Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973
[00.12.46--ERVIN gavels meeting open] Senator ERVIN. The committee will come to order. We are somewhat shorthanded this morning. Senator Weicker is compelled to attend a graduation of his son. Senator Talmadge is the floor manager of an agricultural bill which IS now the pending business of the Senate & Senator Inouye is compelled to chair hearings on a Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee. So, notwithstanding our investigation, the business of the Senate is compelled to go on and we hope that these Senators, will be able to come sometime today. Counsel will call the first witness. Senator GURNEY. Mr. Chairman. Before we call the first, witness, I think we ought to straighten out this news report that: appeared last evening and also this morning about the fact that the committee was going to issue a subpena to obtain the logs of' the President to verify the number of times that -Mr., Dean either did Or did not see him. I have talked to the Chief counsel about, this. He tells me that there was no such statement issued by him and I think that ought to be made clear at this time because it certainly is a misapprehension and it indicates the committee and the White House are not operating in conjunction with this or the White House is, not cooperating with this committee and I wonder if we can have an explanation at this time. Mr. DASH. Yes, Mr. Chairman a request was made of me as I left the hearing or some time during the recess as to whether or not the committee would be seeking the information concerning contacts between the President and Mr. Dean. My statement was that if it is relevant evidence we certainly will be, seeking it and I made no statement that the committee will be, issuing a subpena. A correcting statement to the news releases has been made by me, Senator Gurney, which indicates all Of Our requests to the White House for the appearance of a White House witness or for the production of records from the White House has been made through a discussion between me and Mr. Leonard Garment, Counsel for the President. Up to that date we have received complete cooperation concerning such requests, We, will continue that policy which is carried in our guidelines which were approved by this committee, and that is the explanation of this situation. Senator GURNEY I thank the chief counsel and I do think it does clarify the situation. Mr. DASH. Now the next witness is Mr. Hugh Sloan. Senator ERVIN. Will you raise your right hand. Do you swear that the evidence which you ---hall give to the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God. Mr. SLOAN. I do. Mr. DASH. For the record, would you please give your full name and address. TESTIMONY OF HUGH W. SLOAN, JR., ACCOMPANIED BY JAMES R. STONER AND JAMES R. TREESE, COUNSELS Mr. SLOAN. Hugh W. Sloan, Jr., 709.2 Alicent Court, McLean, Va. Mr. DASH. Are you accompanied by counsel? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, Sir; I am. Mr. DASH. Would counsel please identify himself for the record. Mr. STONER. Yes, my name is James R. Stoner. I am an attorney here in Washington & I am appearing here along w/ my partner, James R. Treese, who is seated behind me. The two of us are counsel to Mr. Sloan. Mr. DASH. Mr. Sloan, did you have a position with the Committee for the Re-Election of the President? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, I did. Mr. DASH, Could you tell us when you first joined the Committee for the Re-Election of the President? Mr. SLOAN. There were a series of committees here, As far as my participation in the campaign goes, it would go back to March 6, 1971, and run through until my resignation on July 14, 1972. Mr. DASH. Now, prior to March 6, 1971, when you joined the campaign, how were you employed? Mr. SLOAN. I was employed at the White House on the President's staff. Mr. DASH. What position did you hold there? Mr. SLOAN. I was a staff assistant to the President in the scheduling and appointments area. Mr. DASH. Now, how did it come about that, you joined the campaign which, as I understand it, did that mean CREEP? Mr. SLOAN. At that, point in time it was the, Citizens Committee for the Re-Election of the President.. Mr. DASH. How did it come about that you took that, position? Mr. SLOAN. 'Mr. Herbert Kalmbach, President Nixon's personal lawyer, at this point in time called me at the White House one day & indicated to me that He wished to talk to, me, would I come to California, which I did, and spent an evening with he and his wife and we discussed the proposition of the organization of the reelection effort for President -Nixon. His specific concern was in the finance area. He 'was looking for someone who had experience from the 1968 campaign to be the first one essentially to set in motion the personnel, the organization, and SO forth, the early stages, planning stages of a full-fledged Presidential campaign. Mr. DASH. With any other person at the White House involved in your selection or approval? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, that is correct. In my conversations with Mr. Kalmbach he indicated to me that before I made a final decision., since I was working at the White House, that he wished me to discuss this matter with Bob Haldeman, which I did upon my return from California. [00.18.45]