Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973 (1/2)
[00.07.15] At that time it was understood within the committee that Robert Mardian had been brought to Washington to work on legal matters that were current at the time, and I went to him for advice. His advice, after he learned the description of the money, was to get the money out of the office and out of the, campaign and money, he suggested that I give it to Fred LaRue. Fred LaRue was, the right-hand man of John Mitchell, assistant to Mitchell as campaign director. On that, advice I gave the money, my half of the money to LaRue and Sloan later gave his half of the money to LaRue. I neglected to say that when Sloan expressed concern about, having that much money in his custody, I agreed to divide it with him so that there would only be about $40,000 in each parcel, and I took one and put it, in my desk and he took one. parcel and took it home. I gave mine to LaRue rather promptly, at the first opportunity. Sloan went, on vacation to Bermuda for about 10 days, and gave his money to LaRue upon his return. Now, there is some uncertainty as to whether that money passed through Mardian's hands. In each case. I can't recall whether I gave the $40,000 that I had directly to LaRue or gave it to Mardian to give to LaRue. Sloan did give his $40,000 to Mardian and Mardian gave it to LaRue. Mr. EDMISTEN. Do you know what happened to that money in the end? Mr. STANS. I do not know specifically what happened to that money. Subsequently I received some funds for several Purposes from Fred LaRue. Whether it was part of the same money or other money, I have no way of knowing, and only he could tell. Mr. EDMISTEN. NOW, Mr. Stans, in late June or early July did you receive a call from Mr. Herbert Kalmbach requesting money from you? [00.09.37] Mr. STANS. On the, 29th of June I received an urgent call from Kalmbach. He said he was in Washington at, the Statler-Hilton Hotel, that it was extremely vital that he see me right away, and He wanted me to come over there, and I did. I dropped everything and went over there to see him. He said, "I am here on a special mission on a White House Project and I need all the cash I can get." I said, "I don't have any cash to give to you. Will you take a check. He said "No, I can't, take a check it, must be in cash, and this has nothing to do with the campaign. But, I am asking for it, on high authority." Mr. EDMISTEN. What high authority did he say? [00.10.33] Mr. STANS, He, did not, say. "I am asking for it on high authority and You will have to trust me that I have cleared it, properly." As I said, I had no cash belonging to the committee at that time because we had closed it all out but I did have two parcels of money that were available, and I gave those to Mr. Kalmbach. They added up to $75,000 of funds outside the committee. Mr. EDMISTEN NOW, Mr. Stans, did you not, ask him why he wanted this money? Mr. STANS. Yes, I did. Mr. EDMISTEN. What did he say? Mr. STANS. He said, "This is for a White House project, and that I have been asked to take care, of and I cannot tell you. You will have to trust, me." Mr. EDMISTEN. Would Mr. Kalmbach have, been your superior in this campaign organization? Mr. STANS. NO, Mr. Kalmbach was a man I knew very well. He had been my principal deputy in the 1968 fundraising campaign for Richard Nixon. He subsequently had close affiliation with a number of people in the White House that I was aware of. He was personal counsel to the President. He AN-as a man that I knew was a man of highest integrity, trustworthiness and honesty, and I had no question to doubt, no reason to doubt, anything he told me and I didn't. [00.12.20]