1973 Watergate Hearings; 1973-07-11; Part 1 of 5

the pittsburgh it is in nineteen sixty eight nixon appeal to the board and is worth america's in trouble today not because the people have you were also means and why and in the end now you have a terrorist group like that ultimately that time and it is true that president nixon had cases that has found out the truth

i am and yet when i'll write a memo is white house house became known for you know they're not they could buy thank you in the senate of the united states a resolution to establish a select committee of the senate to conduct an investigation and study extent if any improper or unethical activities were engaged in by any persons

acting individually or in combination with others in the presidential election of nineteen seventy two for any campaign and there's other activity related to it from washington and that brings you gavel to gavel videotape coverage of today's hearing of the senate select committee on presidential campaign activities years and that senior correspondent robert might mean meaning the puzzling political and ethical philosophy of john newton michel got a second national air into bed and appeared to leave the watergate committee skeptical and frustrated under five hours of cross examination the former attorney general and thats an intimate elaborated on his firm conviction that the re election of richard nixon transcended all other considerations last year that was his rationale for telling the president nothing that he knew about the watergate break in or cover up coupled with mitchell's adamant claim of his own innocence and all these matters came a long list of confessions that in hindsight he should have done this or that

should have kicked it out of his office should have made his opposition to the binding plan more obvious should've told the president at various times should have told authorities what you about the ellsberg's psychiatrist barbara michal lusk refused to let the committee we're going to mount a model for it final attempt to sift through the litter of inconsistency and in the eyes of some members in probabilities left behind by two days of his testimony if you stay whether to literary and tonight you're going to hear and very interesting comment by john mitchell when she says quote a great trout are conducting appear he says that off and to his lawyer justice center of them is adjourned be they're hearing session david epstein an adjunct professor of law georgetown university law center here in washington a former prosecutors with his own asking is this in fact a tribe yes and no question the center in a westerner montoya it goes into the detail of the progression of events that's perfectly proper trial question by senator baker goes into the spiritual about it that's

perfectly proper drop much a center of this question that has to do with matters at least initially not a position to testify was so nervous trying to get a message to the president that's a role that would be alive in a drought and senator wicker much of that is so questioning isn't arguing with the witness that would be allowed into the trial so the sense of questioning is the motive and details the answer's yes the questioning as to that that's irrelevant or argument the answer is no okay thank you miss epstein carson the question in human terms of use the workshop you can see for yourself and make your own decision we will be back up with mr epstein he will be joined by stephen hess for further discussion at the close of the match brock yes today was a grueling one for john mitchell as he answered our fended off questions from five of the committee's seven senators as we do before each play back of their hearings hearings and that hour by hour viewing guide in the opening our mitchell was questioned about his

silence with president nixon mitchell says the president's isolation did not keep him from doing his duties adding the president is never above the laws of the land he adds that despite the time come to visit the president's good name would be protected by the facts as they come out in our number two mitchell concedes that if the so called white house horrors were revealed to the american people it would have an adverse effect on nixon's reelection bid and under tough questioning from senator baker mitchell says flatly that not informing the president was a mistake in the third hour mitchell was asked about his meetings with gordon liddy he maintains steadfastly he disapproved of all ladies bugging plans asked what he told president nixon fall in the watergate arrests mitchell says i apologized for not having better control over the campaign workers involved in the fourth r mitchell was asked why he did not inform the president wants the election was safely won it replies it was not my responsibility others in the white house were in charged

mitchell was asked if he would like to protect the president he says no adding he doesn't have to in the final hour mitchell says that in meetings after the bike and there was no talk of destroying documents last about the break in the daniel ellsberg's psychiatrist mitchell says it produced nothing about having gangs themselves as senator levin the committee chairman brought the proceedings to order has more on how the spinach you know

because many of these witnesses hundreds of meetings meeting cell along the george washington parkway meetings govan hotel rooms i believe there are three meetings of special significance want a meeting on january twenty seven the other laugh ever before and thirty thirtieth there was a thirtieth alternative privately june seventeen rating witnesses have testified that of the first of these meetings criminal activities we discuss to it the kidnapping of leaders of the dissident groups norway mexico and the reason that we are fabian facility with special for graphic than eavesdropping

equipment and citizens yacht with the prosecution's rights leaders of the opposition and who placed them in compromising positions and the breaking amendment to photograph documents and engaging in electronic surveillance and i gather that at the first meeting you had in addition to the attorney general of the united states mr mcgrew the deputy chairman of the committee to reelect president calls awful present the united states with john be understood at the counsel to the committee to reelect president and as they are when asked about the place during your response was all just a million dollars because of that first meeting you justify that people mostly to owe think that's the far end at the second meeting on forever before this was also in the office of the

attorney general in addition to the attorney general mr mcgrew the most libyans to do you in attendance and at this time we have a skilled on plan costing about a half million dollars at the close of this meeting was the last quarter have said we should not be discussing this in the attorney general's office translating your statement think that's the problem i mean get rid of this incriminating evidence senator evans but also to abandon any concern that any such activities would be part of the re election campaign they were essentially participating

in the crime not at that time those are and i ask this because just a tiny office without much publicity and great episode the indictment of american citizens who have allegedly discussed the kidnapping of the caucus and there's a difference between a discussion of a kidnapping and the discussion of these criminal activities in the office and it's not very far short in connection with the activities of the indictment that you refer to there were over action connection with others well as discussions was lending or what action in this case of three meetings charts the cost a small fortune overnight why did you not have the

advantage of the united states that was the president of these meetings and had every reason to believe these matters for over and done with where through that was the end of those present united states says many of the concerns that were rather than protective factor that were involved in these meetings and many other means they're persistent twenty seven and you consider that this was nothing frivolous what to my mind would matter have not been approved and was not going to be a brutal that was the end of that there are many many things happen in connection with political campaigns you do not going to advise the president expected

the obligation rest on those that are conducting a campaign or not president follow each and every one of the details you and the election of the president you did not wish to advise the president of the water of the white house horrors stories because he modeled a little piece and thereby endanger the election i think that is a reasonable summary of and i don't think i used the word below the level of huge a very very strong reaction to what the eu will lower the boom on people that's i think was my phrase and i'm sure that was one of them why did you not advise the president to in november of nineteen seventy

four percent of nineteen seventy five and during that in my opinion was the election was over there was kind of a housecleaning the matter would've taken care of itself at a particular time as one was a world that fight and to think that as the president's cup but it was an obligation on you on the vice president well there are different types of obligations under the moderate because i was looking phil necessary tvs orientation i'm certain this measure you wrote a

famous memo that saw the one the senator read that sir i have a slight knowledge and this memo liston was the best at that based on the information made available to its success its findings the stated in late july of nineteen seventy two the walking dead not going to have any white house people and high ranking committed people were involved in the operational planning or execution of the break in was the memo goes on to note that quote fails to recall that at that moment he directed the attorney general's erroneous impression by pointing out that mitchell magruder and b but all involved in planning of operations which watergate was the obvious about strong knowledge of the fruits of this kind of operation or that all of them were supporting poetry an otherwise sleepy

and sue the facts ms reichl no political and constitutional crisis that watergate now the mises and all so swain associate of the memos the vice president because they saw what was great for consumers but what seemed to shirin ebadi proportions it would have been embarrassing for the president of the true facts of the note and seventy but there is the kind of embarrassment and immensely popular president easily work libya cause of insinuations that the white house was a part of the cover up and above all because the white house was led to say things about watergate happened since longer than on who

no nation will do i certainly do not listen to our latest story my reasons why motives at the new television set the white house or elsewhere is not wanted well mr mitchell at the reelection of president nixon was so important to be willing to engage in activities which and well discuss that describe has been erected to ensure his reelection the question was in many minds of this time what lengths are you knowledgeable

receive it award for the implication of the president and the activities on the investigation but this more specifically are you willing to live to protect the president so there's one great thing about the answer that i can give to that question to you i don't have to make that shows because the violence the president was not knowledgeable certainly about the watergate were certainly knowledgeable about anything that had to do with the cover up for areas that we're using he noticed more mr mitchell you suggested that it would not be there that's the word you use at the facts relating to watergate and the wodehouse horse open brought to his attention and the attention of the american people there an election campaign

i've never considered when it was thirty members of the opposition party or third of american people conspired to keep them from from fox yes i'm sure that their subject matters grossman my many many times and i do not believe now i did not believe that iran should be charged with the transgressions of other was just as simple as that what was wrong with the united states to function well as attorney general was the chairman of the committee who had for the campaign director it was fact is you know where i'm well aware of senegalese voters are punitive approach to the highest authority regardless from where they are honest

and it was my opinion that he would be improperly associated with these activities on the united states this is the government but if you're the president was about loss of the law president has no i was well into my knowledge is faithfully executed wasn't one they just think that in your execution of the laws of the land and the upholding of the constitution you have an obligation to advise the president of these irregularities and what time what time frame we're talking about sen these

twenty seven meetings of the fall with respect the discussions did not go to the point where i thought it was the requisite nature that anybody be advised government doesn't reactions of it with respect to you know our discussion with how you set them all and speaking of that i mean this is another blow what i'm saying is that i think i know the individual i know his reactions of things and i have a very strong feeling that during the period of time in which i was an association with them and that argument though the information

we know general isn't fair to say that much of your opinion that you express based on your faith in the president and your knowledge of the man rather than any specific statement resonate through all that you made of questions tonight show and i do think there you know discussions in the end general area to the point where i think the general subject matter that knowledge based on your knowledge of a person and as a judge although men and mann's character years suggesting to his committee and to the people of the united states the prison was not aware of the cover of the fall

and your position as attorney general mike all of us in public office we'd call upon them to hire people or to get all sides involved in the process of hiring people it was job john dean for us to model m g gordon liddy major general try to do and i know that there's one thing in common with all of these men have all been involved in the commission of a crime your job senator watch

over me i did not hiring was going he says the new journey general i would fully subscribe to this apartment that time as being justified in the state and the justice department mr levey if you have taken liberties for the day with me about was the actual record with respect to general term he probably had the finest record with respect david marshall that anybody could possibly have had more citations and better known for

his activities in connection with the demonstrations and sabotage we were the follicles sizing the marshals service there was a memo from army record virus some money mr mcgregor vs recommended from the white house in perfectly acceptable to me though that if you look at the backgrounds of these individuals have the time and they came into the pictures of carlyle's concern tom goldman reporting protests morning you have responded to questions by a

user who apply inside the pipeline side you may have done otherwise what advice would you give your successor so that you would not repeat some of that era's you made which you cut that by welcoming this is a senator i haven't really given a great deal for a lot of the subject matter that there's one item that keeps coming to look for all the time and i presume you're talking about a political campaign here's one keeps coming through for all time in my mind a typically relates to what happened in the campaign for reelection president the campaign is the most unique operation that builds up in a very short time to a crescendo and then of course

experimented in the organization's activities are of all ages thank you and that is that instead of having one individual as a campaign director can't keep his hands on the pulse of everything that's going on that there ought to be a much clearer lines of authority and responsibility so that is compartmentalize a point where you can keep your hands on and you can have somebody in charge of a particular cycle of those people do have a greater responsibility instead of blocking everything up to the top of their buy option mammals or whatever this because you're dealing with people who are doing this highly charged emotional air and to me that's the one thing that i can think of right off that that should be

done in connection with political campaigns of washington also the united states whether terrorism and that was a mandate so some of the irregularities that occurred in the nineteen seventy two presidential election no i didn't do that but i would like to be a bit more thought and then a little bit more study on notice that one of the committees of the senators are ready and election law one of the problems of america's that we have to consider and i just something that leaves a great deal of thought can we express a time like this when other matters are on the big delighted to

provide you with my thoughts as director of the campaign on them no sir and it was not only assume responsibilities of campaign director with people my own that they were you concerned about the nomination richard nixon i think you always have to have a concern senator regardless of the fact that you have in common say they'll have to show one on shall we say the spectrum of the low on the spectrum of the right you have a long way to go between the nomination i think that you always have to have that concern one final question as a

question of executive privilege as eliza skinner this deal calls on executive privilege my position has been the must have met some really prince's before the judiciary committee chairman and the loss of three of the president has very wide range of tolerance in this particular for you and i believe there's also testimony on this record coming from the state didn't give the effect that i was out in front are recommending that the president not located in connection with the hearing is that this committee has been as undertaking i felt that the president was being ill served by the thought that he would be invoked executive

privilege with respect to his committee even though you might have the constitutional powers of the most specific that have been reported in the press mr goodman when i ask the question did you know by the president as who want to break and his response was executive privilege you think the executive privilege goes that far and if i understand mr erlichman was asking questions about the subject matter the advice the president of the united states as to the watergate break in and his response was i do not wish to discuss this matter because of executive privilege and senator and my understanding of executive privilege it's not necessarily surprising as chief oswalt united states to see a

distinction between their activities or the president of the united states and a person running for reelection the presidency of the united states and the american forest whitaker does assume that we have a papers presidential debate vegas involving the presidency of the united states and papers involving opposed to religious person should all these papers be bunched into one category presidential papers the nature of the contents of papers in it if they either presidents papers and i testified before the senate judiciary committee in my opinion with respect the president has an absolute power grid ms baraka stands out for talking about papers that do not involve president on their costumes

that paper's that's an entirely different subject matter one of these papers recommend will suggest the commission of crimes what it is that i'm not in the white house that went to the president of the memos the president of the united states they recommended in the commissions of crimes and if they're talking about spectators i think it's an entirely different matter with respect to what we're talking about as presidential executive privilege and so that was one of the cia and domestic affairs as being within the laws of the united states are real questions you're welcome so

called invaders our songwriting describing the formation of an extralegal intelligence organization in which you were involved yesterday's news that's not what the neighbors as we would call a big hit because the collective always rely on if you're talking about signs of his vegas and ims so i mean there has been a necessity in this country for a long time the fbi the cia were really in my opinion the liaison information tomorrow's agencies it doesn't necessarily

with the cia we're not the base within the united states without the us that's right but if we are to get the benefit out of the intelligence surveillance and the fbi has the idea as in all the rest of the agencies we just have to have communication among those agencies and as i said yesterday or even more importantly an evaluation of the intelligence they do provide those there's been too long or practice in this country for one of these agencies to have information intelligence matters that can carry out a mission to provide that sometimes things just do not have the information and i think that that example without knowing the fact is the recent assassination of a member of

the israeli embassy here in intelligence so yeah there certainly was rob reich uses hypothetical case specific but the papers describe something else beyond coronation describe the activities of the fbi and the cia and surveilling citizens does eleven senators both with it

my recollection rhode director hoover objected to the extent they didn't all the items that you're talking about in my opinion is one of the reasons it was churned them and not implemented but i am saying that those discussions on the basis of the cia and its activities within the country and there's no operational activities job in this novel is great for but there's no rhyme or reason worldwide intelligence they have not been passed on particularly law enforcement or investigative agencies in this country that you have operational responsible mr mitchell if this commission decide to that shows you know that the newspapers what do you think should be responsible

i don't know lol and certainly was as the question would you put them as a former chief an independent nation papers as we discussed before it is clear that as a presidential or communications i think is an absolute privilege it's a given that follows where the president is not involve i think that's an entirely different subject and once again you're going to get hurt join the discussion

nasr that's absolutely incorrect if i'm a recount but i think the record shows was my recollection is that with respect to having used in papers there were conferences held under the aegis of i presume that's used in the white house agencies in which which resulted in a memorandum provided for activities with respect to domestic service of those forces was national security and the surreptitious and medical reasons aw i was not part of that committee i had

no knowledge of it until it was brought to my attention by the director of the fbi it was then that matter was discussed with me was then shortly thereafter the concert was chairman we were the president of the united states no sir just five years that was the attorney general of the discussions that you're not welcome as a participant in the discussions i was not a participant in the discussions with respect i was a participant in discussions changing they were there concerns about the matter i was not a participant in discussions that led to the formulation of things it is my recollection and i advised mr

hall of an afterthought to my attention by muslim devotionals what is your relationship with just call you know what i can't say no oh well a comeback since nineteen sixty eight and seeing them infrequently over that period of time i knew those in connection with the nineteen sixty eight campaign contacts between sixty eight and seventy years seventy one ever been very infrequent probably more social than anything else cause i knew in nineteen seventy one seventy two campaign when he was a fundraiser early in a

relationship with her or specifically money i said yes i had a very close relationship with most dramatic period of time because it was like i was talking to a mother daily news you're right as a private business and he has several clients a new label is one of the class is that true that you were personally quite a call

as daisy and it's true and with those people and in that meeting coming in with indian security measures that were being established and to be established in connection with the facility and sent to no one that's true

the other times that i've seen as a reporter occasional passages when he was in the lobby of the seventeen or one and i think that one time the vicinity susannah what's reasonable security for you no i don't believe that to be classified as such i learned at a later date that mr mccourt bit of electronics we love the art and what timeframe i do not know but there was nobody providing security for such what instructions to your person are some of the ones that

paul oakley assistance and help of other individuals security prison there's been just one this could conceivably happen and i don't know the facts of talk because when we left the justice department and immediately made arrangements take care of the transportation so that if this were the case and most importantly the service for a

period of one or two or whatever days that were in this interim period before and these are teenagers pick up the cast and characters and my final question is this goes back to my first question why did not that was the president of these irregularities after the election and oblivious to the white house would take up a huge white house take care of the problem really is a point that wouldn't happen again the change in personnel in which was announced the reductions that people are moving out of the white house and participants in these activities that there

was no reason why not going to get hold of the second term of the president's other major protests then swapping bosco yes sir major developers mr mr dean in my mind mr deans the white house to my knowledge and was not

was in protest but in the cover up of the warning must have been was very knowledgeable subject matter and just hate to lose that that is just different and i didn't know that it was well the best answer your question will be those who testified to have testified to the iranian newspapers in affidavits in the violent last thirty years

well discussions with respect in the end papers so many statements that the individuals have made with respect to the bearded matter why is that one who has received from some of those over and all but i can't give you the chapter members who were the total number of individuals that were involved in each of these activities when did you first learn of the white house horrors well as i testified yesterday that the first information it got with respect to the briefing to briefing mr laity gaiety mr martin and the subsequent to that time has to be in part of a great deal of knowledge and other areas where they have not provided martin

the prison what i think that's the same question that we've answered three times this morning sen we are now talking about the end of june we're talking about the election that's exactly right well it was the issue was the subject of this in the democratic national committee was constantly in the newspapers why we're not out they were not under discussion needs to have more impact on the election in my opinion what do

you think it was the obligation on the part of presidents two closest aides to have advised president of these horrors was to all of them in your discussions with mr haldeman on mr owen there would tell you that that was the president of these are no sir the president was on the cover the president was advised to unfold and obviously he was a great and everybody was over the newspapers and on the second part of the respect of the cover up no never advise a

former participant was president concerned about but chase issued by a committee that found its way into the hands of those who have broken into the watergate office of the democratic national committee recently libya these things are going on in a prestigious thing it was your obligation to fill the president and with the details is the retired eighty percent of the press to cover that i live and to this day i believe that was right not involving president in any of these as you have to as i

testified before very strong action with the great detriment of the campaign was being run has been and in a while the campaign was open up the most important thing the president does the president was opposed in my mind but it is your feeling that they really should be done to protect this president bush version for the dow trust in questions now these worries should we fully identified and i think that

the appropriate action should be taken because as of this particular time there's no rhyme or reason why those circumstances you try to revert back to what they were prior to election or even prior to that time the stories came forth and whatever manner they came forth i think however that rates here should be taken to ascertain who was involved in how they were involved instead of just walking into a catchphrase of watergate or cover up or things like that i think it's time the individual activities be properly parts use it taken drastic steps and you also suggest that you know the man very well what the president of the us notified of the watergate cover

no one well we have i think more specific in order to discuss things that are we talking about what we now discuss the last two days the white out horror stories we talking about so the whole package appropriate government officials on the investigative side and from those who are the prosecutors in late ottoman sitting here has taken in the proper process of all you were brought the fbi and that's the investigative stage acts on behalf of the federal government's and the

medicare is important to get the facts and major effect before you go to the toro aspect of any activity what will the person of the movie follow his choice for the directorship that destroyed evidence on charity would've done what he has done the sense of those major <unk> place for somebody who is not so involved we have fire just to go to something i work for porter and yet these men were not fired up to the election there were not fired because the president was not aware of the nuclear activities that they were long after all along with respect to mr the

president was unaware his activities of that time after the election and secondly president was not directly involved in his continuance on the inaugural committee or whatever normal job with all the headlines during a nationally newspapers is in a strange that the president was never concerned call him being invested for all of the federal government to investigate the alleged irregularities being carried out by members of the staff scientists are those names warning center at an investigative arm of the

federal government is i think the fbi has been investigating this case for him your investigation has continued loyalty good job were the statements made with respect to a number of investigations the man hours and so forth i don't know what they did or didn't do given that they are that most of those long the horrible is long but it was deputy director of the campaign spend unlimited funds does that make him very important center where were changing course is here and i'm just talking about his

position the last time with respect to his activities in the campaign obviously you thought of port said as bell on the states given the state of the nervous administration has also to what extent would you go to protect the name of the senate fortunately i don't have to make that determination and the good name of the

president's going to be protected by the fact by the president himself that i don't have the apartment to any circumstances that relate to that here's your first question prior knowledge or be involved in these activities a portland falls is my testimony is the pope