Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 6, 1973
[00.13.19] Senator ERVIN. And you told him you would not take the fifth amendment? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. I believe what I told him at, that, point, in time was I did not wish to consider it, as I understood it, but I would want to have private, separate counsel before I made that kind of decision, Senator ERVIN. Did LaRue in that same conversation suggest, to you that he thought that you ought to resign from the committee? Mr. SLOAN. NO sir; I told him that, is what, I thought I ought to do. Senator ERVIN. And so did he suggest to you that, you call Mr. Stans about that or did you tell him You were going to call "Mr. Stans, about that? Mr. SLOAN. No, sir-; he indicated to me, when we left, that he, would check with the political leadership, without, mentioning names, and he suggested I talk to Secretary Stans, that he would let me know what the political people thought, which he never did. Senator ERVIN. And you did call Mr. Stans, and Mr. Stans told you the next morning that you ought not to discuss this matter over the telephone but, to come up to the office and talk to him there. Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, but, he asked me to stay home until after he talked to the investigators from the Federal Bureau and that, I should come in following that interview. Senator ERVIN. You remember what, day of the month that was? Mr, SLOAN. The 14th of July. I am not, sure what day of the week it was. Senator- ERVIN. You talked to the FBI. Had you talked to the FBI at that time? They asked you first, whether you knew Baldwin? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir; that was the only subject matter they covered with me in the one interview I had with them prior to leaving. Senator ERVIN. After that you had a conversation, you talked to the U.S. district, attorney? Mr. SLOAN-. Mr. Silbert. Senator ERVIN. Was U.S. District Attorney Titus there? Mr. SLOAN. NO, sir, I believe [conferring with counsel] Mr. Titus came in at one point during the interview just to say hello. He did not sit in. Senator ERVIN. He did not stay? Mr. SLOAN-. NO, sir; he did not sit in. Senator ERVIN. This was on July 20, preceding the September in which bills of indictment were returned and preceding the January in which the trials of those bills of indictment Mr. SLOAN. Yes, Sir. Senator ERVIN. And on that occasion you told Mr. Silbert about having given Mr. Liddy $199,000 in cash? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir' Senator ERVIN. You told him about the efforts on the part of Mr. Magruder and perhaps others, I believe you said, the next day or a day later, to persuade you to commit perjury in case you went before the grand jury. Mr. SLOAN, Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And you say you told him virtually everything that, You have told this committee today? Mr. SLOAN. I believe so, Senator, There may be some amplifying information that, has developed since then but to the, best of my recollection I related to them the essential facts I have to you here today. Senator ERVIN,. And that was after it, had been stated in the press that $4,300 in $100 bills which came from the campaign funds of the Committee To Re-Elect the President were found in the possession of the people who burglarized the Watergate? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. My attention has been called to the fact that this statement about the cash appeared in the Washington Post on June 24. Mr. SLOAN. it would have been after that. Senator ERVIN. After that you went before the grand jury? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. That -was on the day following your meeting with Mr. Silbert in which you told him virtually everything you have told this committee today? Mr. SLOAN. I saw Mr. Silbert on two occasions prior to the grand jury. My attorney saw him on one and I think I saw him a third time prior to appearing before the grand jury and testified before the grand jury on July 31. Senator ERVIN. Was there any lawyer there representing the prosecution at the time you testified before the grand Jury? Mr. SLOAN. I am not sure I understand the question. Senator ERVIN. Was there any lawyer present in the grand jury when you testified there? Mr. SLOAN. Mr. Silbert and Mr. Campbell. Senator ERVIN. And did they ask you questions? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, they- did. Senator ERVIN. Did they ask you questions about the payment of the $199,000 to Mr. Liddy? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, they did. Senator ERVIN. Did they ask you questions, about the efforts, the advice that you had received from. Mr. Magruder and others to commit perjury? Mr. SLOAN. Yes; I would say roughly, Of an hour's time I spent before the grand jury, I would say half of that time roughly was devoted to the Magruder approach to me. Senator ERVIN. Then I later you testified in the trial of the case before Judge Sirica? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. Who had the primary charge of the case for the Government before Judge Sirica? Mr. SLOAN. Mr. Silbert. Senator ERVIN. Did he question you? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, Senator ERVIN. Did he ask you any questions about your paying $199,000 to Mr. Liddy? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. Senator ERVIN. And Mr. Liddy at that time was on trial? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. [00.19.07]