Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 13, 1973 (2/2)
Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, June 13, 1973 (2/2)
[01.04.20--Maurice STANS-former CRP finance chairman-gives a closing statement about campaign financing and his opinion that most of the contributions given are honest, legitimate, and without strings attached] Mr STANS......to contribute according to their means, according to their ability to give, just as they pay taxes. So it is true there were some large contributions, some very large contributions. But the idea is being purveyed in some circles that no one gives a substantial amount of money to a campaign without buying something in return, without the expectation of a favor. I think most, of the members of the committee would agree with me that that is vicious that is a lie, and it is belittling to our self-respect as a people. I would like to give a couple of examples. Clement Stone of Chicago, pretty well known now, gave $2 million to elect the President. He gave a lot in 1968. He, is a very wealthy man and he can afford it. He believes in the President and knows him as a friend. Clement Stone, has never asked for anything from his Government or the administration in return. He has done it because he believes it is public service from a man of wealth. I would like to give you another case: Ray Kroc is a man in Chicago who is responsible for the development of the McDonald hamburger chain. I visited with him in Chicago in September for about 45 minutes, I had never met him before. I talked about the campaign and we discussed his success story. Mr. Kroc said: On October 3, I am going to have my 70th birthday, and in appreciation for what I have been able to achieve I am going to give millions of dollars of my money to charity. I said: Mr. Kroc, you are a beneficiary of the great American system and I am sure you believe in it. I have reason to believe that you think the President will help to preserve that system and I would like to make a suggestion, When you get to October 3 and make those distributions to charity, why don't you at the same time give $250,000 to help re-elect the President? He did. There, was no discussion in that meeting of -anything else. Now, what happened after his contribution became known? First, the press accused him of making the contribution so that, he could influence the Price Commission on matters affecting his company. Secondly, he was accused of making the contribution so that he, Could get a lower minimum wage for the young people who work for his company. He was insulted by these insinuations and falsehoods, they were vicious and unfair, completely conjectural without any fact whatever. My point, is there are MANY people like 'Mr. Kroc [multibillionaires?] who believe in the country who believe in the party, Who believe in principles, and who may believe at a given time in a candidate. There are very few people who want to collect in return for their contribution, and they don't get very far under either part party that is in power, Democrats or Republicans, I think the time has come to express more confidence in the honor and integrity of our fellowmen, whether they are rich or poor and stop manufacturing reasons to attack people who merely exercise their right, of citizenship by making a political contribution.' I want to say one thing more about innocent people and I will be finished. In the, course of all the things that have happened since June 17, a lot of innocent people have been drawn through the mire of unrelenting publicity, insinuations accusations, charges. To name a few, Kenneth Dahlberg, Dwayne Andreas, Robert Allen, and there fire a considerable number of others, who paid a horrible price merely because they participated in a campaign as a contributor or as a worker, a price in time and in expenditures expenses and even in their reputations. There have been very damaging effects on their- businesses and on their personal lives. It is very unfair. Somebody has got to speak up for those people. So when the committee concludes its work and writes its report, I hope it will make it clear that such people, and by name are. innocent victims of this tragedy I hope that people like Hugh Sloan and others in the limelight of adverse publicity will be directly cleared, I Put myself in that category. I volunteered or was drafted, whatever the, case may be because I believed in my President. You know by now from what you have heard, but I know you cannot feel, the abuse to which I have' been subjected because of the associations I fell into. I ask, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, is that when Write your report you give me back may good name. Thank you very much. [01.09.52]