Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
[00.06.18] Senator ERVIN. Did he tell you at that time that you should be careful about what you said because people's lives and futures were at stake.? Mr. REISNER. Yes, he did. That was in that second phone, call and that was by way of explaining to me why be was so concerned. Senator ERVIN, Just for my edification, I wish you would explain about the easel story, because I don't quite understand. Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir. I think the nature of the easel story is just that Mr. Liddy came to me indicating that be was going to have a meeting with Mr. Mitchell and that he wished to have some sort of a prop to use, on which to use visual aids. I indicated to him I would try to look for such a prop. I had, I think, one of the secretaries call Mr. Mitchell's office, and see whether there was such a prop. I don't think there was. Senator ERVIN. In other words, Mr. Liddy told you he was going to meet with Mr. Mitchell. Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And be asked you if you could got him an easel on which he could display charts for Mr. Mitchell's-- Mr. REISNER. He did not say to display charts, but I presumed that is what it was. Senator ERVIN. Senator Baker. Senator BAKER. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. If there is .no objection by you and the committee, I would like to yield now to Senator Weicker to examine the witness. Senator WEICKER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Reisner I would like to go back to the evening of June 17, because as I understand your testimony, and if I also understand testimony that has been given before this committee, there seems to be some discrepancy as to what occurred. Now, just let me try to go over the sequence of events that transpired with the phone call to Mr. Magruder the evening of the 17th from Mr. Magruder's office. Was Mr. Odle on the phone when you spoke to Mr. Magruder? Mr. Reisner Yes. Senator WEICKER. During the entire time? Mr. Reisner It is my belief that he was on the phone during the entire time. As I remember the phone call, he initiated it. Senator WEICKER. Now, may I stop you? Mr. Odle initiated the phone call? Mr. Reisner Yes sir. Senator WEICKER. Why would he have initiated it'? Mr. REISNER. He, I think, came into the room and said, what are you doing here? I said, Jeb called me and asked me to come down here. He then said something to the effect--well, he said--I said that the reason I was down there was to remove some sensitive things from the file and that that is what Jeb wanted me to do. He said do you know exactly what he wants? I said, no, not really. He said, I think we ought to tell him about the news, or something to that effect. So he called Mr. Magruder. When he placed that call, Senator, I had the impression that he had made several calls that day and that, he was just staying in touch again. Senator WEICKER. And the call having been placed to Mr. Magruder, -was it then Mr. Odle that led off the inquiry, or were you the first one to speak to Mr. Magruder, and was the nature of the question as to what was meant by sensitive material? Mr. REISNER. As I recollect the thing, and you know, it, is a little bit--this is my best recollection. Mr. Odle began the conversation by describing the evening news and what had been shown on the evening news that day. the second thing that He discussed I think, was security. It seems to me that he must have said something like he had in fact doubled the guard and everything was OK. But he said, now, Bob tells me that there are some things you want to get, out of the office, or, You know, that there are sonic things here that you want to have us take home; can I help, or something to that effect. He said, what is it that you want? And that was where Mr. Magruder, I think, began describing precisely what it was that he wanted. Senator WEICKER. [now presiding]. And did Mr. Magruder describe precisely what was that was to be removed from his desk? Mr. REISNER. OK, now, as to whether Mr, Magruder used the word "Gemstone" to describe exactly what it was he wanted removed, I do not know It IS my initial recollection that he probably did, because it is during that second phone call that I came to know exactly that that file should be removed among other things. He may not have. I Just do not know the answer to that. Senator WEICKER. Did Mr. Odle assist in the removal of' material from Mr. Magruder's desk' Mr. REISNER. No sir; it was left to me to determine which Materials it, was that Mr. Magruder had described to me in that phone call. [00.11.31]