GUIDANCE TO PRESENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES CONCERNING HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS TESTIMONY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R000600330045-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 6, 2006
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: May 18, 1978
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Re % 3'~ + i I~ J S'+q 9 ~~ % 0045-1
'LA
i
OLC 78-1863
18 May 1978
Y ii.Lce us ~~ 6 a ~~l
SUBJECT: Guidance to Present or Former Employees Concerning
House Select Committee on Assassinations Testimony
1. In the process of getting informed on the House Select Committee
on Assassinations investigation, I learned that OGC is advising all employees
that they should answer fully all questions asked them. This guidance is based
essentially on the 27 January letter to the DCI from Chairman Louis D. Stokes
(D. , Ohio) and the DCI's reply of 6 February. The 23 March letter from the
DDCI, however, contains the following statement:
"I understand that Committee staff members will be
instructed to be circumspect in the conduct of their
interviews and during hearings to avoid the risk of
inadvertent disclosures and to provide the affected
person with the opportunity to receive guidance from
me or my designees on the applicability of this
authorization to particular questions which are asked."
2. I talked to Haviland Smith, Special Assistant to the DDCI, about this.
He expressed the opinion that the statement in the letter of the DDCI accurately
reflects his view about testimony. If witnesses have reservations about
revealing specific sources and methods, they should feel free to decline
answering until they have received guidance from either the DDCI or someone
designated by him. I spoke with Mr. Rininger, of OGC, who agreed that these
instructions would be included in future discussions with witnesses. He raised
a question as to whether this represents a change in procedures, and whether
the Agency should take some formal action in connection with it. I expressed
the opinion that its consistent with existing written procedures, noting that I
was familiar with at least one witness having seized on the aboved statement
from the DDCI letter as a basis for declining to reveal the name of an agent.
S. D. BRECKINRIDGE
Distribution:
1 - Mr. Smith, SA/DDCI
I - Mr. Rininger, OGC
1 - OLC Subject
1 - OLC Chron
OLC:SDB:jms (17 May 1978)
ftr .~ ft . IN