JUST A 'WASHINGTON FUSS'?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000600040018-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 1998
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: November 30, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

WASHINGTON STAR
Sanitized - ApproveflyJase :
FOIAb3b
RICHARD WILSON
8-6
Just 'Was i Fuss'?
CPYRGHT
D
Those who watch govern- ? cooperated with the commit- as a trial attorney in the e
He found refuge as a' trial y Department of State in a very
.lawyer in the FCC at a base was a question of judgment sticky situation in Congress
salary of $17,000. rather than a question of per-.? landed on his feet in another ~
Reilly admitted to the Sen- jury. There were certainly department, a department:
ate Internal Security commit- some questions of judgment ? holding life and death powers
tee that he had made untrue raised by Reilly's denials that over the multi-billion dollar's
statements under oath to the ? he knew a listening device had communications industry.
same committee In the case of, been placed on Otepka's tele-, This is the kind of bureau- y
`Otto F. Otepka, a State De- phone. cratic solidarity which tends
partment s e c u r I t y officer. "However, I was told by the to perpetuate bad practices in
Otepka himself is under sus- personnel office that Reilly government-in this case in
pension in the State Depart- was an able trial lawyer and the very sensitive and vital
ment for having supplied to, had a good record up to this area of internal security.
wrangle with the committee. of, Reilly, FCC Chairman Wil man who had fronted for the,. I
liam E Henr said ? 'I felt it ,
ment grow and see its func- tee's attempt to pinpoint the' eral Communications Commis-,
tions touch more intimately sloppy' procedures, Otepka sion."
the lives of individuals are= was marked for bureaucratic It should be brought into fo-
likely to be struck by the 'destruction. In the process, cus that the Otepka case, how-'
i truism that government will his wastebaskets' were ever little it may be known to-
be no better than the, people it - searched, he was banished the general public, is the''
employs. from his 'desk, and his tele- sticking point on the issue of
Standards must be very high phone was tapped. The latter whether or not the State De-;
and administrative procedures act was believed to have been partment, in an over-compen-
very strict. Even when- ordered by Reilly, an asso- sated reaction to the McCar-
they are, such enormities as,.: ciate of Otepka's in security thyism of 15 years ago, has
the arrest of 70 persons in clearance work, but when first . become dangerously lax in I
New York City for giving or - called before the subcommit- preventing the employment of s'
receiving tax bribes still. oc- ' tee Reilly denied it. security risks and weeding;
cur. After Senate investigators them out if they are unknow-
A single case sometimes,. collected a little more infor- ingly employed.
emerges to illustrate and ven mation, Reilly was called be- Secretary Rusk, o n t h e
tilate attitudes which persist fore the committee again. He -.'ground of sustaining the moo-;
in government employment. then testified that he had not' rale of his department, has, in
Unlike the New York Internal told the whole truth in the first effect, supported, procedures
Revenue employes, this case instance and, in fact, had or- against Otepka which led to'
doesno t involve formal trim dered the listening device on the tapping of his telephone
inal charges. It involves : Otepka's telephone and stood and bureaucratic ostracism as
what one official calls "just, ?? by while' it was installed. One - punishment for having coop-1
another Washington fuss." , of his associates testified that crated with the Senate sub,?i
The "fuss" Is over the em- Reilly actually knew that re committee.
ployment by the Federal cordings were made of Otep? So, this is somewhat more
Communications Commission ka's telephone conversations. than "just another Washing-,
ploye a aState ccused Department rtment to a em-. The ? chairman of the sub.'
ton fuss," as one' of the FCC i.
Senate accused of lying g it - a committee, Sen. Thomas J. commissioners commented in,'
Dodd, D-Conn., spoke of this sweet innocence when asked
matter of considerable sub. on the Senate floor as "per- to explain why Reilly was .?
stance. With the heat on, John ,'
F. ? Reilly resigned his State jury.,, hired.
Department job following his In justifying the employment What happened was that a `;
this committee -truthful in- case. I didn't believe that the But the matter Is not ended)
formation on sloppy security judgment questions r a I s e d and when Congress, returns..
clearance procedures 'in the about Reilly in connection with in o r e justification will be
State Department. the Otepka case would Inter- sought for the rescue of Reilly.
Ha'ing told' the- .truth' and Pere with his doing a good job O ioet