Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
[00.30.36] [Maurice STANS continues his statement about the operation of the Finance Committee to Re-Elect the President, and it's relationship to the campaign strategy planners of CRP] What I would like to emerge form all of this information are a few simple conclusions: (1) The finance committee played no part in the strategy or the tactics of the campaign. If they went wrong, it was the fault of the campaign committee. The finance. committee's only responsibility was to raise enough money to pay the, costs that were incurred by the campaign committee. (2) The finance committees in existence prior to April 7, 1972 operated under legal advice that their transactions need not be recorded or reported, as a matter of law. (3) Within the finance committee, the chairman's basic job was to raise the money and the treasurer's basic job was to account, for it and disburse it' (4) The responsibility of raising the largest amount of money ever spent, in a political campaign obviously put massive pressures on the, finance committee, especially those engaged in fundraising. In my own case, the stress Was multiplied manifold by the serious illness of my wife, beginning August 9 and continuing into early 1973. Gentlemen, I repeat, to you that I had no advance, knowledge of the Watergate affair and no knowledge of any efforts that may have been made to cover it, up, nor do I know about, any Other espionage Or sabotage activities on the part of the campaign committee I can also assure, the committee that I have made an honest, and careful effort to abide by the spirit and intent of the election laws. Senator BAKER. [presiding]. Thank you, Mr. Stans. In the chairman's absence and pursuant to a request. by Senator Weicker, if there is no objection, Senator Weicker has a brief statement he would like to make to follow directly after the statement of the witness. Is there any objection to that? [No response.] Senator BAKER. Senator Weicker. Senator WEICKER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman Mr. Chairman and follow members of my committee, in 1970, I gained the Republican Party's nomination to the, U.S. Senate from Connecticut by way of a primary, During the course of that, primary campaign, Republicans both within and without Connecticut properly chose sides as between myself and my opponent. It came to my attention that Mr. Maurice Stans, then Secretary of Commerce spoke in Connecticut against my nomination and On behalf of my Republican Opponent, John Lupton. His action, I know, was not an indication of any official position taken by the White House, But needless to say, it did not endear me to Mr. Stans. Though I have had no contact, with Mr. Stans, and, though actually, I feel a great compassion for him and his family, I do not want, it said by any person, or wondered about by Mr. Stans, as to whether my questioning of him would be an act of getting even. Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I will refrain from questioning Mr. Stans now Or at any time in the future. Senator BAKER. Thank you, Senator Weicker. Mr. Edmisten Mr. EDMISTEN. Mr. Stans, is it not true, that most of your adult life that you have been in. the accounting business one way or another? Mr. STANS. Yes, that is true of all of my adult, life except for 8 or 9 Years in Government, and 8 in one type of banking or another. Mr. EDMISTEN. In 19.57 you were head of the Bureau of the Budget? Mr. STANS. That, is correct. Mr. EDMISTEN. In 1952 you were the recipient; of the American Accounting Association's annual award, and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants' annual award in 1954, and you were elected to the, Accounting Hall of Fame in 1960? Mr. STANS. That is correct. Mr. EDMISTEN. SO You would consider yourself a, pretty good accountant,? Mr. STANS. I would hope that others considered me a pretty good accountant. [00.35.20]