Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
[00.18.10--A GREAT MOMENT FROM SENATOR ERVIN] Senator ERVIN. Yes! Well, it was a wise man Mr. PORTER. I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, and rejected it. Senator ERVIN [continuing]. It was a wise man named "William Shakespeare" who wrote a play called Henry the IV and in that he has one of his characters, Cardinal Woolsey, say after Cardinal Woolsey instead of serving his church had served his king and he was cast out in his old age by the king, and he said, "Had I but served my God with half the zeal I served my king he would not in mine age left me' naked to mine enemies," [Applause.] [shot of whole committee, all Senators in stitches, ERVIN gavels very hard] Please cut out the applause. [ERVIN looking very satisfied, more laughter] Senator Baker. Senator BAKER. Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions I thank Mr. Porter for long, arduous testimony. He has been here now for the better part of 2 days, covered a lot of material, and very frankly there is a lot more material to cover. As Mr. Porter will recall, when I first examined him I asked him to be prepared to return and answer other questions on other subjects and you indicated that you would in the interest of time and orderliness the committee has tried in an informal way to compartmentalize these proceedings, the particular subject matters, so we omitted to ask certain questions. We have not probed in great) depth into other matters, but, we intend to do that, and I understand you are fully agreeable to return to testify. Mr. PORTER. Absolutely. Senator BAKER. Thank you very much, -Mr. Porter. Senator ERVIN. Counsel have any questions? Mr. DORSEN. I have two or three questions along the lines we have been talking about, Mr. Porter. First, did you ever meet privately with any assistant U.S. attorneys before your grand jury appearance that led to the September indictments? Mr. PORTER, -No sir, I did not. Mr. DORSEN. In your conversations with-- Mr. PORTER. Excuse me [conferring with counsel]; that is correct, I did not. Mr. DORSEN. In your interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation or in your testimony before the grand jury, were you ever asked, for example, the sums of money the denominations of money which you gave to Mr. Liddy? Mr. PORTER. Yes, sir. Mr. DORSEN. What did you say? Mr. PORTER, The same thing I have stated to this committee, the sums were in total amount, aggregate was approximately $30,000, $31,000, $32,000, and the individual amounts were, ranging anywhere from I think $500 to on one occasion $6,000. Mr. DORSEN. Were you ever asked in view of the fact that the program required setting up of 10 individuals at 10,000 a month why the units you gave Mr. Liddy were not in units of $1,000 or aggregated $10,000 a month? Mr. PORTER. No, sir I do not believe so. Mr. DORSEN. Was it your understanding that the Conversation which you had with Mr. Magruder according to the testimony---- Mr. PORTER, Yes, sir. Mr. DORSEN. [continuing], Would provide the justification for your having paid Mr. Liddy the sum of $30,000 or so? Mr. PORTER. Mr. Dorsen, I never testified, in fact let me state it positively, I testified that I did not know specifically what Mr. Liddy did with the money I gave him. I also testified that I gave him a total of approximately $33,000. Mr. DORSEN. But am I correct that A-our conversation with supposed conversation with Mr. Magruder, the one that never took place--- Mr. PORTER, Yes, sir. Mr. DORSEN. [continuing] supposed to provide the justification for the large sums of money given by you to Liddy, is that correct? Mr. PORTER. It my understanding that part, on the money that I gave to Mr. Liddy was supposedly going to be justified under that basis and later I learned that there was a substantial sum Mr. Sloan had given him which I had not been aware of. Mr. DORSEN. Were, you asked by the FBI or before the, grand jury any other questions concerning the use of the money you gave Mr. Liddy such as whether you asked Liddy whether there were infiltrators whether Mr. Liddy indicated there were infiltrators, anything along those lines? Mr. PORTER. Not that I remember Mr. DORSEN. Now, Mr. Porter, you have stated today that at no time did you request immunity from the U.S. attorney's office and, in fact, I know you have not requested immunity from this committee,; is that correct? Mr. PORTER. That is correct. Mr. DORSEN. And I assume also that you have no desire to be indicted for perjury; is that correct? Mr. PORTER. Yes, sir, that is correct. Mr. DORSEN. Could you please tell the committee why then, at this time did you, or I assume your counsel, seek immunity? [00.23.06]