HSCA REQUIREMENTS FOR DCI APPEARANCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00142R000200080004-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 22, 2003
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: November 7, 1978
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Relse 2003/10/07: CIA-RDP81-00142R0Q,00080004-1
DDIA
78.
V R
7 November 1978
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT : HSCA Requirements for DCI Appearance
DD1A R g try
1. In a meeting this morning with Mr. Blakey (other
memoranda will cover other aspects of it) we spoke about
the FISCA wishes for the subject matter to be addressed by
the DCI at the planned appearance before the Committee in
December. As it developed it became apparent that the
stated preference of the HSCA was exclusive.
2. Mr. Blakey said that the HSCA wish was to speak
to the future and the interest was entirely in terms
stated before about what CIA would do if there were to
be an assassination of another President or a major political
figure.
3. We discussed. some of the substantive problems
that have arisen between us, and some of the - atmospherics
associated with them. I observed that the way the HSCA
production scheduling is developing they would be asking
the Director to appear to speak on what may be a fairly
abstract subject, from the Agency's point of view, which
might be incongruous if there were major issues that were
not addressed. I said that I could not speak for the
Director's point of view on this but that if the HSCA
were sandbagging the Agency it is conceivable that an
appearance would be inappropriate at all. These comments
were made in the context of our earlier discussion about
the positions being developed by the HSCA. He said that
it was an invitation to appear, so the decision would be
the Director's.
4. I observed that the role of the Agency in the
eventuality of a political. assassination might be very
limited. In a previous conversation I had referred to
an intelligence alert if there were international implica-
tions, and observed on the present occasion that there
may be no other role for the Agency. He said that the
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 Approved For Release 2003/10/07 : CIA-RDP81-00142ROW00080004-1
Agency had an investigative role abroad and spoke of law
enforcement functions. I replied that the Agency has no
law enforcement role, in fact being denied such a role
under the law. I observed that while we do collect
intelligence abroad we do not conduct investigations in
the police sense of the word. Ile suggested that these
considerations were quite appropriate for consideration
of the subject and that it might prove an educational
opportunity so far as the public is concerned.
5. He spoke about improvements that could be made,
speaking about things the FBI did not do during the
John F. Kennedy investigation. He made an unclear
observation about the relationship between the various
agencies. I commented about the rationale of dissemina-
tion practices by the Agency in the course of the Kennedy
investigation, saying that each investigation would
establish its own working patterns depending on the
nature of the problem.
6. Blakey clearly feels that any comments by the
Director, or his representative, on any subject other
than that requested by the Committee would be inappropriate.
He said that any other comments by the Director, given
the specifications by the Committee, would be "impertinent."
In the context of the discussion I understand his use of
the word to refer to relevance in the sense of pertinence.
I told him that I would relay his request.
7. He made no reference to receipt of a reply from
the Director in response to the HSCA request, and I did
not comment on the draft that had been submitted for
consideration.
Scott D. Breckinridge
Distribution
Orig. - OLC/Subject
1 OLC/Chron
1 - Legislative Counsel
1 - SA/DDCI
1 - DDCI
1 - DDA
1 - DDO