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Mr. NEDZI. You testified you made one trip to Miami in 1966. To the best of your recollection did you make any trips to Miami in 1965?

The WITNESS. To the best of my recollection I don't believe I did. Mr. NEDZI. I have nothing further.

Mr. HAYS. Other questions?

Mr. Clark, would you step out for just a moment, please? (Witness leaves room.)

Mr. HAYS. Off the record.

(Discussion held off the record.)

Mr. HAYS. Mr. Clark, we would like to excuse you. There is a remote possibility that something might come up we would want to ask about.

Are you going out of the country? Where will you be?

The WITNESS. When I go on vacation?

Mr. HAYS. Yes.

The WITNESS. I won't be going out of the country.

Mr. HAYS. Can you give us a telephone number where we can get in touch with you if we did excuse you and needed you?

The WITNESS. Šir, as the resu't of what happened here, I have to drive back to New York tonight, pick up my wife and family and friends and we are driving away on vacation. We are going to Vermont and making a tour.

Mr. HAYS. You will not be in any one place?

The WITNESS. No, sir. We are going to North Carolina

Mr. HAYS. North Carolina by way of Vermont?

The WITNESS. No particular p'ace we are traveling. We wind up at home because that is my home.

Mr. HAYS. When will you be back?
The WITNESS. On New Year's.
Mr. HAYS. New Year's Day?

The WITNESS. New Year's Eve.

Mr. HAYS. In other words, if we wanted you any time after the 1st of January we could get you back?

The WITNESS. You could get me at home, or here after January 1. Mr. HAYS. Congress

The WITNESS. On January 3d I will be back here.

Mr. HAYS. Congress does not convene until the 10th.

The WITNESS. I will be back on the 3d of January.

By Mr. O'CONNOR:

Q. Can you leave us an itinerary, check points where we can get in touch with you?

A. What I can do is to leave at the office, the best way I can tell you. Where I will be at any one time, any particular time I cannot give you.

Mr. HAYS. Mr. Clark, we are trying to accommodate you. You have been served this subpena. We can hold you here. We are through with you, perhaps.

Would you be willing to call in every other day and see if we need you?

The WITNESS. At committee's expense?

Mr. HAYS. At committee's expense.

The WITNESS. I would be happy to.

Mr. HAYS. Reverse the charge. Call my office. I will instruct the girls to accept the charge.

The WITNESS. All right. I can do that.

Mr. HAYS. I will depend on you to do that.

The WITNESS. Yes, sir.

Mr. HAYS. Call between 8:30 in the morning and 5 in the evening. There is no point in calling in Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday because that is a legal holiday.

The WITNESs. Of this week?

Mr. HAYS. Yes. Can you do that each morning before you leave for the next stop, just call and ask whether there is a message? The WITNESS. You are giving me a wonderful vacation that I have to call an investigating committee before I can enjoy my vacation. By Mr. O'CONNOR:

Q. Would you like to stay over the next 2 days so we can ask you? A. If it is the wish of this committee and it serves the purpose that you so desire I would have to do it. I came here which is the most sacrificing thing that could have happened to me, coming here this morning and coming. I drove here and I have to drive back tonight. I didn't want to do it, but I will do it if you say that is what I have to do. It would be the worst thing to happen.

If you say it must be done I will do it.

Mr. HAYS. This is Monday. You don't need to call in the morning. Is it too much to call Wednesday morning or Thursday morning? The WITNESS. I believe it would be an imposition. If you want me to do it I would do it.

Mr. HAYS. I will put it this way-you can do that or stay here and we will dismiss you.

The WITNESS. If you want me to call in I will do it. I believe it would be an imposition for me to each morning remember to call you when I am on vacation.

Mr. HAYS. Call in anytime from 8:30 at your convenience. If you don't get up until 10, that is all right, too, Wednesday, Thursday, and the following Tuesday. I don't think-Wednesday and Thursday if we need you we will tell you. That is two times.

The WITNESS. If you feel I should not go I will go to New York, I have to do that, and not go on vacation.

Mr. HAYS. We will let you go on condition you call Wednesday and Thursday mornings, not tomorrow morning.

The WITNESS. Is it possible for you to check with the office?

By Mr. O'CONNOR:

Q. If the office knows where you will be can't you call us?

Mr. NEDZI. Why not have the office call? If he calls the office the office can call here.

The WITNESS. Is that all right?

Mr. HAYS. Except if he leaves that place they can say they cannot get in touch with him.

It takes a few minutes to make a call.

By Mr. O'CONNOR:

Q. You can call Mr. Hays.

A. I would prefer not to go on vacation. Actually, then, I would be on vacation.

Mr. DICKINSON. Then I object and suggest he stays.

The WITNESS. It is not so much the question of me but I have a wife and family.

By Mr. O'CONNOR:

Q. Did I understand you would call your own office?

A. The office will know. I will leave with the office where I will be and they more or less will be able to get in touch with me, if not 8 o'clock, perhaps by 5.

Q. Can't you leave the same information with us?

A. The only difference is that I will be able to call some people whether it was after 5 o'clock, after 10 o'clock, or whatever time. Mr. DEVINE. This is ridiculous.

You are order

Mr. HAYS. Either call Wednesday or Thursday or stay. The WITNESS. If you order that is what I will do. ing me to call in. I will do it.

Mr. HAYS. Witness is dismissed. I will not stay here all night arguing about that.

We will resume at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.

(Evening session adjourned at 10:15 p.m. Monday, December 19, 1966.)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1966

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON HOUSE ADMINISTRATION,
SPECIAL SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONTRACTS,
Washington, D.C.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The subcommittee met at 10:15 a.m., in room 2255, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Wayne L. Hays (chairman) presiding. Present: Messrs. Hays, Jones, Waggonner, Nedzi, Lipscomb, Devine, and Dickinson.

Also present: Daniel L. O'Connor, associate counsel; C. William Tayler, assistant counsel; and Julian Langston, chief clerk. Mr. TAYLER. Would you stand to be sworn, Mr. Vidal?

ALFREDO VIDAL CHACON, having been duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:

Mr. HAYS. Mr. Vidal, your appearance before this committee will be in executive session unless you request that it be in public session. Do you understand the difference?

The WITNESs. No, I don't understand the difference.

Mr. HAYS. If your appearance is in executive session, the public and the press will not be admitted. If you request a public session, the public and the newspapermen will be admitted.

The WITNESS. I will take the executive session.

Mr. HAYS. Did you receive a copy of paragraph 26, rule XI, Rules of the House of Representatives?

The WITNESS. Yes; I did.

Mr. HAYS. You understood under that rule if you wanted to you could be accompanied by counsel?

The WITNESS. I understand so. I prefer to appear alone.

Mr. HAYS. Did you get a copy of my opening statement that I read yesterday?

The WITNESS. I don't recall. I wasn't here yesterday.

(A document was supplied the witness.)

Mr. TAYLER. At this point I would suggest that any other witnesses

out there be given a copy of that in order to save the committee's time.

Mr. HAYS. We will see that that is done.

Mr. TAYLER. Mr. Vidal, have you read the copy of the chairman's statement just furnished you?

The WITNESS. I took a general look at this statement.

Mr. TAYLER. Do you understand what it says?

The WITNESS. Relating to Miss Marjorie Flores

Mr. TAYLER. Do you understand what you read?

The WITNESS. The opening statement. It is about this committee and about the findings of irregularities of the Committee on Education and Labor with regard to funds.

(189)

72-404 0-67-13

Mr. TAYLER. You do understand what the opening statement says? The WITNESS. Yes.

By Mr. TAYLER:

Q. Will you state your full name for the record?

A. Alfredo Vidal Chacon.

Q. Where do you live, Mr. Vidal?

A. I live in San Juan, P.R., now.

Q. What is your residence address there?

A. Urb. Las Americas, Santo Domingo Street, 961 Rio Piedras. Q. What is your occupation, Mr. Vidal?

A. At this moment I am heading a new political party in Puerto Rico called the People's Party. I am the president of that party. Q. Were you ever employed by the House Committee on Education and Labor?

A. Yes, I was.

Q. Do you remember when you were so employed?

A. About 1961, 1962 to 1963, I believe.

Q. Were you ever employed by that committee during the past 2 years?

A. 1965, I believe, only 1 month.

Q. Do you recall what month?
A. I was told this was April.

Q. April 1965?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. If I tell you that the payroll records show you on the full committee payroll from April 1 to April 30, 1965, does that refresh your recollection about the dates of you employment?

A. This was the whole month of April, more or less.

Q. Now, what position did you hold with the committee during that month of April?

A. It was administrative assistant.

Q. To whom?

A. To Congressman Powell, the committee.

Q. Prior to your going on the payroll, prior to your appointment on April 1, 1965, did you have any conversations with Mr. Powell about working for the committee?

A. Yes. I was coming during the month of March almost 2 or 3 days every week.

Q. Do you mean to Washington?

A. To Washington to talk to him because I wanted to come back to the committee.

Q. Where were you coming from on those occasions?

A. From New York most of the times. I was living in New York. Q. Did there come a time during the month of March when Mr. Powell agreed to hire you on the committee staff?

A. He asked me that I was to be hired on the committee staff, provided that I come to live in Washington. My wife was in Puerto Rico and she didn't want to come to live to Washington.

Q. We are restricting ourselves now to the month of March. Did you do any work for the committee during that month?

A. I was coming to the committee almost two or three times every week.

Q. But was that solely to discuss

A. To discuss my job.

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