REFUSAL BY EXECUTIVE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO CONGRESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP59-00882R000300240124-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 23, 2001
• Sequence Number: 124
• Publication Date: October 8, 1952
• Content Type: MF

' ~A~~/
Approved Release 2001/08/24 :CIA-RDP59-0~2R000300240124-3
OGC HAS REVIEWED.
8 t~otober 195
~ ~'c~e The 3}3xtiec~or o.!' G~t:s1, ~te~l].~3ge~e
SUH~tFDTs Ralwal b'T E>ueautive to Prat.~.de Tnfor~-tion Lei
Co~ess
~, 9~e Prea~.dent and the beads mf earoautive depertmer~#-a haTs
on matte oeaasie~ns ref"uaed, for ='easonil of publics intex+eet, tQ flpgc~-
nish infarmeticsn requested bF ~an~eea os Co~gres:4omt-1 +som~aittees.
2. ~n no Qas+~ hse either Heyuss of Cong~resa takes a #~ ssos-
pei compltatscse ate the exeeut+ive hea refur~ed #o fbrniab fnforra-
tion in resganse t-Q a subpoerna or a resoluti~ of eit~hes ~? ar
there ~ been ao etfeotive rewteQT far sash reteisal.
3. T!'tis st~xss t'rom the fundaments]. dcsotrisae of the aeparat3.on
of pourers armeng the three branc:hss of t3o~re~dment, ~ Camstitutfon
lodges the ex~eoutir-e Pam in the Pres3deszt, autha~rity of ?sath
head of a deparl-s~ent !s part and parcel of the eaceaut3rre p a!
the President, 1b seeress the head of a dsgartsmemt 3a to csoercte e
President. It fc~l3oxs that Congress tsatuu3~f ut~lr the Constitvtfc>a}
s~apel heads of departments to melee public ghat the l~reeider~t de~s~.res
to keep seoret in the public interest, The President aloe is the
~ndge of that interest and is atacauntable on1,y to .the eQVntr~r is his
pol3tic~aal chstx~acrter and to his a~ consciencte. C~seq~nt2,r, detes-
minations of the f:eads trf depart ants itx this reapsat ob~-i.aua3y must
be t~onaSstent Ni,th Presidential poli+a~-.
~t? The exea~atie~ec s pc~sitlon is by history and prvtcsedent psr-
tice~3.ar1S- strvrig rttere secrets of state are ingalr~ed, sines the ee-a-
ducit of fareigix relatiorai is a e:onsLitutissAal pr~rrogative of the
President. Further, tiongreas, ~.ts+~f, wilds the t~irecator of Central
Tntelligsnee reaporesib~,e for proteetihn of itxtelligenae sc~wroea snd
methods fresn unsutharised disclosure,
~. ~?etermir~ations to refuse teat3aaorpr ~' be qua],.ified by agree-
ment: Frith a~prnpriste Cc~ngressicnel ~aitteeas 'tu ;Lisd.t questioning
or tcs how! hearings in execsutive session. Co~reasicrnal Enquiries an
loya3.ty ceases are aub~eat to epecEsl Presidential rsstrictians rec~ir-
ing re.ferenoe tti the White. House.
L~AWft~ ~. H'~t~S3"Cp
tlenera2 Cn-uASSI
0f3C/LRH/RGHrmb
Distribution:
Orig & 1 -Addressee
2 - 0(3C