Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
Impeachment Hearings: House Judiciary Committee, July 30, 1974 (1/2)
[00.40.40] Ms. HOLTZMAN. Let me proceed with some other points. We have discussed the question of the tax deduction for the gift of papers which is very sizable. I think that in order to understand that, we ought to take a look at some of the other matters that were not reported on the President's tax returns during the period 1969 to 1972. In 1969, there was a sale of Mr. Nixon's New York apartment. He failed to report $75,924 from the sale of this property. In 1970 there was a sale of a portion of the San Clemente property. Mr. Nixon failed to report a capital gain of $54,581. From the period of 1969 through 1971, the, Joint Committee staff found that the President did not report royalty income which he should have reported. In 1972, Mr. Nixon failed to report the use of approximately $5,000, apparently from campaign funds, that were used to purchase platinum and diamond earrings, Mr. Nixon's, President Nixon's gift to his wife On her 60th birthday. Now, let me just state--- Mr. DENNIS. Mr. Chairman? Mr. Chairman, I have a point of order that I would like to make. Mr. BROOKS. Regular order, Mr. Chairman. Mr. DENNIS. And my point, of order- is that there is absolutely no testimony in our record on the subject to which the gentlewoman from New York is referring and, therefore, it is not legitimate to argue it here. We. just have not heard anything on that subject. Ms. HOLTZMAN. Mr. Chairman? The CHAIRMAN. The, gentleman's point of order is not -well taken, The gentlelady is referring to what she believes, and what has been evidence. that has been before the committee. Mr. DENNIS. Well. I would like to see where it was before the committee I bet no one can point it out. Ms. HOLTZMAN. Well---- Mr. BROOKS. I be heard on the point of order? Mr. MEZVINSKY. Let the gentlelady finish. Ms. HOLTZMAN. Yes, Mr. Chairman. I was referring to Certain- The CHAIRMAN. The gentlelady I is certainly qualified to speak for herself. Ms. HOLTZMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I -was, referring to the -draft of the final report of the, Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities of the U.S. Senate. which we received and I personally received only a week or so ago. and that refers specifically to this matter. And I believe that we had some briefings, at least I did, with respect to this matter from the staff -Now, let me proceed with respect to I ],is $5,000, the $5,000 apparently from campaign funds that was used to purchase diamond earrings. Now, Just one- thing about this is interesting to note, that this $5,000 was taken out, of a bank by Mr. Bebe Rebozo in June 1972 and went through two separate banks and three separate accounts in 1 day. We have heard of laundering money in the Watergate matter, and I Would suggest that this bears a strong resemblance to that. Finally---- Mr. WIGGINS. Would the gentlelady yield? Is the, gentlelady asserting the truth of these matters? We do not have any evidence of that. That is just a draft report. Even the committee does not assert the truth of that. Ms. HOLTZMAN. I do not think that there is any question about that, Mr. Wiggins. The, CHAIRMAN. If the, members would like to interpose objections they should address the, Chair. And I think the gentlelady is reference to material that has been properly before the, committee. Many of these. documents have been received at the request of the Chair, with the concurrence. of the, members from the various committees of the Congress, and this is a matter that is properly referred to. Mr. DENNIS. Mr. Chairman, I am objecting on the ground that it is not before us. If this report has been made a part of our record and introduced into our evidence here, then I would not object, but I do not believe that it has been. It is a Senate report which there may have been mention of here sometime. I do not, recall it was ever Placed in our record, and certainly it was not testimony before us. The CHAIRMAN. Well, the gentlelady is recognized, and the gentleman's point of order is not sustained. Ms. HOLTZMAN. I thank the chairman. I just would like to point out that the Senate. select committee's report raises other serious questions, and unfortunately neither the Senate committee nor our committee was able to fully explore these, some of which showed that apparently $45,000 worth of improvements at Key Biscayne were. paid personally by Bebe Rebozo. Now, one of the problems has been in terms of getting the records regarding these transactions and whether or not, in fact, you find campaign funds deflected at a very large and substantial amount, for the President's personal use. I think all of these are very serious questions, and I think that they are very difficult questions, because if this country is going to work on a system of voluntary tax payments, then certainly the President of this country ought to set a standard of Strict, scrupulous obedience to the law and strict and scrupulous obedience to the tax laws. And I would thank the Chair for recognizing me and I would yield whatever time I have remaining to Mr. Brooks from Texas. Mr. BROOKS. Mr. Chairman. one of the members, my distinguished colleague, I believe it was Mr. Lott from Mississippi, was concerned about whether we had Cambodia or taxes tonight or tomorrow or in the afternoon, and he reminds me of the story of the hard-working mother who gave her son two ties for his birthday. The next morning be came down with one of the ties on and she said, "Son, you didn't like the other tie." [00.46.07]