Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 7, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 7, 1973
[00.07.44] Senator 'MONTOYA. Well, in view of your later understanding and instruction, doesn't it stand to reason that Mr. Mitchell was consulted on these expenditures by Mr. Magruder? Doesn't it stand to reason that he knew of the disbursements to Mr. Liddy and to Mr. Porter? [shot of GURNEY and Fred THOMPOSON, then Sen. TALMADGE, listening to testimony, Sen. ERVIN listening] Mr. SLOAN. Senator, you know I would be making an assumption, obviously, with you. I think in an original sense it is inconceivable to me he would not be in a general sense, if his aides were doing their proper job, aware of this kind of situation. Certainly Mr. Stans indicated to me on two occasions that was the source of his confirmation, I should continue on making distributions. So Mr. Mitchell had some knowledge; yes, sir. Senator MONTOYA. So far as you knew Mr. Mitchell was aware of these disbursements from that indication? Mr. SLOAN. He was aware of some of them. Whether he had any knowledge as to the total figure, whether the Secretary gave him a 9, rundown at any particular time, I do not know from personal knowledge, Senator MONTOYA, Did you know at the time for what purposes Mr. Liddy was going to use this money? Mr. SLOAN. NO, Sir; I did not. Senator MONTOYA. have you Since then ascertained for what purpose he did use this money? Mr. SLOAN. I understand from the conviction in the Watergate trial that certainly a certain element of this money was used in support of that particular operation. Senator MONTOYA. In support of clandestine activities? Mr. SLOAN. Yes , Sir. Senator MONTOYA. And you stated and the chart, reflects that you disbursed $199,000 to 'Mr. Liddy. Then later he received the checks, which came in from Mexico and that they were taken to Miami and that this totaled $114,000. Is that correct? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. But I did receive that money back. Senator -MONTOYA. How much of it, did you receive back? Mr. SLOAN. Approximately $112,000. There was a discrepancy of about $2,500, Senator MONTOYA. NOW, was it, your understanding that Mr. -Mitchell and 'Mr. Magruder approved all of the reimbursements before and after April 7? Mr. SLOAN. Reimbursements, Senator? Senator MONTOYA. Disbursements rather. Was it your understanding that, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Magruder, approved of all disbursements made by you before April 1? Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir. Senator MONTOYA. What was the carryover amount from the 1968 campaign? Mr. SLOAN. I am not, sure of the figure, Senator. I may be carrying one in another. But I can give you dimensions of it. I think the total amount of the 1968 funds that were turned over to me pre-April 7, probably amounted to about $580,000. Most of this was out of a bank account from which checks were written directly into existing committees. I think there were approximately $230,000 in cash. Whether that is part of the $580,000 or whether it is separate from that I am not sure from my own memory , but this is money Mr. Francis Raine brought in behalf of Mr. Kalmbach from California and that, money would be a part of the total receipts in the cash area as listed here. Senator MONTOYA. To the best of your recollection, as you have stated before, prior to April 7, 1973, you had received approximately $20 million; is that correct? "Mr. SLOAN. Before April 7, 1972; yes, sir. Senator MONTOYA. I believe you stated that those were hectic days prior, to April 7. Mr. SLOAN. Yes, sir; they certainly Senator MONTOYA. And that you were in constant turmoil trying to meet the deadline and to get all of the cash in. Mr. SLOAN, Yes, sir. Senator -MONTOYA. And what, was your policy with respect, to contributions which people called about and asked you to pick them up? Mr. SLOAN. I am not sure I received the calls directly but what was being done in the committee, we were using essentially any available people we had who could travel for us at that time. For instance, Ken Talmadge, who was administrative assistant to Secretary Stans made, a number of trips during this period to New York, for instance, to visit contributors to pick up their contributions and so forth. Senator MONTOYA. Was there any ceiling on pickup during those last days? Mr. SLOAN. I would say I am not sure there was a dollar amount and I may have been misunderstood in a previous deposition on this. There was one case where we did not think it worth our while to pick up a $100,000 contribution which happened to be the money in Mexico, but generally there were certain sums, the man could not get around to all of the places, he did it by priority, he took the largest sums first. There were places where we couldn't pick up a $50,000 contribution. Senator MONTOYA. Didn't you indicate to the committee through your deposition or interview that in the last hectic days your limitation of pickup was $100,000 or over? Mr. SLOAN. That may have been overstated, Senator. There was no set amount. I think that came out of a citing and example of the fact that in one case we made that decision with regard to a $100,000 contribution. I know of no policy that stipulated below a certain level. [00.13.23]