SENATE LOOK AT CIA SURE TO IRRITATE LBJ

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100160104-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2000
• Sequence Number: 104
• Publication Date: January 23, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

ApprpW Release 2000/09
CPYRGHT
WQ91 R
P7 OOO1 OO16O1 O& ,RGHT
23 January 1966
Senate Look At CIA
Sure To Irritate LBJ
By DAVID KRASLOW
The Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON - A hi-
v
;within the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee to in-
vestigate the Central Intelli
!gence Agency promises t
precipitate an explosive dis
pute with President John-
son.
Such an investigation of
an agency that lives in the
never-never land of spies
and mysterious coups d'eta
`would be one of the most
sensitive ever undertake
by Congress.
All moves so far have
been made behind the
scenes.
Committee Chairman J.
William Fulbright (D-Ark.)
already has placed on the
committee's tentative
agenda for this year a study
,of the CIA's impact on for-
eign policy, it was learned.
This was discussed at a
closed door meeting of the
committee.
CIA Director William F.
Raborn has been advised in-
formally of what is afoot by
Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy
(D-Minn.), a committee
member and for years a,
prime advocate of closer
congressional supervision of
the agency's activities.
Little more than a handful
in Congress are informed
about the CIA in any detail.
It employs thousands in
Washington and around the
world and the hundreds- of
millions it spends annually
are hidden in appropriations
for other government de-
partments.
Range Wide
Its operations have run
the gamut from the routine
monitoring of foreign propa-
ganda radio broadcasts to
clandestine efforts to over-
throw governments.
Sen. George D. Aiken of
Vermont, the second-ranked
Republican on the commit-
tee, foresees "massive re-
sistance" to its proposed in-
quiry from the President
and others in the. executive
branch. Approved For Re
mes to a floor test. ! overseeing such a vital part
emocrat on the Foreign the foreign relations com-
1 ng ago in favor of closer Moreover, they feel that
c ngressional supervision of + with ' the CIA's obvious in-
t e CIA and he is the No. 3 1 volvement in foreign policy,
lations Committee. But mittees are best suited to
also is majority leader, perform the watchdog func-
d as such is expected to tion.
terest~in the Senate. tee's controversial investiga-
'
Mansfield was not majorl-
leader 10 years ago when
led the unsuccessful fight
the Senate to establish a
int congressional commit-'
A
CI
Now, publicly at least,'
ansfield is playing it closet
the vest.
"I wouldn't be in a posi-j
ent," Mansfield said when!
Confirming that the in-'
s inter-
tion of this nation
vention in the Dominican
Republic revolution last
spring accounts, in part, for
the increased agitation with-
in the committee to take a
good look at the CIA.
Fulbright and some other
members became convinced
not only that American poli-
cy failed in the Dominican
Republic but that it failed
because the President was
misled by faulty advice and
intelligence.
estigation was discussed by, , . The committee split
---W. F. RABORN
"The confrontation with
the executive branch would:
be quite explosive" if the is-
sue is pressed, Aiken said.
Aiken believes the CIA
"doesn't get much supervi-
sion" from Congress now
and thinks the vast intelli-
gence apparatus should be
watched more closely from
Capitol Hill. But he says he,
doesn't know how he will.
vote on authorizing the inves-'
tigation. f
McCarthy soon will make
the first open move when he
places before the Senate a.
resolution authorizing the
Foreign Relations Commit-
tee to investigate-the CIA.
McCarthy already appears
to have the strong support
of Fulbright, Sen. Wayne
Morse (D-Ore.) and others
tee. Some informed sourc/s
believe that a majority could
withstand White House pres-
sures and vote for the inqui-'
r.
That is not yet clear, but
It does seem that advocates;
of a more formal method of
congressional supervision of,
the CIA are in a stronger
position than ever before.
Spot Uneasy
Senate Majority Leader:
Mike Mansfield of Montana,
keep hands off this issue
ader."
For a decade or more,,
twee
wart those who feel Con-; .,,..,.
b
N
e
ow ruwaigiit. may
inadequate job of auditing
off again
H
e CIA - more so with re-I ready }toy square
h
as broad
finances. issue whic
' s
meaning nothonly for the
once, in fact, haveI
Only CIA. but for the Foreign,
e proponents succeeded in Relations Committee itself.
rcing a vote. That was in
56 on the Mansfield resolu-
Voting against Mansfield:
as Lyndon B. Johnson,!
ader. Voting for the joint
ohn F. Kennedy, then the
nior senator. from Mas-'
ind Changes
Mr. Kennedy, however,
hanged his mind when he
resent arrangements," he
aid in 1963.
Presidents, jealous of
eir power over the CIA,'
nd many on Capitol Hill
ave felt that those subcom-
ittees adequately fulfill
e congressional responsi-
WAIRIPM1
o of ? the administration's
Dominican policy also led to
a substantial cooling in the
personal relationship be-
n him and the Presi-