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
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
Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Now, there was a good deal of consternation among the officers and employees of the Committee To Re-Elect the President when it was reported on the morning of June 17, 1972, that one of the employees of the committee, Mr. McCord, and four other people had been arrested in an act of burglary during the early morning hours of that day, wasn t it? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And that was the time that Mr. Liddy made his statement to you to the effect that some of his boys had been caught in the Watergate and he had made a mistake in letting one of our people participate in the matter? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir; that is correct. Excuse me, Senator. He did not say, "My boys were caught last night in the Watergate." He just said, "My boys were caught," with no direct connection to Watergate. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). You inferred what he was talking about? Hugh Sloan. Not until after I read the newspapers, Senator. He made that comment to me before I knew of the break in.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973 Testimony of Hugh Sloan
Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Now, was the first person you had any conversation with about this Mr. LaRue? Hugh Sloan. I am not sure precisely the sequence, whether it was the Magruder conversation or the LaRue conversation in that week. It could be either one. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Yes. Well, Mr. LaRue came to talk to you, that s Mr. Fred LaRue, isn't it? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And he was an aide, to John Mitchell? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And had served with John Mitchell in the Department of Justice, hadn't he. Hugh Sloan. I am not sure of my own knowledge. The last I knew of Mr. LaRue he d been at the White House.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973 Testimony of Hugh Sloan
Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Anyway, he came to you and told you he was investigating this matter at the request of Mr. Mitchell? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And at that time, you had been notified that the FBI wanted to see you? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And Mr. LaRue told you not to go down and see the FBI until you bad seen Mr. Mitchell? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir, that s correct. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). So you went to see Mr. Mitchell and you told him you were much concerned about what had happened. Hugh Sloan. I was asking generally for guidance restricted to that situation. I guess what I was hoping for was an explanation that everything was all right. I didn't get any such guidance. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And the only advice you got on the subject was the philosophical observation that "when the going gets tough, the tough get going"? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Well, that is the sort of enigmatic expression that is worthy of the Sphinx, I guess. I don't quite understand it all. Hugh Sloan. I didn't really understand, either, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). How long after that was it before Mr. Mitchell left the committee? Hugh Sloan. Senator, I must admit that when I received news of Mr. Mitchell's departure when I was in Bermuda that same thought did cross my mind as well. I had heard of that when I was in Bermuda, which would be probably, I guess it was July 1. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). What time did this conversation with Mr. Mitchell occur about when the going gets tough, the tough get going? What day of June was that? Hugh Sloan. I am not precisely sure, but I think it was midpoint of that first week, probably the 21st or 22d of June. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Mr. Mitchell left on July 1st? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973 Testimony of Hugh Sloan
Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Now, you were so much concerned about what had happened that you requested an opportunity to speak to Mr. Haldeman. Hugh Sloan. I am not sure, in all fairness, Senator that I may not have specifically asked to see him. I sought people out, feeling that he personally should know certain information. Whether it was transmitted to him or whether they would arrange an interview directly with him was not decided until the next day. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). In other words, your concern was so great that you wanted an opportunity to communicate with someone in the White House your misgivings? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. At this point in time, my judgment was that there was a strong possibility that the entire, essentially high command, of the political side of the campaign was involved in this affair and that the only way to look at it from essentially the external standpoint was to get someone in the White House at that point to take a look at their own campaign organization.
Watergate Hearings: Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973 Testimony of Hugh Sloan
Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Now, you did go to the White House? Hugh Sloan. Yes) sir, Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). That was about the 23d? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir, it was the 23d. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And you got to talk to Mr. Dwight Chapin, the President's appointments secretary? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And you told him that you were very much concerned about what had happened? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). And Mr. Chapin suggested that you take a vacation? Hugh Sloan. Yes, sir, he did. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Mr. Chapin didn't suggest that you talk to Mr. Haldeman? Hugh Sloan. No, sir. I made the assumption that if he felt that I was that overwrought with the information I had given him presumably he would convey that information to Mr. Haldeman. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Didn't you think it was time for some honest man to be overwrought? Hugh Sloan. I was overwrought, yes, sir. Sam Ervin (D - North Carolina). Mr. Chapin tried to impress upon you that it was necessary to protect the President. Hugh Sloan. He made that comment yes, sir.