SENATE DEBATE ON THE CONFIRMATION OF JOHN A.MCCONE AS DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R003100220019-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 3, 2002
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: February 24, 1962
• Content Type: MF

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MEMORANDUM FOR:
SUBJECT:
Director of Central Intelligence
Senate Debate on the Confirmation of
John A. McCone as Director of
Central Intelligence
1. In the attached book are the floor debates on your
confirmation with a subject index and a page index of individual
Senators' statements. Also, for ready reference, the book
contains a synopses of the statements made by each Senator.
While the result of the voting was announced as 71 yeas and 12
nays, the true vote was 84 in favor and 1$ against. The additions
to the announced vote result from three pairs and from COMIT111/11-
cation* from absent Senators staging they would have voted yea if
present. The three additional Senators voting nay in effect,
through pairing, were Clark. Douglas and Morse.
2. A review of the Senate floor debate on 29. 30 and 31
January 1962 indicates two areas which have continuing significance
for the Agency. These areas are: (a) the belief of many Senators
that a Joint Committee on Intelligence or a Watchdog Committee is
desirable based La part on allegations of lack of congressional
supervision; and (b) the matter of committee jurisdiction over
CIA. i.e.. whether it is to be Foreign Relations or Armed Services.
3. Conflict of interest topics such as the the
C-119 contract plus World War U profits and the California shipyards
are important but were obvious smoke screens for other issues.
Many Senators knew this and both Jackson and Russell addressed
themselves to this point. There appears to be nothing which can or
should be done with respect to:these old matters. The question of
lack of experience which was iaised by a number of Senators shoul
now be considered a dead issue.
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4. The lack of congressional supervision issue masked in
part an attack on the members of the two Senate Subcommittees and
In part is also involved in the question of jurisdiction of the Foreign
Relations Committee. Senator Russell has begun to respond to this
issue by the recent full-scale joint meeting of the two CIA Sub-
committees and it is to be hoped that he will hold periodic future
meetings. An appropriate report by one or both of these Sub-
committees would be extremely helpful. In the meantime, the
Agency should be alert to take the inftiative in advising the
Subcommittees of developments and particularly those which will
have or might have overt ramifications or carry risks of an impact
which will become known publicly.
5. The question of Committee jurisdiction rests primarily,
of course, with the Congress. Closer supervision by Armed Services
and closer relationships as indicated above could have an ameliorating
effect. There appears to be little the Agency can do directly on this
question.
6. Ther. are some subsidiary points which could receive some
attention.
a. For internal consideration and possibly discussion
with the Armed Services Committee would be a careful
survey of the question raised by McCarthy, I..., the
juridical or legal basis for Agency covert operations. This
is being worked on by the General Counsel's office.
b. In the case of Senator Douglas I
it is believed it would
be worthwhile to discuss this case with him. The purpose
would he to illustrate the difficult position of the Agency in
denying allegations. It would also illustrate how Washington
gossip becomes legend simply by repetition. The true facts
are basically very simple but turn the story exactly 180 degrees.
It is not known that the Senator has interested himself
particularly in Agency affairs in the past and & discussion
with him on this specific point and the Agency in general
could be well worthwhile.
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c. When Senator Case was on the floor, he made the
comment that he hoped Mr. lifcCone would read what he bad
to say sad then proceeded to discuss the exemption from
taxation of income from foreign-based corporations and ships.
A reading both of his questions in the hearing and statements
on the floor tends to indicate he was net very clear himself on
some of the past issues he was discussing. It could well be
that he started on be.. matters and was simply carried away
with them without having the time to consider them in detail.
It may be worthwhile to most with him at a subsequent date
and discuss the Agency generally, distinguishing between its
intelligence activities and its covert operations sad the
difference in control and supervision between the two. It is
noted that if Senator Russell does net place Margaret Chase
Smith on the CIA Subcommittee, Francis Case would be 'text
in lies.
7. It is difficult to see that anything could be gabled by attempting
to push farther iota the "liberal" Leslie as being a basis for the opposition.
While the issue is there it is dev.btful there are any specific courses of
action to alleviate it directly. Further, this would get us entwined in
trying to distinguish between the liberal issue and those Senators who,
ia one way or another. are tied Into the Drew Pearson situation. It
is clear that if Drew Pearson espouses a cause and really makes an
issue of it, he is going to have support from approximately ten Senators.
Again, there is little that can be done directly on this.
S. hi summary, we should continue to watch closely any
developments on the MU which might have a bearing on the Joint Com-
mittee or committee jurisdictios issue. The confirmation of the Deputy
Director should shed some light on these matters. As indicated, I
believe it would be worthwhile to see both Senator Douglas and Senator
Case. We should, of course, continue to take the initiative with our two
Senate Subcommittees and I will discuss further with Senator Russell
the idea of a monthly meeting with the Armed Services Subcommittee.
3OHN S. WARNER
Legislative Counsel
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