Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973 (1/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 12, 1973 (1/2)
[00.52.48] Senator MONTOYA. Did Mr. Sloan contact you about this contribution before he distributed the same? Mr. STANS. That is where my recollection differs from his. My recollection is that, I learned about it, from Mr. Sloan after it was distributed but I really do not think that, is material. Senator MONTOYA. What about, the $75,000 contribution to Mr. Kalmbach about which he, called you from the Statler-Hilton Hotel. Did you approve this? Mr. STANS. Well, I gave him the money, as I said, from sources outside the committee, and relying on his good faith and on his assurance,, to me that it -was an important transaction and that he had cleared it with high authorities and he was doing it at their request. Senator MONTOYA. You knew of course that, Mr. Kalmbach was a man of very high influence in the, White House, did you not? Mr. STANS. Yes, I did. Senator MONTOYA. You knew he had a good line of communication with those in the upper echelons in the White House? Mr. STANS. No question about it, Senator. Senator MONTOYA. '"Then he mentioned that this request was coming from very high authority-, what did go through your mind as to who that person might be? Mr. STANS. Well, I knew the people with whom Mr. Kalmbach had 'very close association and contact. I did not, try to identify anyone as the party to that transaction-. I did learn about 6 weeks ago from Mr. Kalmbach and his attorney who it, was. Senator MONTOYA. Who was it? [00.54.38] Mr. STANS. he fold me the request to raise the money came from John Dean. That, he asked Mr. Dean whether it was a legal transaction and Dean assured him it, was. But, being unwilling to proceed solely on that basis he, went to Mr. Ehrlichman and asked Mr. Ehrlichman if it was something that should be done and whether it was legal and that Mr. Ehrlichman told him it, was. Now that is hearsay but I got that, as I said, about 6 or 8 weeks ago from Mr. Kalmbach and his attorney. Senator MONTOYA. Did not, Mr. Kalmbach tell you that that this was not going to be used for the, campaign, that it was going to be used for other purposes? Mr. STANS. Yes, he did. Senator MONTOYA. Did that arouse your curiosity? Mr. STANS. NO; not in the relationship that I had with Mr. Kalmbach, and that he had with the White House. Don't forget that Mr. Kalmbach had been entrusted with a very large sum of money that he had left over from the 1968 campaign, he had -worked with the White House people in the handling of that, sum of money, and I believed Mr. Kalmbach when he said it was important but, he, could not tell me what it was about, and I trusted him and I still do. Senator MONTOYA. Wasn't, it your understanding, Mr. Stans, that when you were collecting this money from contributors that the money would be used strictly for political purposes? Mr. STANS. Oh, Senator, I think I have already said that the money I gave to Kalmbach was not money that, had come as contributions. Senator MONTOYA. What money did you give him? Mr. STANS. Well, I will be glad to tell you. Senator MONTOYA. I believe you stated that) $407 000 of that was from your safe and I believe you have stated before through other sources that $35,000 came from contributions made by a foreign national. Mr. STANS. Let me recite that very carefully so that, I can correct the amounts as well; $45,000 of the money I gave to Mr. Kalmbach was money that I had received from him just about, the time I became finance chairman to use for expenses in the campaign, not for ordinary expenses, but for unusual expenses that I might incur, such as using jet transportation by charter if I needed to get, around the country quickly, or to pay for a vacation because at that point, I was working Without Compensation. Mr. Kalmbach gave me $50,000 to use for that kind of expense. But as I got into the campaign I decided I was not, going to incur much of that type of expense, I didn't need the money, and was submitting regular expense accounts for all the amounts I incurred on behalf of the committee. So I had $45,000 of that still in my safe. deposit, box, and when Mr. Mr. Kalmbach said he had this urgent need for or in money for a very high purpose on behalf of the White House,, I went to the safe deposit box and got that money and gave it, to him. That was not Money belonging to the finance committee. [00.58.10]