Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
[00.42.44] Mr. THOMPSON, Why Was there a belief that there were such plants? Mr. REISNER. There were a number of occasions on which articles appeared in the newspaper in a way I think would have lent to great suspicion that there was material being fed out of our committee into the newspapers or possibly to other candidates. There was such a wire story the week prior to June 17, according -to my best recollection, and there were such occasions. Mr. Anderson, Jack Anderson, on several occasions had information that seemed that could only have, come from inside of our committee. Mr. THOMPSON. Prinitng Of internal committee documents? Mr. Reisner I do not believe there were any documents themselves but I do-- Mr. THOMPSON. References to what? Memorandums, letters? Mr. REISNER. To information and to activity and that sort of thing which was going on in our committee which I think could only have gotten into the newspaper if someone had fed it out of our committee. It was just a feeling. Mr. THOMPSON. Thank you. That is all, Mr. Chairman, Senator ERVIN. You stated that you kept some sort of a log. Mr. Reisner Exactly what was the log? Senator ERVIN. Yes. Mr. REISNER. My log was a sort of a daily report, of activity that was going on. I would be interrupted frequently and I might make a notation someone had come to me. Senator ERVIN. As I understand, you reported that your log shows prior to February 4, that there was a meeting at the White House attended by Magruder, Liddy, and Dean. Mr. Reisner Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. Is that correct? Mr. Reisner Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And then, your log shows that on February 4, there Was a meeting Of Liddy, John Mitchell, Jeb Stuart Magruder, and John W. Dean III? Mr. REISNER. Yes; in the other notebook that was kept by Vicki Chern, Mr. Dean's name appears. It does not appear in mine. Senator ERVIN. Where did this meeting of February 4 take place? Mr. REISNER. Where was their disagreement? Senator ERVIN. Where did it take place? Mr. REISNER. That, meeting would have taken place in Mr. Mitchell's office at the Justice Departement. Senator ERVIN. At, the Justice Department,? Mr. REISNER. Yes, Sir. Senator ERVIN. Then--- Mr. REISNER. I believe. Senator ERVIN. YOU stated that In March that Mr. Magruder went to Key Biscayne in Florida for the purpose of meeting with Mr. Mitchell? Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN-. And it was after he came back from Key Biscayne that Mr. Magruder told You to call Liddy and tell Liddy that it, was arranged? Mr. REISNER. Mr. Chairman to be precise, my recollection is that on one occasion I was asked to Call Mr. Liddy and to make such a statement. My recollection is that it was', could have occurred shortly after that trip because the time seems correct. I cannot be absolutely certain. Senator ERVIN. To whom did Magruder report at the Committee To Re-Elect the President? Mr. REISNER. Mr. Magruder worked for Mr. Mitchell. Senator ERVIN. Did Mr. Magruder send many memorandums to Mr. Mitchell? I Mr. REISNER. Yes. sir; he did. And also memorandums that would have been Prepared by senior staff members, at the committee would have been sent, through Mr. Magruder to Mr. Mitchell, Senator ERVIN. Now, how frequently did Mr. Magruder send Memorandums to Mr. Mitchell? Mr. REISNER. Mr. Magruder would have been unlikely to have met with Mr. Mitchell if he did not have some matters worthy of Mr. Mitchell's attention. He met with Mr. Mitchell virtually every day when Mr. Mitchell was campaign director and every day therefore, would probably have had memorandums. Senator ERVIN. And I understand from your testimony that Mr. Magruder had a file called the Mitchell file in which he placed documents which related to matters he wished to discuss with -Mr. Mitchell? Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. According to your best recollection, the file contained some Gemstone reports and was in those file papers on one occasion? Mr. Reisner Yes, Sir. Senator ERVIN. Now, you spoke about the time -Mr. Odle took out the blue file. Mr. REISNER. Yes, Senator Ervin. Which I understand contained Gemstone information and other information. Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir, Senator ERVIN. to as this the kind of a file the Gemstone file was In. Mr. REISNER. It Was, I believe, if that has my initials on it, it is the file that I gave to your staff in order to-- Senator ERVIN. It has your initials on it and dated 5/21/73, Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir; I gave it to your staff to indicate the kind of file it was. Senator ERVIN. Let that be marked appropriately as all exhibit and received in evidence as such. Senator ERVIN. Did anyone else receive copies of memos that Mr. Magruder sent to Mr. Mitchell? Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir; each document to Mr. Mitchell went through me, would have been a formal document to Mr. Mitchell, a duplicate copy was sent to Mr. Haldeman's office. [00.48.16]