Watergate Hearings - Testimony of Herbert Porter, June 7, 1973.
Watergate Hearings - Testimony of Herbert Porter, June 7, 1973.
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 7, 1973. Testimony of Herbert Porter.
Watergate Hearings - Testimony of Herbert Porter, June 7, 1973.
David Dorsen, attorney. Mr. Porter, in your opening statement, you refer to the surrogate candidate program. Could you please explain what that program entailed? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Yes, sir, very briefly, the surrogate candidate program involved the efforts of about 35 Congressmen, was a program that involved Senators, Governors, Cabinet officials, a mayor, who would appear on behalf of the President during the primaries and during the campaign. The purpose of the program was to look at that group as a resource and to maximize it, through scheduling find certain campaign appearances on behalf of the President. David Dorsen, attorney. Mr. Porter, while you were at the committee, did you know G. Gordon Liddy? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. I did, sir. David Dorsen, attorney. In connection with your duties at the committee were you ever asked to give cash to Mr. Liddy? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Yes, sir I was. David Dorsen, attorney. And who asked you to do this? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Mr. Jeb Magruder. David Dorsen, attorney. When was the first time he so asked you? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. In December of 1971. David Dorsen, attorney. And what did Mr. Magruder tell you? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Mr. Magruder told me that Mr. Liddy was going to be taking on dirty tricks and other special projects and that Mr. Liddy would be coming to me from time to time to request funds and that I was to in turn ask Mr. Sloan for the funds and turn them over to Mr. Liddy.
Watergate Hearings - Testimony of Herbert Porter, June 7, 1973.
David Dorsen, attorney. Did Mr. Liddy in fact come to you for funds? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. He did. David Dorsen, attorney. On how many occasions? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. I would say probably seven or eight occasions. David Dorsen, attorney. And what was the approximate amount you furnished Mr. Liddy on each of those occasions? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. The amounts varied, Mr. Dorsen, probably anywhere from $500 all the way up to one time I think $6,000 he requested. It was usually in the $2,000 to $3,000 category as I remember. David Dorsen, attorney. Prior to April 7, 1972, how much in total did you furnish Mr. Liddy? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Approximately $30,000 to $35,000. Probably closer to the $30,000 figure; 30, 31, 32.
Watergate Hearings - Testimony of Herbert Porter, June 7, 1973.
David Dorsen, attorney. In March of 1972, Mr. Liddy changed positions, is that, correct? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Yes, sir. David Dorsen, attorney. What was the change? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Mr. Liddy left his duties as general counsel of the Committee for the Re-Election of the President and became general counsel of the Finance Committee to Re-Elect the President. David Dorsen, attorney. How many of the payments which you have described occurred after he went to the finance committee? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. I am sorry; I misunderstood your first question. When answered the $30,000 to $35,000 figure that was up to April 7th. There was an additional payment after April 7 that occurred in the early part of May 1972 in the net amount of $3,300, which should be added to the other figure. David Dorsen, attorney. When you say net amount, what do you mean? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Sir? David Dorsen, attorney. By net amount? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Net amount means I gave Mr. Liddy $5,300 and he returned $2,000 of that $5,300 the next day.
Watergate Hearings - Testimony of Herbert Porter, June 7, 1973.
David Dorsen, attorney. Did Mr. Liddy ever give you receipts for the money you gave him? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Yes sir, he did. David Dorsen, attorney. Did Mr. Liddy ever give you anything else? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Yes sir, he did. David Dorsen, attorney. What was that? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. I would say on three or four occasions Mr. Liddy handed me white large, letter-sized envelopes sealed on the back with his initials written over the seal and asked me to keep them in my safe in my office. He instructed me that if anything should ever happen to him that I was to take those directly to the Attorney General. David Dorsen, attorney. Who was the Attorney General? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Mr. Mitchell. David Dorsen, attorney. Did there ever come a time when you took any of these envelopes to Mr. Mitchell? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. No, sir. David Dorsen, attorney. What happened to the envelopes? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. The envelopes, I have told you this before, I cannot remember whether it was at the end of March or after the Watergate break-in. I have a feeling it was the end of March but I can't be certain. It was one of the times that I went through and audited my cash on hand. Mr. Liddy came by and he said you know those envelopes I gave you or that you are holding for me? I said, yes. He said go ahead and shred them. I did that and in doing so they were stuffed full of paper of some kind and would not go through a shredder without looking inside. David Dorsen, attorney. Did you open the envelopes? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. I did. I opened all of them, yes sir. David Dorsen, attorney. Did you see, what was inside the envelopes? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Yes, I did generally. David Dorsen, attorney. What did you see? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. I determined very quickly that they were very similar to a salesman's receipts if he went on a trip, an airline ticket, parking ticket, a restaurant stub, that kind of thing, and so I didn't bother to look and inspect each one. There were no memos in them. I do remember I think one of the airline tickets was from Washington to Los Angeles and back. I think. David Dorsen, attorney. Did you ever discuss the contents of the envelopes with Mr. Liddy? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. No, Sir, I did not. David Dorsen, attorney. Did you ever discuss the contents of the envelopes With Mr. Mitchell? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. No, sir. I did not.
Watergate Hearings - Testimony of Herbert Porter, June 7, 1973.
David Dorsen, attorney. Mr. Porter, prior to April 7, 1972, how much money did you receive from Hugh Sloan? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Approximately $52,000. David Dorsen, attorney. And how much of this did you disburse? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Approximately $49,500. David Dorsen, attorney. After April 7, 1972, how much money did you receive from Hugh Sloan? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Approximately $17,000. David Dorsen, attorney. And how much did you disburse? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. All of it. David Dorsen, attorney. How did you now arrived at the figure you have just given us? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. I have had ample opportunity to go back and recall as best I know how each of the transactions in which I went and got money from Mr. Sloan and gave it to others. And to the best of my ability I have come up with those figures. David Dorsen, attorney. And is it your best recollection and knowledge that you received from Mr. Sloan a total of approximately $69,000? Herbert Porter, CRP aide. Yes, sir, to the best of my knowledge.