LUSH CHARGES AGAINST REP. RIVERS DEMAND INVESTIGATION BY CONGRESS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000700020003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 9, 2004
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 14, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

CHARL'..3TO1, W. VA.
QUETTE
if.. 66,414
104,948
MAR 141961
b4/12/15..' CiA-RbP4
use. Chares Against Rep. Rivr
s
.:Demand Investigation by Coiigress
Congress, say Washington columnists to the noteworthy, though not celebrated,
Drew Pearson and Jack Anderson, "'has set fact that San Diego Isn't Rivers' hometown.
laudable standards which must be applied Pearson and Anderson, it should be
to other congressmen, whether white or':
pointed out, don't suggest
black." The reference to "laudable stand Rivers would
ards" is to the punishment ,meted out by , . knowingly divulge national secrets. But
se the
representatives to their colleague, Rep. is tinder
bizarre, influence of alcohol his behavior
Adam Clayton Powell, D-N. Y. The im Ii_ :o rre, they maintain, that there is what cation that these standards aren't - being sitelli e p . Ri he might do. And, they add,
applied to "other congressmen" Is about snce Re Rivers doesn t have either the
Rep. Mendel Rivers, D-S. C. decency or the good sense to'resign his
It Is the contention of Pearson and highly delicate posts, the House should act
Anderson that Rivers is an alcoholic: In on Its own In behalf of the national interest.
London, the char a he was found romp-
ing through a hotel corridor in his underr- The charge nst Rep. Rivers deserve
y g ' ~~ ., the attention of of his associates. 'Assuming
.'shorts." Rivers, to quote the columnists, the charges are valid-a matter, incidental.
"is a security risk. He can be trusted with ly, Pearson and Anderson take foe granted
a secret no longer than it takes him to 1Pis well known to every House member -
down a few jiggers; of bourbon." the next step is automatic. There can be
Rep. Rivers ,is Chairman of the. House no doubt as to which representative (Powell
Armed Services Committee. He Is addition=`' or Rivers) constitutes the larger menace to
ally a member of the House watchdo the nation.
committee which oversees and supervises
Powell was never so strategically situ-
the CIA. Both posts place him in a position .. ated he could hurt his country to the extent
to hear and to know some of the nation's , that Rivers in an alcoholic fog might. No
profoundest secrets. issue of security was involved in Powell's
Few Americans, we believe, would con- ; flamboyant ~ escapades. Security, not alco-
sign these secrets to the ears of a confirm holism, is the issue where Rivers is con.
ed lush - in Congress, black or white. That,r cerned, precisely because of the crucial
is why, if Pearson's and Anderson's charges' nature of his congressional. responsibilities.
,are true, the House should strip Rep. Rivers,'. One can imagine how . long 'Congress
of his sensitive assignments.. would tolerate 'a CIA director. or a secre-
Rep. Rivers is one of the capital's most,! 'tarp of state who' eani'ged around London
powerful men. In the listing of 10 cities,::t', hotel; corridors in attire, appropriate only
which the Defense Department recently said - for the gymnasium or the bedroom. Among
would be provided with experimental anti-' Its Own members, who are privy to the
missile protection, should such a system - same Information as the aforementioned
be authorized, Charleston, S. 'C., of all'. executive officials, Congress must. demand
places is among those named: San Diego similar standards of discretion and sobriety.
on the other hand; probably the nation's To. assert' an allegation is not to affirm
most important naval base and a metropolis it. 'Rep. Rivers is, entitled to be judged by
with a population just 2,800 short of: 500,000' his peers. But the charges against him are
and.greater than Charleston's, didn't make.' too serious to be shushed 'up, as was the
the, select 10. The failure can be, attributed - Senate's handling 'of the Bobby Baker case.
Approved For Release 2004/12/15 : CIA-RPP75-00149R000700020003-3