florida for the purpose is seeking additional contracts and in my visit i met with a mr robert biggins in tampa florida a mr douglas kelly in miami florida the mr benson mr tell it

seemed knowledgeable as to the inner workings of a political campaign and expressed a willingness to assist me in my endeavors that young men seem to know much more about how political campaigns operating an idea therefore it at each a modest sum and ask that they make contact with other persons who would be a future assistance the intention was that previously indicated to let it gets recruited persons to it to ask our questions at news conferences and to obtain their travel schedules of various democratic candidates in january nineteen seventy two i return to florida at this time mr van zandt came to students typically opening a cylinder jackson's headquarters in tampa florida carrying must be for president and top scientists are words were words that effect he also had recruited

approximately ten persons that they get picked and i must gear i was signed to a dingy muskie's reluctance to consider a black american as a running mate he's activated activism as the vans were down pursuant to my suggestions i also understand it is depends on his own initiative and it ascends to a musty press release which announced it's sending a ten thousand invitations for a musty right to be followed by a thousand dollar up late dinner this press release was sent to one or two newspapers in addition to the surveillance and i collaborated in one way or another of the following matters in a letter on senator must be stationary alleging an operation is a government typewriters biased there this letter was sent to various reasons i do not recall the place to

place in the posters at book how must be investing more children now i'm hooked the poster board alleging quote mother's back unless the committee and four approximately one hundred two hundred and fifty cent posters were distributed or posted by me the place in effect bonds and i must be a day and at the mosque the headquarters the senate on a letter unless the stationary accusing sen jackson and humphrey of sexual impropriety i would like to make clear that this letter was my my idea suggested by any other person i assume full responsibility for its country ants each and every allegation in the letter was untrue and without any basis in fact it was not my desire to have anyone to lead the letter

but instead it was intended to create confusion among the various candidates it is michael a pepper and twenty two forty such letters were sent out mainly to sen jackson supporters i deeply regret that i initiated this incident in which to apologize publicly for this stupid act i can only hope that this apology will in some way rectify the harm done to the senators and their families there were other activities performed by mr danson myself which i cannot fully recall at this time but which generally consist of the picketing candidates and it's demeaning rude prince from various daily newspapers and magazines mr douglas kelly assisted me in posting your or mention muskie poster and i'm placing an ad in a college newspapers dating while

one is sincere gentleman seeks running mate white preferred that natural sense of a rhythm no optical contact the musky unquote he also helped me place in an unclassified section of the miami sunday sun reporter skating point senator must be would you accept a jewish running mate unquote in another era in the same as a first lady a point senator must be you wouldn't except a black or an american indian would you accept a jewish running mate unquote there is also an and i was placed in a local cuban newspaper in on a local radio station which david well leslie believes all people have the right to choose any type of government that they want the cuban people or no exception and the united states should not

interfere if elected must we will attempt to ease the tensions between the united states and cuba he was born in maine is a good american vote for ed muskie encore we also distributed some wires and buying the public to a nonexistent open house unless he's had orders in miami mr kelly and i have one other activities of a minimal nature which i had disclosed this in committee by way of sadat interviews to the best of my recollection i also understand that mr kelly did other things about which i am not fully clear since he also operated to a great extent on his own at this time it is my best recollection that paid mr kelly industry bands a total of approximately fifty five hundred dollars in february of nineteen seventy two a man told me he had been a finance our eyes and a warrant from a choir conversation

with mr chabon i had been informed that a person would call me who would give me assistance in miami florida i met with mr warren and another individual who was in it is to me as george leonard i now recognize he had worn as being mr e howard hunt i have been unable to identify mr george london however it is my understanding that he was probably she gordon liddy mr warren provided a name or the name of a premiere in miami who i subsequently used for various purposes it he called me mr warren a second time in june nineteen seventy two at the sheridan were masters hotel in miami florida during this meeting this mean one suggestion that i put together a group of peaceful demonstrators we do our hotel during the democratic convention

at which time to another group of defense wants to join in the demonstration an actor in an unruly manner it was explained to me that the bad conduct at the crime would be blamed on senator mcgovern it was never my intention to create more did it ever participate in any kind of physical violence and mr warner's plan was something which i did not want to get involved when the watergate burglary preseason plans and they were never carry out at this point i would like to state that no time did it ever have any knowledge of that i participate in the watergate burglary or any activity involving electronic surveillance it is possible and i'm a hand that gives the one a third occasion but i am i'm sure at this time on april first nineteen seventy two april fools'

day milwaukee wisconsin listener vincent i distributed a wire ever tyson gay parade all you can eat lunch with hubert humphrey's headquarters i have given the committee and a special prosecutor's office a couple of wire there was of course no such party also in april in nineteen seventy two in response to a taco cochran mr warren i flew to washington dc i had mr kelly beatty they're so there must be ways to have a fund raising dinner at the worst been no hotel mr kelly and i totally acting from us the organizers ordered the flowers he says and liquor for the campaign workers in addition we invited certain foreign guests and providing for the

delivery to the device to her legacy immigration was also hired to attend a dinner we also made inquiries about ready to know why weren't able to make the necessary arrangements the purpose of our visit was to cause confusion mr callahan i also distributed a wire skeins protest the fat cats were signs this was in reference to the muskegon mr callahan i constructed various protest signs but no one showed up to protest during nineteen seventy two i perform activities of a similar a less extensive and significant nature and other states i had given a full statement to this committee staff regarding

these events i believe my activities activities in these other states is little if any commotion and do not need to be elaborate anonymously i also feel that many innocent person is would be hurt if i were jesus disclose the names of our persons i contacted in my travels most of these persons are completely innocent of any wrongdoing and to publicly disclose their names would be a great disservice to them i have given the committees that incomplete list of all persons who names i can recall i understand that the committee staff in the prosecutor's office and investigated my activities in an intensive manner i mean we're looking at intelligence and this committee that i not be forced to publicly disclose the names of innocent prisoners which could only damage

to their reputations and doing without serving any legitimate legislative purpose in july of nineteen seventy two mr kelly and i've made arrangements for a small plane to fly over the democratic convention center with a trailer eighteen pro peace on our promiscuity put together and so this was my left political activity of the nineteen seventy two campaign after news stories began mentioning my name i saw no crossover mr john w deen i met mr dean mr chabon distraught over periods during a month's mr dean acted as my lawyer and i confided in him in this capacity enters the team's request i made a tape recording explaining my activities in the nineteen seventy one and seventy

activities in nineteen seventy one and nineteen seventy two and give it to him i also preparing a written statement and give it along with many documents to an attorney in los angeles california who has suggested as consul bye mr v it is my understanding that this attorney sent to muscatine copies of the materials lab with him and that has to be subsequently oversee turnovers and materials which were obviously intended to be confidential and party attorney client privilege to this committee although i feel that <unk> betrayed my competence i do is just a bit no time did he tell me to be anything but not us and truthful with the federal bureau in an investigation and the united states attorneys office this gentle statement was prepared with the advice and assistance

and my present council mr victor sherman a los angeles california and was not intended by us to be a complete statement obama activities there in the months and questioned i'm sure that this committee has now wear them i acted activities have been blown out of all proportion by the news media i accept the fact that most of my present problems are the direct result of my own conduct however i cannot help me to feel that i had been abused by rumor character assassination innuendo and a complete disregard for the privacy of myself my friends and my family i have literally had no way the onslaught of the media during the past year and they're going to get a story in our eye i understand that under various guises some of the news media illegally obtained my telephone bank account and credit card records

and generally conducted investigations without any concern for my rights nevertheless this in no way lessens my sincere beliefs that my activities were wrong and have no place in the american political system they to the extent that my activities have on another person's in the political process i have the deepest regrets i am now ready to answer the questions in this committee obvious statement of white soul i already indicated about the first moments of like akin most important law and as you're going to get is that the now at the time there's strong and the chechen war and that's really what i mean i'm nineteen seventy one and also during the period of the life of anyone

in the seventies you know what the vision was he i was avoided the white house and i believe a position at that time was president of secular and you know all i knew was he was employed at the white house you come from this system is the whole idea that much later into the nineteen seventy two now i have to be mr basham not quite certain exactly a date and then but it is a possibility and that period of time

i had dinner with his future in his residence yes it was but really politically that secrecy was stressed mr jt it is it's you and i knew that and engaging what you had in that

is correct and you're interested in the job and i was just a second in years they've already given us will record the information is founder and the un watchers right we were there in nineteen seventy one nineteen seventy i can give you figure this commission i have in the way of financial records and i think it's in the room forty five thousand dollars

money for expenses july nine i place in nineteen seventy one you know i get where i met mr chabon near this incoming white house and we all went to a small restaurant in the local area that mean mr chabon an additional innovation describing general background or political situation gave a list of states to concentrate on

in making the future for the co op content and with these days is primarily answer i think this meeting was like i don't recall specifically that's right that's correct it was related to relationships

and for example at a must do i know if you were to have a country for president signed two kgb a place in proximity to where the media could take a photograph of that his medium yesterday at that period time in relationship to that part of it because of the o yes or even sillier must be difficult to call any sector conversation this time so most

likely prospects to win the democratic nomination it certainly was how nice and state law you're right that will be there except the

statement you made about awakening senator must be acting you trivial more emphasis then lease was conveyed to me a ticket but you're right i think that there could be a genius oh ok i contacted

his heels i do i can't believe that that statement to them or a statement in that that was maybe a little earlier than that yesterday oh geez there were witnesses

from my release from active duty until june nineteen seventy two words mr strahm calling once on the telephone in late september november seventy one though us an interim us again i was traveling in southern california and some in the videos through some days and here's stamper etc muskie and it was broadcast on the news media of this are strong calling up asked me if i had anything to do with that it which is the truth new orleans

while well a suspected at some point and it can i would do it in a city i was given his own telephone number generally speaking i was to call me out of the white house switchboard and i was to use another name you know i was too it is and it is that was eliminated mri and that was an immediate use although i think at the very first met in may have been another name very similar in that i bought more similar history but i believe that christa mcauliffe

the operator said days as mri us and i said yes i was instructed to get an answer in service on my home telephone number and california which i get any mr chabon no fishing or tupac and i was not in anything about the message he's the name is chapman he was in london then i get into the tourney law saying this eventually led to mr d thought that he was never used it to my recollection is

it and did you see mel oh i did receive the summit of cape and so at one time it is or so different geniuses fire at one point in time i don't know what it was in nineteen sixty eight in amsterdam and sister but it was a white house

it is that was to some extent i mean we do it's been look at that that's right this is my receipt i do not believe it and in a monumental

were demonstrating it should be an undeclared and should be held in a location that is very visible at the other democratic hopeful for example we recently richard the mosque issue that my response all the signs for the press area for the picture yet in the past yes that's right wow

yes well solomon is it's conjecture speculation i hate doing it in a bit and perhaps not to speculate that perhaps one reason was to give me enthused about the job that i think are more of a primary reason was too let me get from me where the presidential advance and how presidential a party with the other and traveling in an attack i am not certain whether it was given to me and it was an easier or on you i didn't see one idea

my recollection is that that was told to me by telephone a little bit of pride in that however my notes regarding that mean to mention i think the term operating capital of five thousand audits of prose disgust at that point now that's really it has to some extent my problem not my records early summer very sporadic

for example i remember when trip by flu as flying on south and i happen to know any friend that was living in albuquerque from albuquerque new mexico from korea time in the military so i set of wine director at florida arrows fly nonstop to mexico and it was a combination of both a social visit and at my colleague political a visit i'll actually make sure that you actually replace they will pursue his business people who are going to follow in the area yes they were

what many at first i believe for a short period of time i use the meantime your hand and lead outs of the time it used on consonants they used the euro and specifically you're right yes right now this isn't an illness you know i've got

a friend i had worked with him some extent in the military service to our society i see it in the military which is called really stands for criminal investigation division in this individual was a retired i see it our individual in at that time he was working for a detective at it i would classify him as at that time yes now well in this formula i believe that's how the scenario of when it is possible and i columnist ej two in fact finding out from a local paper or any israelis read in the paper that my best

recollection is there is even called american i am well listen some question the threat of the use of exhibits that are before you and you identify that exhibit at the end that i was given at the appearance of some of the lesser has some questions you were politically only one question that's

right now you said it xerox copy i now believe to be the white house if he's right and why so that is the question you see

it that's it that's correct stage diane know we really missed the boat on there's obviously the press now wants to prevent pm i believe that yes sir i can keep his temper last let's prove he can't say another look at patients and there's a year it's easier take it to mean my question was that reflected in the news some of

the reasons among the questions that you have in your reporting that that's true that question thats correct how to do it where i did not what happened i was instructed to the ocean to have your id and i met with an individual whose name was given to me i found him to be a very personable unlikable gentlemen very knowledgeable in politics he seemed very receptive to my ideas i thought so much easier and then i gave him i actually received a phone call and talk to you

and i don't know my problem was that i had used by my real name in a palace in the video called around washington to find out who i was that's correct yesterday it was the one and that's the next primary schedule was for them as well oh i think it is needed this game is that when i write

i call a local republican office and asked whoever answered the phone if he knew of any individual that might want to be some part time work yeah and i was given a minister bans mr kelley swain i received from mr van zeller receded from another end of the deal and i went to miami that was tuesday night at the white house and then in the times cites a different color yes sir people associated with them or to it and

i don't believe they personally i were to recruit other presidents yes they did but anything else it would come across as far as information via i guess classified as a bonus this is any contacts and tell where that time really were rather minimal but i believe it has to some extent yes sir that's right

yeah yeah yeah so that's correct or liberalism that's right

watson are about identifying the person and the next internet we have now and it's already introduced a period of time then was it you're welcome yeah yeah absolutely no idea you see i can take a guess five hundred thousand what you do with iran it finally he's been