Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973 Testimony of Hugh Sloan
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973 Testimony of Hugh Sloan
[00.28.57--Robert MacNEILL in studio] MacNEILL states that the Senators are hoping that SLOAN'S testimony will lead them into the inner workings of the COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT, and that Senator BAKER'S questions went to the central purpose of the committee, reforming CAMPAIGN FINANCING. Senator ERVIN will question SLOAN next. Solicits viewer response to the coverage, 70,000 letters, 99% in favor of the form of the coverage--suggests sending letters (and donations) to local public TV stations [PBS network ID--Title Screen "SENATE HEARINGS ON CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES"] [00.32.10--MacNEILL in studio] MacNEILL introduces Senator ERVIN'S questioning, stating that ERVIN seems to be looking for clues to possible White House involvement in the Watergate coverup [00.32.33--in to wide shot of committee table] Senator ERVIN. Do you not think this is an area where we need the highest standard of ethics which exceed the requirements of law? Mr. SLOAN. Excuse me, Senator? Senator ERVIN. Don't you think in this area that individuals should have personal ethics whose requirements exceeded the strict letter of the law? Mr. SLOAN, Yes sir. Senator ERVIN. In other words, it is a fundamental principle of ethics that people who handle funds belonging to other people keep records of them, isn't it? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir. Senator ERVIN. And I judge from your testimony that you had many misgivings as an individual about the way matters were being handled in the receipt and disbursement of funds, didn't you? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir, in this transition period. Senator ERVIN. You were not a policymaker were you? Mr. SLOAN. in certain areas but not in this area. Senator ERVIN. You worked primarily or entirely, I would say, if I infer correctly, with Mr. Stans? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir. Senator ERVIN. In other words, your duties were confined entirely to the finance side of the matter and you had nothing to do with the political aspect of it? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir; I would say the only overlap was I was a member of the budget committee that considered the total expenditures for the campaign. The finance committee's role in that essentially would be to say this is all the money we can raise, you have to set your priorities within those limits, We were a restraint factor on the political spending, Senator ERVIN. NOW, you are not a lawyer? Mr. SLOAN. No sir. Senator ERVIN. And in trying to comply with the old law and the new law you were acting upon legal advice given you by others? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir. Senator ERVIN. And Mr. Liddy, was he your legal advisor? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir; he was the counsel to the committee at that time. Senator ERVIN. Now at times you had approximately $1,777,000 available to the Committee To Re-Elect the President which were not deposited in banks? Mr. SLOAN. Of that figure, Senator, approximately a million was in terms of direct payments to individuals. The balance, the $750,000, Was deposited in bank accounts. [00.35.05]