Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 5, 1973
[00.47.58] Senator MONTOYA. And prior to March 4, how many meetings. did he have at the Department of Justice with Mr. Mitchell? Mr. REISNER. Prior to March 4, Senator MONTOYA. Yes. Mr. REISNER. I would say he met several times a week with Mr. Mitchell. That could be verified exactly in the calendar. Senator MONTOYA. And what individuals accompanied him to see Mr. Mitchell at the Department of Justice during this time? Mr. REISNER. It would have depended on the nature of the meet If the meeting concerned advertising, for example, I am certain Peter Daly would have accompanied him. Senator MONTOYA. If the meeting were concerned with clandestine activities, who would have accompanied him? Mr. REISNER. Clandestine activities? Senator MONTOYA. Yes. Mr. REISNER. Well, this is retrospective in the sense that I think I knew there were activities that weren't generally-- Senator MONTOYA. Now that the names of the individuals have been divulged, were any of those names engaged in clandestine activities were any of those individuals at the Department of Justice with Magruder during any of these times? Mr. REISNER. Well, I have testified that Mr. Liddy and Magruder went to the Department of Justice. Other individuals I not certain, Senator MONTOYA. What about Mr. Dean? Mr. REISNER. Yes, in the notebook, in the calendar, it indicated that Mr. Dean attended that meeting. Senator MONTOYA. On how many occasions would you say Mr. Liddy accompanied Mr. Magruder to see Mr. Mitchell? Mr. REISNER. As far as I know, there was only one occasion. But perhaps the calendar shows more than that. Senator MONTOYA. Now, prior to June 17, were you aware or did you have any knowledge of any plans to bug the DNC or the McGovern headquarters? Mr. REISNER. No, sir. Senator MONTOYA. Did you have an inkling that such a thing might be in the offing? Mr. REISNER. NO, sir, Senator MONTOYA. You did not ascertain this until after the matter was announced in the newspapers? Mr. REISNER. That is correct. Senator MONTOYA. Is that about right? Mr. REISNER. That is correct,. Senator MONTOYA. Now, were you aware, as AAto Mr. Magruder, of his activities with regard to employing individuals to disrupt any part of the Democratic campaign? Mr. REISNER. To Mr. Magruder's activities to employ individuals to disrupt the campaign, I cannot say that I was, There are individual incidents to which I have testified. For example, this Hoover funeral testimony that, I have discussed here today, where I overheard a phone call which indicates that it was related to an activity. I did not have any knowledge of any of that kind of activity except circumstantially. Senator MONTOYA. Were you aware of the instance where somebody from the CRP employed someone to park right in front of the White House and pose as a McGovern supporter? Mr. REISNER. Yes, sir. Senator MONTOYA. Were you aware of other similar incidents? Mr. REISNER. Yes sir There is a distinction here which may not be a good one. The distinction is that it seemed to me at the time that the purpose of that individual sitting in front of the White Houseand I learned about the individual after he had been removed and then was replaced there-that the purpose of that was some sort of a public relations effort, that it was for the publicity value of it, not for &lay disruptive value. Now, I am not certain that that is a, very-- Senator MONTOYA. Publicity for whom? Mr. REISNER. Well, negative publicity for Senator McGovern would be the concept. If that negative publicity is disruptive, yes, sir. Senator MONTOYA. And you were aware of other instances? Mr. REISNER. Of individuals like that? Senator MONTOYA. Yes. Mr. REISNER. Well, yes, I have testified that I was aware of an individual who I think was referred to--I don't think--who was referred to as Sedan Chair and that that individual was obtaining information, it seemed, from the Humphrey campaign. Now, as to whether that individual worked for Mr. Humphrey and disgruntled at that moment and passed information, I can't say. could have been less negative. Senator MONTOYA. Well, were. you aware that there was a plan being executed to employ individuals to pose as McGovern supporters at the Democratic National Convention and to indulge in certain acts and that all this was under the sponsorship of the CRP? Mr. REISNER. Lot me be specific about this, because just a minute ago, when I said I was aware of that individual, what I was aware of was the purported fruits of his activity. You know, that is how I learned about the individual. Now, as to a plan to employ someone there, I listened to a conversation in which Mr. Liddy basically bursts into Mr. Magruder's office and said, "I have this idea." Now, I don't know whether--and the idea was to employ supporters who would pose as McGovern supporters--I presume it was McGovern supporters. Senator MONTOYA. At the Democratic National Convention? Mr. REISNER. The Democratic. National Convention. Senator MONTOYA. Tell us more about that conversation. Mr. REISNER. The nature of the conversation was Mr. Liddy coming in and saying, "I have this great idea." The idea, I think, was employing some sort of demonstrators who would wear McGovern identification badges or something. Senator MONTOYA. What kind of identification badges would they wear? Mr. REISNER. There was on one occasion, Senator, and I think I described this to your staff, a woman who would have disrobed at the Democratic National Convention. That was the nature of the conversation. Now, maybe that is important to point out, because I have no idea whether Mr. Magruder would have said that was a good idea or not.[Laughter.] He certainly did not indicate it was a good idea at the time. just was amazed. [Laughter]. [00.54.18]