CONFLICTS OF INTEREST - ADVISORY COMMITTEES - SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP65-00005R000200020016-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 4, 1998
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: February 2, 1962
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Releas . / : CIA-RDP65-0 .00 0020002-00164
00C St-0216
2 February 1962
MEMORANDUM FOR Deputy Director (Support)
SUBJECT: Conflicts of Interest - Advisory Committees -
Scientific Advisors
1. This memorandum is for information.
2. On 2 February I discussed with the Office of Legal
Coease1, Department of Justice, the situation of this Agency with
regard to the vse, of consultants and advisory committees in the
light of the opinion, which the Office of Legal Counsel had given
to the Atomic Energy Commission on 10 March 1959. 1 described
generally the manner in which we us* advisory committees and
consultants and specifically pointed out the situation of the
To clinical Services Divisioaa's ?search m-rd. I said that in
aver 'earlier review is 1959 we bad felt there was no problem of
conflicts of interest but concern had arisen in view of the more
striaageat requirements of the ruling to the Atomic Energy Corn-
raLasion. I said I felt our problem was different from that of
the Atomic Energy Commission and queried whether we needed
to apply the stricter rule. I was informed that the Office of Legal
Counsel was pres#aatjX derjLag resniatioas in this field 'of
consultants and advisors for Issuance by the President and that
ey felt t ese regulationss c h won 14 be quite specific, wvn , .
peer (=continue our present practices. They felt we should
. so a in regard to our present system and practices
til the regulations were published. at which time we could
determine whether there were ,giay appearance of a violation. I
told the Department of Justice representatives that we would
complete our survey, bringing up to date our utilization of advisory
cs a ttees and consultants, and would study the results in the
light of the regulations when they were Issued.
cc: to
i Houston
LAWR3WCIE: A. HOUSTON
General Counsel
09/07: CIA-RDP65-
Approved For Release 1999/ 005R000200020016-4
 Approved For Release l b99/09/07 : CIA-RDP65-00005ROd 200020016-4
SCIENTI TO GET
U-& ETHICS CODE
It Will Seek to Clarify Role
of Part-Time Consultants
By JOHN W. FINNEY
Mes.
C P_ _yjpq 1 e rk an. . 24-The'
~~LN/~Y.~C.'Sp/
cod of conduct governing the
act' ities of scientists serving'
as visers to the Government.
e code would seek to clarify,
the onflict-on-interest problem
con onting private scientists
wh are part-time consultants.
I would dilineate the permis-
sibl non-Governmental activi-
tie i of the scientific advisers
And the personal' information
tha they must supply the Gov-
.ern ent.
I is expected that the code i
!wo d require tkat advisers pro-
vid the Government with a list
of Zeir outside activities, such
as nsultancies for Government
con ractors, and their financial
int ests, such as stockholdings.
e objective would be to keep
the overnment informed of po-
.ten 'al conflict of interest, as
we as to remove some' of the
on now "r`es m a most com-
i ly on . the scientists for
av ding a tno ation of the con-
I fli -of-interest laws.
out the only. requirement
Iun imposed on scientists is
th they disqualify themselves
fro matters in which they
ha a financial interest.
e code would be a stopgap'
me sure until Congress can pass
leg lation strengthening, clari-
fyi g and modifying the present
co lict-of-interests laws, most
of hich were passed in the
Ci War. period to, deal with
pr iteers.
t the request of the Admin-
ist tion, ?,th-:hla+se last year
iSCIENTISTS TO GE
NEW ETHICS COD
PYRGHT
passe le islation modernize
t e con lie -of-interest laws, a
the matter is now pending
the Senate Judiciary Commi
tee. The legislation would e
tablish si'lecial provisions co
li The dilemma that
Bring Government advisers at
istration
to grant i1pecial exemptions.
U.S. Could Lose Advisers
Administration officials have
decided, however, that the con-
flict-of-interest problem is too
CPYRGHT
possibility of losing many of its
present scientific advisers. In
recent weeks, according to of-
ficials, several of the advisers
have raised the question as to
whether they should resign to
avoid any jossible violation of
Under a strict interpretation
of the present laws, many of
these advisers who are serving
as consultants for Government
contractors. would be involved in
a conflict-of-interes violation.
he Admin-
resolve in
mocation of the law is now
to obtain the needed advice of
these scientists and still not in-
volve then in a legal conflict of
interest.
presing to wait for a change in! Another factor that has pre-
the law and that certain admin-; cipitated the urgent drafting of
istrative steps can be taken to; a new code is a recognition in
clarify the present situation and: high Administration circles that
concede are inadegya reula-
tL
Without some clarification,
the Administration faces the
the Administration could be-
come involved in a conflict-of-
interest scandal that could be
politically embarassing.
Approved For Release 1999/09/07 : CIA-RDP65-00005R000200020016-4
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2-61 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1961 0-587282