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MORI DocID: 1451843

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I told him that I could not tell him that further investigation
would jeopardize the Agency's covert sources. I had checked on this
and it was not so. I had ascertained that General Cushman had authorized the issuance of some equipment to Howard Hunt without knowing
its purpose other than it was, as I understood it, to shut off "leaks"
before and during the Watergate bugging. Since then I had carefully
checked and there was no other involvement of any sort by the CIA in the
operation against the Watergate. I said that I felt that attempts to
cover this up on a basis of a need to protect sources would have no part in this and was quite prepared to resign or fire
the security of our missions and he too was prepared to resign on this
issue. I gave Gray a list of the equipment the Agency had given Hunt
and the amount of our dealings with the former CIA employees up to the
termination of their employment with the Agency long before the Watergate
episode.

I saw Gray again on the 12th of July and gave him one additional
memorandum recording the contact furnished Hunt. We reviewed the letter
given that the best solution would be to fire those responsible. Gray said
he had made the same recommendation. Once again we agreed that anything
that night damage the integrity of the FBI and CIA would be a grave disservice to the President and the Government.

In February 1973 shortly after Dr. Schlesinger became Director I
told him of my conversations with Haldeman, Ehrlichman and Dean. In
February Dean called Dr. Schlesinger to see if the Agency could get
back from the FBI the material it had sent to the Justice Department
concerning our contact with Hunt. Dr. Schlesinger and I agreed that
this could not be done. I attempted to contact Dean but he was in
Florida. On his return I saw Dean at his office on February 21 and told
him that we could not ask the FBI for the material back. I told him I had only
seen Acting FBI Director Gray that morning and told him of Dean's request
and our refusal. He agreed saying that he could not do such a thing.

Since that date I have had no further contact with Dean. The above
represents my recollection of what occurred and the dates are checked in
my appointment book.

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