CONGRESS/CIA/MOYNIHAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01070R000201170017-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: April 26, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2008/12/10: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201170017-1
PBS MACNEIL/LEHRER
26 April 1984
CONGRESS/CIA/ LEHRER: Sen. Patrick Moynihan changed his mind today. He
MOYNIHAN decided to stay on as vice chairman of the Senate
Intelligence Committee after all. The New York Democrat
announced the switch late this afternoon after he and
other members of the committee met with CIA Director
William Casey. Moynihan had said he was quitting the
number two job on the committee in protest of the way
Casey handled CIA involvement in the mining of Nicaragua's
harbors, particularly in his briefing of the intelligence
committee. Today's meeting was behind closed doors, but
afterwards, here's how Moynihan explained his decision and
how other members of the committee reacted to the Casey
meeting. SEN. DANIEL MOYNIHAN (D-N.Y.): The committee
and the CIA have agreed on the need for more thorough and
effective oversight procedures, especially in the area of
covert actions. The committee will move promptly to
develop new procedures to ensure that the Senate will be
fully and currently informed. The Central Intelligence
Agency has pledged its full cooperation in this effort and
recognizes the requirement to provide the committee with
prior notice of any significant anticipated intelligence
activity, as provided by the Intelligence Oversight Act.
SEN. LLOYD BENTSEN (D-Texas): I think it's time that we
declare a cease-fire between the intelligence committee
and the CIA and try,'to have it get on back to intelligence
gathering. The director stated that, uh, in retrospect,
that he felt he had not, uh, highlighted the issue and,
uh, had not provided sufficient information on it and, uh,
that that'wouldn't happen again.
SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R-Ind.): The bulk of the blame falls,
in our judgment in this assessment, upon the director or
upon those who were supposed to brief us. It was
apparent, as we have gone over the details, that a number
of junctures passed in which we did not have information
in a timely and comprehensive manner to do our duty. The
director has apologized for oversights. He has assured us
that it's his intention to work with us in bringing about
new procedures that are, are better going to ensure that
we can do.our duty. Now we must meet again, and we shall
very shortly, on several proposals by members. And
undoubtedly, Mr. Keith and others will participate in
trying to pin down precisely how we go through this
oversight procedure with a great deal of assurance.
LEHRER: And the Justice Department said today it will not
appoint a special prosecutor to investigate CIA activities
in Central America. Thirteen Democratic members of the
House had asked Attorney General William French Smith to
see if the CIA violated the Neutrality Act. Smith is
reported.to have written the congressmen today saying the
law which was passed in 1794 does not cover official
actions of the U.S. government. Robin?
Approved For Release 2008/12/10: CIA-RDP88-01070R000201170017-1