MEMO TO CCINC SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM PAUL L. PERITO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000300070005-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 24, 2002
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: October 5, 1971
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For M_M -oFF4~5/-1~~C~l~rR~pj 6R000300076005-7
- EX SPECIAL ACTION OFFICE FOR DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION
WASHINGTON, DC 20506
October 5, 1971
,NSC Declassification/Release Instructions on File
M E M O R A N D U M
TO: CCINC SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
FROM: PAUL L. PERITO, GENERAL COUNSEL AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE
SPECIAL ACTION OFFICE FOR DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION
RE: RECENT CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFINGS BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE
DEPARTMENTS OF STATE, DEFENSE AND JUSTICE
Recently, several groups representing the Departments of State,
Defense and Justice have been holding a series of Congressional
briefings concerning the international narcotics (licit and illicit)
problems. I have been advised by several informed sources, and
several Members of Congress, that these briefings have been exceedingly
useful. However, in view of the intrigue and mystique associated
with the problems of the flow of illicit narcotics and dangerous drugs,
several Members of Congress have wrongfully assumed that line operating
functions relating to the above-described Agencies will be included
under the broad umbrella of the Special Action Office legislation
now pending in the House and Senate. This unfortunate misunderstanding
has led many Members of Congress, and their respective staffs, to
urge that the Administration include under the aegis of the Director
of the Special Action Office control and/or policy coordination over
the law enforcement and international negotiation aspects of the
drug abuse problem.
It would be exceedingly helpful to us if representatives from
your Agencies disabused Congressmen of the notion that the Adminis-
tration's Bill was intended to cover line operating functions and/or
policy in areas relating to law enforcement and international negoti-
ations concerning narcotics and dangerous drugs.
It would also be helpful if your respective Agencies advised
our Office about these briefings so that representatives of your
organization could coordinate with our Congressional Relations
Director in order that we be kept fully informed of the time, place
and nature of these briefings. If a representative of the Special
Action Office accompanied your representatives, we would give to the
Congress a picture of coordination between and among our respective
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 Approved For Release 2002/05/17 : CIA-RDP73B00296R000300070005-7
efforts and responsibillf-i ..
I would appreciate any further comments which you may have on
my suggested approach. In my absence, please contact John Meagher,
Director of Congressional Relations of the Special Action Office at
ext. 6673.
/rsg
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 C71-/068
LITER -,
0 jUNCLASWOWed For I 2/05/17: CIA-RDP73fi 2 05-7 ^ SECRET
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
FROM:
EXTENSION
NO.
6857
DATE
1204
6 October 1971
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
DA
TE
building)
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each Comm. t -a show from whom
RECEIVED
FO
^.W.&P.DED
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across cola =n after each comment.)
1. OLC
7D43
1. Your comments cn the
2.
attached will to most
welcome. It is not
clear whether Per
Perito
3.
.
is suggesting that we
take along one of his
officers when we visit
4?
Congress. If this is
his suggestion) the
presence of his officer
5.
probably will confirm
Congressmen it their
suspicion that the
6.
Special Actior. Office
is coordinatir g us all.
2. The White Houee Working
7.
Group has selected
Henry Cox to to their
man in charge cf public
8.
relations and Congress-
ional liaison. Cox is
a former FBI erd foreign
9.
service officer. He now
comes from Chicago where
he has been a Fublic
10.
relations man for a
foundation. to was
nominated to the Job b
1).
y
the White Houi a Public
Affairs Office. He may
et in touch with
ou
g
y
12.
at a later ate .
13.
TATINTL
-
f
-
14.
15.
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