C.IA. NOW ASSERTS IT SOUGHT DELAYS IN SENATE BRIEFING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000202230029-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: April 17, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000202230029-3
IGU.N04'Y ASSERTS'
IT SOUGHT DELAYS
IN SENATE BRIEFING
REVERSAL ON NICARAGUA
Agency Said on Sunday It Was
Senate Panel That Put Off
a Meeting in February
By BERNARD GWERTZMAN
Special to The New York Times
WASHINGTON, April 16 - The Cen-
tral Intelligence Agency reversed itself
today and acknowledged that earlier
this year, it delayed for six weeks a re-
sponse to a request by the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence for a brief-
ing on cover: activity in Nicaragua.
A C.I.A. spokesman, George Lauder,
1 said he gave an incorrect account Sun-
day when he told The New York Times
that William J. Casey, the Director of
Central Intelligence, had been ready to
brief the committee in January, but
had not done so until March because
the committee asked for delays.
The retraction was made after Rob-
e,-. R. Simmons, the committee's staff
director, told The Times today that he
asked Clair George, the C.I.A.'s liaison
officer, in late January for a briefing in
early February. Mr. Simmons said the
C.I.A. sought two delays and did not
brief the committee until March S.
Senators' Complaints Recalled
Senator Barry Goldwater, Republi.
can of Arizona, committee chairman,
and Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan,
Democrat of New York, yice chair-
man, have said that the Ci.A. did not
keep the committee "currently" in-
formed, in particular ot} the scope of
American involvement id the mining of
harbors starting in early January.
The Senators have also, said that
when there were briefings, March 8
and 13, Mr. Casey did not "fully" dis-
close the United States' role.
ND YORK TI12S
i^ I April 1 Sri}
The Intelligence Oversight Act of ter bad.agreeG Lo accomm a e tne
1980 says that intelligence committees C.I.A., and a meeting was set for Feb.
of Congress will be kept "fully and cur- 29. Meanwhile, unknown to the Senate
committee
the C
I
A
h
d bri
f
d th
,
.
.
.
e
a
e
e
rently informed of all intelligence ac-
House Intelligence Committee Jan. 31.
t
"
"
the Intelligence Committee to draw at-
tention to what he said was the failure
ici-
any significant an
tivities
and of
pated intelligence activity."
Moynihan Is Asked to Reconsider
Senator Moynihan, said Sunday that
he was resigning as vice chairman of
On Feb. 24, Mr. Simmons said, he
was called by Mr. George and told that
the agency did not want to brief on Feb.
29, as scheduled; because Mr. Shultz
would be "unavailable." Mr. Simmons
said he told Mr. George that there was
pressure frot -many committee mem-
bers for a briefing and he refused the
of the C.I.A. to inform it properly. request to postpone the meeting.
Mr. Simmons said today that Senator But on Feb. 27, Mr. Simmons said,
Goldwater, who is in Taiwan, had Mr. Casey telephoned Senator Goldwa-
asked him to urge Mr. Moynihan to ter to seek a delay, and Senator Gold-
ni
M
i
M
i
-
oy
r.
s resignat
on.
reconsider h
han said in a telephone interview that
he was not inclined to change his mind.
The C.I.A. in seeking to demonstrate
that it had kept committees informed,
acknowledged pu icly for the first
time today its involvement in harbor
water agreed to a March 8 meeting.
Today, when Mr. Lauder, the C.I.A.
spokesman, was informed of Mr. Sim=
mons's rebuttal, he said he had to.
check. He called back and said that, on'
the basis of his conversations with
C.I.4. officials, "Rob Simmons is 100
auar~r g. A statement said that "the sub- percentcorrect."
ject of mining of Nicaraguan ports" "I am truly sorry," Mr. Lauder said.
had been discussed 11 times this year in We regret -any misunderstanding on
Congressional briefings. this matter."
Mr. Simmons, the Intelligence Com- ? Mr. Lauder; in a subsequent tele-
mittee's staff chief, filled in additional phone conversation, was asked why the
LC.LA. had briefed the House commit-
details on briefing arrangements.
L.. a ..... V-1- .........r....... -- -
Mr. Lauder said that on Jan. 12, Mr.
M
7 Casey told Senators Goldwater. and
Moynihan in a letter that the C.I.A.
wished to "withdraw the full amount of
money" - $24 million - in funds ap-
"I was a little surprised," Mr. Sim-
mons said. "I spoke to Clair George
around Jan. 23 and told him that, on the
basis of this request, the members
would probably want a meeting with 1
Mr. Casey before the February re-
cess." The recess was for the Lincoln
and Washington birthdays.
Goldwater Accommodated C.I.A.
Continuing his account of,discussions
with Mr. George, Mr. Simmons said:
"He called me back and said the Ad-
ministration was still trying to make a
decision on the issue of supplemental
funds over and above the $24 million,
and could the committee wait until
after the recess for the hearing. He also
said that, because the Nicaraguan pro-
gram was part of the President's for-
eign policy, he felt Secretary of State
Shultz should be the lead witness."
Mr. Simmons said Senator Goldwa-
The Neer York Times
Senator Barry Goldwater appealed
to Senator Daniel, Patrick Moyni-
ban to reconsider his resignation.
tee on Jan. 31; but had sought a delay in
the Senate committee. He said the
C.I.A. was under the impression that
some senators wanted Mr. Shultz_to
Continued
STAT
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/12/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000202230029-3