Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973
[00.24.26] Mr. DASH. Thank you, Mr. Sloan and I can say for the staff of this committee that you have indeed 'met regularly with our staff and have cooperated with us in preparing us for your testimony today. Now, during the period of time that -you served as treasurer for the, Committee To Re-Elect. the President, did you handle cash contributions? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, I would have handled all of the contributions of the campaign, securities, checks, and currency, yes, sir. Mr. DASH. With regard to contributions, can you give us a general idea as to the total amount that handled and Over what period this took place. 'Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir; I would say in terms of the total campaign effort Up to the April 7 period, the, receipts in behalf of the President's reelection in total amounted to approximately $20 million. Of that figure, my best recollection would be that $1.7 or $1.8 million came in the form of currency. Mr. DASH. -Now,' am 1 correct that some of the, cash that was received was deposited contemporaneously with receipt, of the cash? Mr. SLOAN. 'Yes, sir, that is correct. Mr. DASH. Could you give us an estimate about. how much that, would amount to.) Mr. SLOAN. I would not say directly contemporaneously but, as over a period of time certain funds Were deposited, This would total approximately $400,000. Mr. DASH. -Now as to the approximate balance, having deposited $400,000 of cash, where was the rest. of the cash kept? Mr. SLOAN. Over the entire period, from March forward, at various times, it was kept in different places. At the, outset Used safe deposit boxes at the bank in which our headquarters were located, the First, National Bank of Washington. At a later period, we Obtained a safe , and subsequent to that a second safe within the confines of the finance committee. At that point in time, the cash funds were moved into one Or the other of these safes and at a subsequent period of time, it was shifted between them. Mr. DASH. Could you tell us where these safes were located actually in the committee for the reelection offices? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir, one safe was physically in my office. The other safe was kept in the office of Arden Chambers, the' secretary to Mr. Stans. Mr. DASH. Going back to the balance of cash which was not deposited, I refer you to a chart which is just in place up on the easel to my left. Would the reporter enter this with the appropriate exhibit number? [The document referred to was marked exhibit No. 20.*] Could you give us an accounting of the individuals who received cash disbursements and as you do that, to the best of your knowledge, tell the committee what was the, basis of that cash disbursement? Why, Was the. money given, if you know? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir. Would you like me to take it in the order you have on the chart? [shot of chart showing disbursements itemized by name to each recipient] Mr. DASH. Yes, I think it, would be an easy way to do that. Mr. SLOAN. In the case of 'Mr. Kalmbach--- Mr. DASH. When You are speaking of MR. Kalmbach, you are speaking Of Mr. Herbert, Kalmbach? Mr. SLOAN. Yes. sir. that is correct. In the case of Mr. Kalmbach, he, in a period from March 1971 up until Secretary Stans came into the campaign, was essentially my senior, from whom I took instructions. He was the principal fund raiser for the President's reelection campaign, during that, period. He, over this period from March until April 7, received, to the best of my recollection, approximately $250,000 in cash. I would qualify that by saying that in raising the funds, there were occasions, and I cannot give you what proportionate amount, where we would raise the, funds, not give it to me but give me the name of the donor, so in terms of my own internal bookkeeping, I would receive the funds from that individual to Mr. Kalmbach. So the entire $250,000 figure, that amount of money did not physically go through my hands. Mr. DASH. Now, do You know of your knowledge why Mr. Kalmbach received, either by holding On to receipts of his own or by actual disbursement by you, this amount, $250,000? Mr. SLOAN. No, sir, I have no knowledge. Mr. DASH, Did you receive any receipt from Mr. Kalmbach concerning any money that was received by him from you? Mr. SLOAN. No; sir. Not only in the. case of cash, but in this entire pre-April 7 period, receipts just were not used in the campaign, period. Mr. DASH. Then will you go to the next person listed? Mr. SLOAN. Mr. Gordon Strachan, who was the political liaison between Mr. Haldeman at the White House and the campaign committee. This $350,000, Mr. Kalmbach, on a day just prior to April 7, and I am not sure of the precise date but my best recollection would be within 10 days prior to the effective date of the new law, came to me and indicated that he had had a, request from the White House for $350,000 in cash, would I get that together for him. In the conversation, he indicated that he had talked to Bob Haldeman. At some point in the same day, Mr. Strachan was present in the committee. Mr. Kalmbach indicated to me that Mr. Strachan would arrange to have this picked up. I had put the money in a briefcase 'I and I do not believe I was there when the money was physically picked up, so I do not confirm that Mr. Strachan in fact personally picked this up, But I either turned it over to Mr. Kalmbach or to my secretary. I believe I was going out to lunch and was not there when this was picked up. 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