DODD GUN BILL COULD AID CONN. SALES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000200290014-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 2, 1999
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: August 9, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

WASHINGTON 1~OS'T
-rte nrn :
Approved For Release 1999/0 G~174-'RD0149R00
AUG 9 1966
The Washington Merry-Go-Round . ?
0
Dodd Gun Bill Could Aid Conn. Sales
By Thew Pearson and
Jack Anderson
This column is to correct
certain things we have said in
the past about Scn.' Tom Dodd
(D-Conn.) especially T regard
to his gun legislation.
After Charles Whitman
gunned down 44 people from
the University of Texas tower.,
Sen. Dodd rushed out with a
plea for action on his gun bill.
We have always given Dodd
credit for bucking the gun in-
dustry during his three-year
proposal to regulate the inter-
,state sale of firearms. We have
.written a dozen or so columns
vigorously supporting him and
praising him for this work. We
have now learned, however,
that we underestimated the
,Senator. Former members of
his staff have given us concrete
evidence that he was secretly
huddling with the gun manu-
facturers.
The Big Five-Colt, Olin
Mathieson, Sturm-Ruger, Rem-
ington Arms, and Winchester-
all have plants in Connectieut.
We now learn that Dodd eel.
jdom made a ipove" on gun
,legislation without consulting
them.
. Furthermore, part of his bill
was highly beneficial to them,
for he incorporated into the
bill provisions that "would
restrict the importation of
foreign-made firearms and ban
;mail-ordelr sales across state
;lines. , This would severely
Curtail the sale of foreignanade
firearms in the Uibited States
that both executives dropped
by "the office with campaign
contributions and afterwards
expressing. their satisfaction
with the Senator's cooperative
attitude.
It is considered highly un-
ethical for a member of Con-
gross to accept a contribution
fron a business,. executive
whose company involved In
legislation. Yet the - Senator
followed the ? same pattern
with the gun Industry as he
did,with the insurance Indus-
try.,, hich he was charged with
investigating as a member of
the Senate Anti-M o nopo1y
Committee.
'For Olin Mathleson's rep-
resentative to contribute to
Dodd, furthermore; was most
unusual, because Spenner and
John Olin have long bee n
chairmen of the Republican
money-raising,committee.
Sen. Dodd showed his grati-
tude shortly thereafter by
pushing a special bill through
the Senate exempting Olin
Mathieson from certain provi-
sions of the Federal Firearms
Act. The, problem was ex-
plained to', the Senator in a
memo, dated April 19, 1965,
from Gerry Zeiller, then work-
ing in Dodd's office.
"Fred Lee of Olin Mathieson
visited the office today to re-
quest; our help with a very se-
rious problem . '- ." wrote Zedl-
ler. "Briefly, the situation In-
volves the sale of pharmaceu
ticals 'In Sotuth ~"Vietnam 'sand
Cambodia,, the ,sales.being" fi-
"An employe of Olin in '
Hong Kong dreamed up this
shady transaction, and Olin,'
while not completely blame]
less, was not fully swan of.
the shenanigans. The govern-'
ment indicted Olin on 24,
counts with a concurrent c1v!L I
suit Involving $4 million ini
penalties.
Judgment Delayed
"Olin pleaded guilty to three
counts of the 24 and settled
the civil suit for $263,000. At;
Olin's request, the U.S. dis-j
trict judge has held up the;
judgment of conviction untill
July 15 to give Olin a chance'
to. Introduce legislation too
amend the Federal Firearms4
Act In- an, effort to stay in
business.
"Under the provisions off
the Federal Firearms Act,'
after conviction, Olin will have,.
to go out of business as a fire-'
arms manufacturer In inter-;
state or foreign commerce for;
the act Is very clear in that-
it does not allow persons con
victed of a crime to sell arms'
under the provisions of the1
act."
Dodd obligingly took charge'
of the bill. He has a reputa-'
tion for dragging his feet 'on
legislation, but It took him,
only two 'weeks to push the;
bill through his subcommittee;
and, br!ngit to a vote on the;
Senate floor. i
Dodd's' main gun bill, three.'
rears after At, was introduced,.'
dtlll,has nog passed the Senate'll
Approved For Release, 1999/09/17 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000200290014-7
tary weapons which have been
flooding the market.
Far from hurting the do-
mestic gun manufacturers,
Dodd's bill would boost their
business by eliminating most
foreign competition.
Dodd introduced his gun
legislation late in 1963 and it
was referred to ' the Senaic
Commerce Committee; where
hearings were held;'with
sportsmen and ? the National
Rifle Association" testifying in
opposition. The bill did not get
out of committee before Con-
gress adjourned, Oct. 3. 1964,
Campaign Funds
Dodd then consulted with
a view to reintroducing it in
the next session of Congress.
At the beginning of these
discussions, Dodd' suddenly
began collecting campaign
contributions from firearms
executives. He received a
phone call at 4:05 p.m. on Oct.
13, 1964, from R. H. Coleman,
presddent of Remington Arms.
The Senator's phone log sim-
ply reported that Coleman
"would like to 'see you."
By an' Interesting coinci-
dence, Dodd received a phone
call the, next day at 3:05, p.m.
from, Frederick Lee, Washing-
to'n?- representative for 01"ur
Mathieson. The phone Jog wa~s
more specific .this time, noti~tg
that Lce "would like to ar-
range ?a meeting. to make his
contribution!"
Th idt wa rl
e armsnusry.sea ly getting ;'aboard the, Dodd