Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973
[00.35.20] Mr. EDMISTEN. What is Your occupation now, Mr. Stans? Mr. STANS. I am in the final phases of winding ,I) the, Finance Committee To Re-Elect the President,. Mr. EDMISTEN. In regard to my previous question, I noted that, in looking over some press clippings over the years, regarding you that it, has been suggested that you are a stickler for details and, as one newspaperman said, a model of fiscal conservatism. Would it be fair to characterize you as that? Would you agree to that? Mr. STANS. Well, I would say they are correct on both points. I am a stickler for detail in my area of responsibility, and I am essentially conservative and I do not believe in spending more money than is necessary for any purpose. That, was one of the reasons why I found myself in conflict frequently with the campaign people last, year. Mr. EDMISTEN. Now, prior to February 15, 1972, you were Secretary of Commerce? Mr. STANS. That is correct. Mr. EDMISTEN. Tell the committee, please, prior to your coming to the finance committee, what political activities were you engage in while Secretary of Commerce. Mr. STANS. You mean with relationship to the-- Mr. EDMISTEN. The upcoming campaign. Mr. STANS. The. upcoming campaign. In 1971, on a few occasions I met with Mr. Sloan, Mr. Nunn, and Our accountants for the, committee after hours, as I recall it, to discuss the accounting procedures that they were going to use, in the 1972 campaign. I had no part in the campaign. I had not committed myself to be in the campaign and I was strongly of the conviction that I did not want to take on the finance job in 1972, but I did, at their request, sit down with them and discuss some of the accounting procedures that: would be helpful to them. Mr. EDMISTEN. Now, Mr. Stans, I want to ask you if you can identify or know anything about a document I have here. This is purportedly written by Mr. Jeb Magruder, a confidential memorandum for the Attorney General dated July 28, 1971. -Mr. STANS. I have never seen this memorandum before, to the best of my- knowledge. Mr. EDMISTEN. With the indulgence of the committee, I Will read it. This- is a confidential memorandum to the Attorney General: Dick Whitney, who is Secretary Stans' political special assistant spent, some time, with me discussing 1972. One idea which he brought up might be useful in other departments. The Secretary has built up a discretionary fund at Commerce that will total approximately $1 million. He is using this fund for conferences, hiring, and other activities that will be beneficial to the President's reelection. If you feel it is appropriate, Secretary Stans might discuss this concept with other Cabinet officers to see if they can develop the same kind of fund within their own departments. Now, down below on there, there is a line for "Approve, disapprove, comment, " and this, as I said, was signed by Mr. Jeb 'Magruder to the Attorney General dated July 28, 1971. What can you tell us about that? Mr. STANS. I. cannot tell YOU very much about it. I have no idea What the concept was. I think it must, have been based on some misunderstanding or other. I had no fund in the Department of Commerce apart from authorized budgeted funds of the Department, and I think either Mr. Magruder or Mr. Whitney would be the ones to have to explain that, memorandum. Mr. EDMISTEN. Well somebody is $1 million off there in some way, I Would take it? Mr. STANS. Well, if somebody is implying that we had $1 million set aside in the Department of Commerce to help in the election campaign I would say they are off. I do not know -what it means. Mr. EDMISTEN. Mr. Chairman, could we mark this for an exhibit. Senator ERVIN. [presiding]. Mark it for identification. He says he knows nothing about it so I think it would not be competent until you get somebody who does know something about it so just hold it. [00.40.36]