Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 7, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 7, 1973
[00.39.27] Senator WEICKER. In other -words.. when you went to see Mr. Haldeman In January, you already had been rehired? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir, that is correct. Senator WEICKER. As a consultant to the Committee To Re-Elect the President? Mr. SLOAN, Finance committee. The political committee, as I understood it had essentially been dissolved although that turned out not to be the case Senator WEICKER. Who rehired you as consultant or how did the rehiring as consultant to the finance committee come about? Mr. SLOAN. During the period after my resignation, I would guess two occasions, Secretary Stans sought me out seeking my return to the campaign. Senator WEICKER. That was at what time? Mr. SLOAN. I am not sure it would have been, I am just not, sure, Some point during this 5-month period following my resignation in July. Senator WEICKER. All right, Mr. SLOAN. I in no way wished to consider it. I turned him down. After 5 months with the election over, he asked me again. Essentially it Was in the terms of you have taken essentially a bum rap on this thing and I know it's been difficult for you, 5 months without gainful employment, I would like you to come back and help me wrap up the campaign. I consented because certain conditions which would have made it objectionable to me and why I would refuse an offer prior to that time were met. One, I did not feel if I had this kind of opportunity at this Particular point in time with no prejudice being attached to that association, that I in good conscience could go on and not provide for my family. The Conditions that no longer existed as far as I was concerned was that the campaign -was over, there was no liability or spinoff effect on the President's chance for reelection by having someone who had been named as someone involved in this affair air being associated with his campaign, the political leadership who were essentially the people that I had my argument with on the Committee for the, Re-Election of the President were no longer there, they had been essentially disbanded either by resignation or by employment in the private sector or had gone over to the Inaugural Committee. Also none of the assignments I would have, it was understood, would have anything to do-in the capacity of an official, it would be purely a personal working relationship with Maury Stans, assist him in preparing to cope with some of the civil litigation that would be forthcoming, Senator WEICKER. So your employment as a consultant was strictly as a result of Mr. Stans' request? Mr. SLOAN. Yes sir, in my considered judgment. Senator WEICKER. In your judgment? Mr. SLOAN. At that time I think it should be clear I had already made my testimony to the grand jury although the criminal trial had, not come up, but one of the important considerations I took into account in accepting such a, position would be that there could be no possible misunderstanding in terms of that having any effect on any subsequent testimony I would give. Senator WEICKER, And no other individual was involved insofar as that rehiring was concerned, it was begun by Mr. Stans, or were other persons consulted? Mr. SLOAN. It is possible that Mr. Kalmbach may have been involved in the decision. Senator WEICKER, Why do you say that? Mr. SLOAN. Mr. Kalmbach had attempted to be helpful to me during this period in seeking private employment. He, had indicated on a number of occasions he thought I made a mistake in resigning in the first place. He was in frequent contact, with Secretary Stans I suspect they had conversations to the effect that my personal situation was a result of what had happened, Additionally, I would say part of the considered judgment to rejoin the finance committee is that I did not and do not believe that Secretary Stans in any way was involved in the original criminal activities. I thought he was left essentially holding the bag and I wanted to be helpful to him in that regard. Senator WEICKER. Right. It is true, however, that during the summer months and the fall months that you did feel rather put upon, maybe that is not the right word, maybe you have a better word for it, insofar as those: individuals that were in charge of the campaign. You feel you were being treated in a shabby fashion by them. Mr. SLOAN. I would have to say after I made my decision with the exception of a few of the phone calls we have referred to here, that it was pretty much a hands-off situation, I just did not see any of the people. Senator WEICKER, You were not one of the favorite at all? Mr. SLOAN. I think that would be fairly accurate, yes sir. Senator WEICKER. But what caused you to change your mind, then, and at the end of January, having been treated in that fashion, go and ask for an appointment, with Mr. Haldeman? Mr. SLOAN. Senator, essentially, one, I did not believe the White House had any involvement by the known fact at that point. I also did not believe the finance committee had any involvement. I disagreed with Secretary Stans and we had some discussions early on of this affair, along the lines that the finance committee, because of the very obvious potential for misunderstanding in terms of financial transactions that presumably had -one to these individuals, that the finance committee early on should have made a separate statement and attempted to separate itself away from the. political committee in terms of its own conduct, SO that the financial transactions could be judged purely in terms of what they were. I had no knowledge that Secretary Stans knew what these funds were for. As far as I know? he accepted authorization of others as well. These two areas, in my opinion, were unconnected. I think there had been an error in judgment in not addressing the political problem and forcing resolution There. [00.46.08]