that shortly after receiving this information, Danner traveled to New York City to discuss some campaign matters with John Mitchell and Maurice Stans. Danner initially testified that Edward Morgan accompanied him on this trip,42 but after discussing the matter with Morgan, Danner stated that Morgan was not present in New York.43

Danner recalled that Rebozo introduced him to Stans and Mitchell in the New York campaign offices.44 Danner recalled having a brief discussion with Stans, and a longer discussion with John Mitchell about the Florida Democrats for Nixon Committee, as well as possible campaign strategy. Danner testified that during his meeting with Mitchell and Rebozo in the late morning, Rebozo was called out of the meeting to answer a telephone call directing him to meet with some Hughes representatives who were allegedly handling the cash contribution to the Nixon campaign.45

Rebozo returned sometime later,46 according to Danner, an was "very angry and upset" because he learned that the meeting was to be with F. Donald Nixon, older brother of President Nixon, and John Meier, an employee of Robert Maheu and Howard Hughes an acquaintance of F. Donald Nixon.47

Danner recalls Rebozo telling him that Rebozo was not about to see, talk to, or associate with F. Donald Nixon and John Meier or have anything to do with them in the area of political contributions. 48 Therefore, Danner testified that Rebozo did not have the meeting with John Meier and Donald Nixon and that no contribution from Hughes was delivered at that time. Danner knew of no other attempts to deliver the $50,000 cash contribution prior to the 1968 election.

Donald Nixon recalled that early in the 1968 campaign, John Meier had some conversations with him about how Howard Hughes had made arrangements to make a contribution to Mr. Nixon. Nixon recalled that Meier commented to him that Meier and Robert Maheu wanted to make some

42. See Danner interview, August 30, 1973, p. 3.

43. See Danner Executive Session, December 18, 1973, p. 28; Morgan also denies that he was in New York on that occasion (Morgan interview, December 5, 1973, p. 2.)

44. Danner Executive Session, December 18, 1973, p. 29.

45. Danner Executive Session, December 18, 1973, p. 32. In his affidavit for the IRS on July 5, 1973, Danner stated that Rebozo spoke to John Meier on the telephone. However, Danner testified before the Select Committee that he did not know with whom Rebozo spoke on the phone. 46. Danner was unsure whether he was still meeting with John Mitchell when Rebozo returned. (Ibid., p. 36.)

47. Ibid., p. 27.

48. Danner Executive Session, Dec. 18, 1973, p. 33.

arrangements for a contribution."

Nixon also recalled that John Meier wanted to get together with Bebe Rebozo and Donald Nixon in 1968 during the campaign. However, Nixon recalled that Bebe Rebozo cancelled the meeting that was supposed to be held among Meier, Nixon, and Rebozo when he found out that John Meier was going to be involved.50 Rebozo testified that he met once with F. Donald Nixon and John Meier during the 1968 campaign, but that there was no connection between the meeting and his refusal to accept the $50,000 contribution.51 Rebozo testified subsequently that the presence of Meier and Nixon in New York "would have added to my (Rebozo's) rationale", in refusing to accept the money.52

Danner testified that his meeting in New York with Rebozo and Mitchell occurred after his meeting with Morgan and Rebozo in Washington, D.C. However, hotel records from New York hotels from the summer and fall of 1968, indicate that the only dates on which both John Meier and F. Donald Nixon were staying in New York, were from July 7 through July 10, 1968, at the New York Hilton.53 In addition, John Meier testified before the SEC that he had dinner with Donald Nixon on July 8, 1968, at which time he met Bebe Rebozo. 54 Furthermore, Danner's own 1968 diary shows that Danner was in New York City on Monday, July 8, 1968, for meetings with "John Mitchell, Tom Evans, et al." 55 Finally, former Attorney General John Mitchell recalled meeting Dick Danner in New York prior to the Republican Convention in the summer of 1968.56 Mitchell recalled that Howard Hughes contributed to the 1968 campaign, but he could not recall any discussion of the contribution at his summer meeting with Danner.57

Nadine Henley, Senior Vice President of the Summa Corporation, testified that in July 30, 1968, three weeks after the New York meeting, Robert Maheu told her that Howard Hughes had approved a $50,000 contribution to both the Nixon and the Humphrey Presidential campaigns.58

49. See interview with F. Donald Nixon, Nov. 17, 1973, p. 5. 50. Ibid., p. 6.

51. Rebozo interview, Oct. 8, 1973.

52. Rebozo Executive Session, March 21, 1973, p. 424.

53. See New York Hilton Hotel Records, July, 1968, Exhibit 10.

54. Meier Interview with the SEC, Oct. 23, 1973, p. 8.

55. See Danner diary, July 8, 1968, Exhibit 11.

56. The Republican Convention was from Aug. 5-8, 1968.

57. Mitchell interview, Oct. 18, 1973, p. 6. Mr. Mitchell refused to testify further about this matter after the Oct. 18 interview on advice of counsel pending he outcomes of his criminal trials.

58. See Henley interview, Jan. 22, 1974, p. 3. See also Nadine Henley Exhibit 1.

3. ATTEMPTED CONTRIBUTION

AT PALM SPRINGS

Robert Maheu's telephone messages indicate that he was called on November 22, 1968, by a Stephen Craig of President-Elect Nixon's office concerning a possible campaign contribution since the campaign had a deficit of $800,000.59

Maheu recalled having a conversation with Howard Hughes after the election in which Maheu was instructed to make arrangements through then-Governor Paul Laxalt to make the promised $50,000 cash contribution to President-Elect Nixon.

Maheu testified that he approached Governor Laxalt who agreed to do what he could to help Maheu effect the delivery of the contribution. Former Governor Laxalt, however, recalled that Maheu contacted him sometime after the 1968 election to discuss fulfilling a campaign pledge made through Robert Finch to National Republican Campaign Committee.0 Laxalt recalled that he agreed to set up a meeting between Maheu and representatives of President-Elect Nixon during the Republican Governors' Conference in Palm Springs, California, on December 6, 1968.61

Laxalt says that he had no plans to contact anyone in particular on the Nixon staff to arrange for the delivery and that he certainly did not contemplate or plan any MaheuNixon meeting.62

Robert Finch recalled only that former Governor Laxalt called him to set up a meeting of the Western governors with President-elect Nixon.63

Finch said he had no knowledge of any meeting between Robert Maheu and President-Elect Nixon.64

Nadine Henley recalled that in early December 1968, Robert Maheu requested $50,000 in cash from her in order to make a campaign contribution to Richard Nixon to cover campaign deficiencies in the 1968 campaign.65

In addition, on December 5, 1968, Robert Maheu received $50,000 in $100 bills from the cage at Sands casino.6 Therefore, Robert Maheu appears to have received approximately $100,000 in $100 bills on or about December 5 and 6, 1968, prior to his trip to Palm Springs.

59. See Maheu's Telephone logs, November 22, 1968, Ex. 12.

60. Paul Laxalt Interviews, October 11, 1973 and December 20, 1973.

61. Ibid.

62. See Paul Laxalt Interview, October 11, 1973.

63. Finch interview, November 1973, pp. 1-2.

64. Ibid.

65. Nadine Henley Interview, pp. 3-4, Jan. 22, 1974. See later section for fuller explanation of source of money.

66. See fuller explanation in following section.

Perhaps coincidentally, on Thursday, December 5, 1968, Richard Danner flew from Miami to Las Vegas to have discussions with Robert Maheu about possible employment by the Hughes Tool Company as manager of the Frontier Hotel.67 Danner testified that he met with Robert Maheu and others in the late afternoon of December 5, 1968, and that he also saw. Maheu again on December 6, 1968. Danner testified that the substance of their discussions solely concerned his possible employment. Danner emphasized that there was no discussion whatsoever of any campaign contributions, nor was Danner given any cash by Maheu during the time he was in Las Vegas.68

On November 29, 1972, Danner told an agent of the Internal Revenue Service that Danner and Maheu began discussing the prospective contribution "shortly after the 1968 election, which preceded his employment with Hughes Tool Company."

" 69

Danner's diary from 1968 shows that on Thursday, November 21, Danner received a long distance call from Bebe Rebozo about the "house project." Danner's diary shows five more telephone conversations with Rebozo in the week following November 21, and then a call from Danner to Rebozo in the week following November 21, and then a call from Danner to Rebozo on Friday, November 29, about the "project.' "70 Danner testified that he could not recall what the "house project” was or the substance of his conversations during that time with Rebozo. This time period in late November, shortly before Danner travelled to Las Vegas to meet with Robert Maheu, also coincided with the initial discussions on Florida about the purchase by President-Elect Nixon of the Key Biscayne home of former Senator George Smathers. However, Danner testified that he played no role in the purchase by President Nixon of his Key Biscayne home and that he could not recall what the "house project" was.71

President-Elect Nixon flew to Palm Springs for an appearance at the Republican Governors' Association Conference on December 6, 1968. There he met for talks with small groups of Governors on the terrace of the Walter Annenberg home where he was staying.72 After receiving the money from Nadine Henley, Maheu recalled flying to Palm Springs with

67. See Danner Diary, December 5-6, 1968, Ex. 13.

68. Richard Danner Executive Session, June 12, 1974, pp. 1, 142-145. 69. IRS memo, November 29, 1972.

70. See 1968 Danner Diary, week of November 21-28 and November 29, Ex. 14.

71. Danner Executive Session, June 11, 1974, p. 90.

72. See New York Times, December 7, 1968, p. 1, col. 4.

Paul Laxalt. Maheu also recalled driving to the Annenberg residence where Nixon was staying, and while Maheu waited in the car with the money, Laxalt went in the home to make arrangements for the delivery. Maheu recalled that Laxalt returned to the car and said that Nixon's schedule prohibited any meeting with Robert Maheu.73

Danner testified that he was not aware of the attempted delivery at Palm Springs by Maheu until after he had joined the Hughes Tool Company in early 1969.74

When Richard M. Nixon was inaugurated President of the United States on January 20, 1969, the $50,000 contribution committed initially by Edward P. Morgan in the summer of 1968, and still not been delivered to the Presidential campaign.

4. REBOZO'S 1969 RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Introduction. There is evidence before the Committee indicating that in 1969 Charles (Bebe) Rebozo exercised a number of responsibilities on behalf of the White House and President Nixon. These simultaneous assignments included the following:

1. Fund-raising for the use of the administration;

2. The disbursal of funds for various administrationconnected projects;

3. To act as agent for President Nixon in the purchase, improvement, and maintenance of his homes in Key Biscayne, Florida;

4. Fund-raising for the President's re-election campaign.

B. Fund-raising. On February 17, 1969, H. R. Haldeman wrote a "confidential" memorandum to John Ehrlichman which stated in part:

Bebe Rebozo has been asked by the President to contact J. Paul Getty in London regarding major contributions. Bebe would like advice from you or someone as to how this can legally and technically be handled. The funds should go to some operating entity other than the National Committee so that we can retain full control of their use.

Bebe would appreciate your calling him with this advice as soon as possible since the President has asked him to move quickly. Signed H.75

73. Robert Maheu Interview, January 20, 1974.

74. Danner Executive Session, June 11, 1974, p. 143. 1

75. See Haldeman memo to Ehrlichman, dated February 17, 1969. Exhibit 15.