CIA 'INVISIBLE GOVERNMENT' REVEALED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP09T00207R001000020111-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2011
• Sequence Number: 111
• Publication Date: September 13, 1974
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2011/08/09: CIA-RDP09T00207R001000020111-0
PAILADE LP3iIA INQUIRER
13 sEPT 1974
CI
Fr,)m Ingr,ircr 1{'irc Srrrirre
WASHINGTON - The exist-
cnce of an "invisible govern-
ment" with sovereign power
to conduct worldwide clandes-
tine operations was described
Thursday by Daniel Ellsberg,
who made public the Penta-
gon Papers in 1971.
Ellsberg was a surprise pa-
nelist at an unofficial confer-
ence on covert CIA opera-
tions, sponsored by several
members of Congress in a
Senate office building.
Ile said a hush - hush
"Forty Committee" reports
to the President on top-secret
policy and intelligence mat-
ters, and that the_ President,
in turn, makes decisions with-
out reference to Congress.
"The true meaning of the
Forty Committee is that there
is, indeed, a covert operation
exercising sovereign and do-._
mestic powers," he said. "It
is, in fact, an invisible eov-
A P_
r,.m
oa em ,
v
ernmcnt."
Government spokesmen
have previously acknowl-
edged existence of the com-
mittee, which is chaired by
Secretary of State Henry A.
Kissinger and includes CIA
Director William E. Colby.
in separate appearances,
Sen. Philip A. Hart (D.,
Mich.) and Rep. Michael J.
Harrington (D., Mass.) called
for a public explanation by
Kissinger of his testimony
last year that, to the best of
his knowledge, "the CIA had
nothing to do with the coup"
that resulted in the overthrow
and death a year ago of Chile's
Marxist president, Salvador
Allende.
Both lawmakers noted that,.
according to secret testimony
by Colby that recently be-
came public, an $11 million
covert operation to "destabi-
lize" Allende's regime was
approved by the Forty Com-
mittee.
Harrington called on
chairman of the Scnato