HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP77M00144R000400020022-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2004
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: July 24, 1975
• Content Type: MFR

CONFIDENTIAL Review Staff: 75/1142
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24 July 1975
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: House Select Committee
1. Director Colby, accompanied by
and the undersigned, paid a call on airman Pike today.
Chairman McClory also attended.
2. The Director promised his cooperation in the belief that
current reviews will conclude that the main thrust of U.. S. intelli-
gence activity is good, solid and trustworthy. The Chairman
responded, saying he had no intention of destroying intelligence;
he wants to build public and Congressional understanding and support
for intelligence by "exposing" as much as possible of its nature
without doing harm to proper intelligence activities.
3. The Chairman said he knew this would cause occasional
conflict for us, but that a constructive approach by both sides should
resolve it.
25X1A
4. The Chairman said he intended to begin by concentrating
on intelligence budgets. His first witness would be Elmer Staatz
(Comptroller General) followed by OMB Chief Lynn and then by the DCL
(Later, after separate discussions between Pike and Presidential
Counsels Buchen and Hills, it'was decided that the DCI would be the
second witness--on 1 August.) He said he personally believed that
knowledge of intelligence expenditures should be open and widespread.
The Director cited reasons why one could argue the contrary.
5. The Chairman said he intended to dramatize and illuminate
issues such as this by beginning their discussion in open session,
carrying the subject as far as possible and making sure pros and cons
of openness were discussed before moving into executive sessions.
25X1
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In this way issues will be clearly framed for eventual solution--
one way or the other. (Mr. McClory indicated he did not side with
the Chairman on the question of an open budget and, later in the
discussion, after hearing the Director describe categories of infor-
mation we felt bound to protect, Mr. McClory told the Director he
thought the latter had been too free to impart secrets in recent months.
The Chairman said he did not think so. )
6. The Director handed several payers to the Chairman--
an exchange of correspondence concerning GAO auditing of CIA
expenditures; a book of General Counsel listings of statutory matters
relating to the Agency; a copy of the 11 March 1975 DCI letter
to Chairman Church concerning arrangements for SSC review of
Agency activities; an outline of preferred security guidelines for
HSC consideration; and a copy of a secrecy agreement for proposed
use by the HSC. The Director invited the Chairman and Vice Chair-
man to look these over and pass back to us any reactions.
7. The Chairman said "employment agreements" had already
been executed by staff; FBI field investigation data had been made
available to him on the staff, and a security officer is assigned on
the staff. Mr. Pike quickly scanned the security guidelines and
said he did "not think we were far apart. "
8. Mr. Colby outlined his responsibility for protection of
sources and methods and the complexity this poses in meeting far-
flung requests by review staffs for "all documents and files" relating
to a given topic. The preferred aoproach is to begin with briefings
and selected, sanitized key documents which, after presentation, can
lead to focussed requests for deeper, detailed studies of documents
and files.
9. Throughout the conversation, it was clear that the Chairman
is one who will ask a lot of "why's" with regard to conventional wisdom.
He will be open-minded in listening to answers but there will be a
premium on preparing solid briefing materials for the Director,
particularly in those areas the Chairman intends to illuminate in open
sessions with pro-and-con discussions.
25X1 A
E. H. Knoche
Assistant to the Director
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Distribution:
DCI
DDCI
SC/DCI
AD/DCI/IC
OLC
OGC
IG
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