Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
[00.00.50--Robert REISNER, former aide to MAGRUDER at CRP, testifying] I simply realized that there was a similarity there. Senator ERVIN. When were you subpenaed to go before the, grand jury? Mr. REISNER. On April 8. It was at a subsequent meeting with Mr. Silbert that I described that, document to him. It Was in a previous appearance before the grand jury that I described virtually all that I have described here today, Senator ERVIN. Did you talk to Mr. Silbert before you talked to this committee staff? Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. Were you subpenaed before the grand jury before you talked to the staff of this committee? Mr. Reisner To be precise, on March 30. your staff subpenaed me, which was the first time I had heard from an investigatory body. I met with two of your investigators on that Friday. The subpena was canceled. I believe, Mr. Chairman, you were out of town and returned and the nature of the proceeding changed. Subsequently, I was subpenaed by the grand jury and appeared there. Senator ERVIN. Now, did you receive a, phone call or any communciation from Mr. Magruder after you were subpenaed to go before the grand jury or before our committee? Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir; on that Friday, which was, I believe, March 30. Actually, it was in the newspaper before I knew what was going to happen. I read in the newspaper that morning that I was to be subpenaed Senator ERVIN. What did Mr. Magruder ask you to do? Mr. REISNER. He asked me to get together with him, He called me at home and asked me to get together with him that morning. He asked me whether he could take me to work. I indicated that I didn't think that was appropriate, because I presumed that the reason I was being subpenaed before this committee was to discuss Mr. Magruder; therefore, I didn't think it was appropriate for us to meet. He then called me again that morning to urge a meeting. I suggested there should be a third person there. 'We set a meeting. Then I chose not to attend the meeting. I wanted to be firm about not meeting' with him. Senator ERVIN. Did he say anything to you in either of those conversations about meeting with a Paul O'Brien? Mr. Reisner Yes, sir; the nature of that was this, as I understand it. I indicated to him that, if we were going to meet, there should be a third person there. He said, well, we will have to find someone. How about if we find either Paul O'Brien or Ken Parkinson, who were counsel to the committee? I said that that would be acceptable, but subsequently called O'Brien at 11 o'clock that morning and said that I didn't think it was appropriate to get together with the man about whom I was going to be asked to testify. Mr. O'Brien agreed with that and said that he understood completely and there was no problem. Senator ERVIN. Did Mr. O'Brien give you advice about or make an off offer of help to you? Mr. REISNER. MR. O'Brien? Senator ERVIN. Yes, Mr. REISNER. Well, yes, sir, be was counsel to the. committee, and I think he said, I will be glad to help you, Bob," but, he said, "I think you -will have to realize That if you have independent, counsel or someone who is independent who can give you advice, that may, be our best. situation. After all, I have to represent the committee as well. Senator ERVIN. What was Magruder's reaction when you told him. That-- Mr. REISNER. I didn't, want to come to the meeting? Senator ERVIN. [continuing]. That you didn't want to meet him. Mr. REISNER. He called Mr. O'Brien's office expecting me to be there and found out, I wasn't, going to attend. His response was, extremely agitated. he felt he wanted to know what I thought I was doing. He also indicated to me that--I had said to Mr. O'Brien by didn't think there was very much I could provide, that would be helpful to this committee and Mr. O'Brien had apparently--we just discussed briefly the nature of the evidence I could provide and Mr. Magruder--one of the pieces of evidence, of course, was the easel. We mentioned that and I think Mr. Magruder stood that he didn't--he Said there was no easel. He said, I don't see how you can remember that. Senator ERVIN, Now, he called you at your home, didn't he, and talked about that? Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. That was the third telephone call he made to you that day? Mr. REISNER. Yes, Sir. Senator ERVIN. I would like you by to explain the conversation, what did you tell him outside of the easel and what did he tell you? Mr. REISNER. What, did he tell me? Senator ERVIN. Yes. Mr. REISNER. He also indicated to me--well, the nature of' the conversation was one in which he was saying to me, you, know, what are you doing? There was no easel Then he said, I can't, understand this. He said, you know, are you not going to be cooperative? Are you not going--everyone else, has been cooperative, or something to that effect. Now, in fairness to 'Mr. Magruder here, because I think it is bordering on a very serious point that I have discussed with your staff. there was a fourth phone call on that day. He. I think, knew that he didn't wish to--that I didn't want, to meet with him. He called my home and had my wife call me and ask me to call him that evening. Now, in that evening phone call, the entire nature of the phone call was different. I think he said that he was upset, that he was sorry if he was, overly anxious. He said he just. wanted me to realize that there Were some extremely serious matters concerned here and that I should treat them in that way. I said I intended to treat them in that way. [00.06.18]