Walter Pincus man has testified he was called to the meeting at the last minute and was not aware of its purposes beforehand. He was not asked to confirm Walters' atergate Questions characterization of Haldeman's state- Perhaps it is because of the impend- ments. Ehrlichman also testified that ing constitutional fight over the Nixon at the June 23 meeting he and Halde- White House tapes. Or perhaps it is the man told Helms and Walters, ". . the rush to get this phase of the hearings 27- 73 (..e, White House contact on this would be over, or the fact that former White John Dean who was the fellow follow- House aide John Ehrlichman offers ing the entire matter." Asked if he was such a broad target. But whatever the information on the morning Of June aware of what Dean later proposed to reason, the possibility exists that the 22. At 9 a.m. that day Ehrlichman met Walters, Ehrlichman replied, "I do not long awaited appearances of Ehrlich- with Mitchell and White House aides know about these conversations." The man and former White House chief of Clark Magregor and Charles Colson. committee's minority counsel, Fred staff H. R. Haldeman before the Ervin What was the substances of that Thompson then asked, "Dean did not committee may come and go without meeting? report back to you?" To which Ehrlich- the men closest to the President being At 11:45, Ehrlichman and Mitchell man replied, "Not about that, no sir." pinned down on dates, times and sub- met together. The two were never friends and this session must have Thompson did not pursue the mat- jects of meetings in a way that will been electric. Ehrlichman knew Mit- ter. However a check of Dean's testi- permit sorting out already conflicting mony and the Ehrlichman logs shows testimony. chell subordinates were involved in Watergate, a blunder which could cost the following: On June 26, Dean called Haldeman's aide Gordon Strachan the election. Mitchell, on the other Walters to arrange a meeting and sug- testified he was told by Haldeman's hand, knew that the two directors of gested the CIA official clear it with chief aide on June 18, 1972, the day af- the break-in, Hunt and Liddy, had both Ehrlichman if he had doubts about ter the break-in, that Ehrlichman was worked for a group — "the plumbers" Dean's role. Walters did call Ehrlich- handling the Watergate matter of the — which operated under Ehrlichman's man — though Ehrlichman has not control. Mitchell now argues that the been asked to confirm that call. Dean and Walters then met at 11:45 a.m. in The writer is associate editor "horrors" committed by the plumbers, if exposed before the election, could Dean's office. At that meeting, accord- of The New Republic. ing to both participants, Dean raised the possibility of the CIA paying both bond and support money to the Water- White House. John Dean testified that gate burglars, then in jail. Walters re- on June 19, Ehrlichman "instructed me do more damage than Watergate. With fused. At 12:25 that day, apparently im- to find out what I could and report those opposing views, what did the two mediately after this meeting with Wal- back to him." Was Strachan's informa- of them discuss the morning of June 22? ters, Dean met with Ehrlichman. Did tion correct, as supported by Dean's they discuss th.e session with Walters testimony? What assignment did Ehrl- The next day, June 23, marked the that had just concluded? ichman have in the first days after the beginning of an effort to get the CIA break-in? And who gave him that to slow down, if not halt, at least one Two days later, June 28, Dean says assignment? Ehrlichman pushed him to raise the aspect of the FBI investigation into subject again with Walters. Ehrlich- Dean testified he told Ehrlichman, the break-in. At 1 p.m. Haldeman and man's log shows a meeting at 10:45 on the morning of June 19, of his call Ehrlichman met with CIA Director a.m. that day. Dean met with Walters from re-election campaign deputy di- Richard Helms and his top deputy, Lt. at 11:30—the time originally set for a rector Jeb S. Magruder, in which Ma- Gen. Vernon Walters. According to meeting with Acting FBI Director L. gruder identified G. Gordon Liddy as Walters' notes on the meeting, Halde- Patrick Gray III. Ehrlichman has testi- the director of the break-In. Later that man termed the break-in a political fied he cancelled that meeting because day, Dean said he reported to Ehrlich- embarrassment that he hoped could be he feared "leaks." Dean told Walters it man on his interview of Liddy, in limited if those involved were held to was Ehrlichman's wish that future dis- which Liddy had talked of Magruder the five men arrested. Helms has testi- ■ cussion take place directly between pushing him into the second break-in. fied his memory of the meetings follows Walters and Gray — and avoid CIA Di- What recollection does Ehrlichman alone with Walters' notes. Ehrlich- rector Helms. Dean sought from Wal- have of these two Dean reports? Did ters some suggestion as to how the he tell the President that day of the FBI inquiry into Mexican checks that involvement of Liddy and Magruder? passed through one of the burglar's At 9 a.m. June 20, Ehrlichman, Cam- bank accounts could be delayed. Dean paign Director John Mitchell and again met with Ehrlichman after this Haldeman met to discuss Watergate. session with Walters. And 20 minutes By then, Ehrlichman knew about after that meeting with Dean, Ehrlich- Liddy and Magruder. Haldeman had, man met with the President. by then, ordered Strachan to "make There is another area of questioning sure his files were clean," a directive where Ehrlichman's testimony could that led Strachan to destory several be enlightening On March 21 Dean papers on political intelligence includ- testified, he told the President about ing one from April which specifically the possible prior involvement in referred to a $300,000 sophisticated in- Watergate of Mitchell, Magruder and telligence programs, being put into op- Strachan and also about the cover-up, eration. The third participant in the which involved the President's closest meeting, Mitchell, had been briefed by White House advisers. Dean further Magruder and Robert Mardian and testified that at meetings with the was aware not only of the Liddy-Ma- President on the afternoons of March gruder roles but also of the fact that a 21 and March 22—meetings attended by prior break-in had occurred. At 9:45 Ehrlichman—Dean saw no change in a.m that morning, the three were the past policy of cover-up. What is joined by Dean who had been told that Ehrlichman's recollection of these E. Howard Hunt's safe had contained a meetings? suitcase with electronic bugging gear. On March 28, Ehrlichman recorded a What was discussed at that meeting? conversation with then Attorney Gen- When that session was over, Ehrlich- eral Richard Kleindienst. One subject man and Haldeman went to. the Oval brought up was the President's desire Office for a meeting with the Presi- to be informed if any information was dent that lasted two and a half hours. developed concerning Mitchell's in- Did the President ask either of them volvement in the original bugging what they knew about Watergate? plan. When did the President ark Ehrl- Mitchell testified he first learned of ichman to make that request from the the Ellsberg psychiatrist break-in, attorney general? Why did he want it? unauthorized wiretaps and other activ- With key witnesses such as Ehrlich- ities of Hunt and Liddy (which he la- man, the committee should concentrate beled the White House horrors) after initially on developing the facts, fore- his aides, Frederick LaRue and Robert going until later the temptation to de- Mardian, interviewed Liddy. The exact bate constitutional issues. time he received that report is in ques- tion. LaRue said it was the evening of June 20. Mardian said June 21. In ei- ther case, Mitchell was aware of that