REGAN WANTS FBI ON CALL TO PLUG WHITE HOUSE NEWS LEAKS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000605440004-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 24, 2010
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: June 9, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2010/08/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605440004-0
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE 1 1,11 Regan wants FBI call to plug
White House news leaks
By George de Lama
Chicago Tribune
WASHINGTON-White House
Chief of Staff Donald Reganj ants
the FBI to rr a ii er of
agents who could be called "on
short notice" to investigato unau-
thorized leaks of classified infor-
mation to the news media.
President Reagan's top aide said
the White House had rejected a
recommendation from mid-level
administration officials to organize
an FBI "strike force" to ferret out
the origin of leaks to journalists,
but that other steps to stem unau-
thorized disclosures were still
under consideration.
"I think they [the FBI] should
have trained people who are avail-
able on short notice," Regan said
in an interview with a group of
reporters. "Quite obviously, we
don't know what the next leak will
be, or where it will be.,,
Regan said the FBI's Washing-
ton field office is already charged
with investigating damaging dis-
closures of classified U.S. intelli-
gence and military information.
"How they handle it, or who
they have to do it, that's up to
them," he said. "I don't think they
should have a specialized team, a
strike force or something of that
nature, I just think thew should
have trained people available."
Other White House officials said
the concept of an FBI strike force
was discussed at a meeting of to
Reagan aides last week but ul-
timately rejected because of its
negative political connotations,
particularly the comparisons it
could evoke with the infamous
"plumbers" unit that committed
illegalities under the cover of in-
vestigating leaks in the Nixon
White House.
Several White HouSeveraI White Hou e
that a p a pus a CIAthat a s pus a CIA Dir
or~~vtomno.
But Regan's remarks about the
need for graKer. FBI vigilance un-
derscored the Reagan ad mstra-
tion's continuing concern eih i un-
authorized disclosures that it
contends damage national securi-
ty.
The chid' of staff divided leaks
into two classifications: what he
called the "enrbarassi , discon-
certing, nettlesome" leaks of do-
mestic policy decisions and politi-
cal information that wltt not
acuthoriae-ft disc l '>aa~ the
mucrE! n,:~
information that officials contend
jeopardize lives, military and intel-
ligence operations and relations
with allied intelligence services.
Regan said he favors the firing
of administration officials - who en,
gage in "deliberate and repetitive"
leaks of the former type, and
backs the prosecution of officials
who are found to have leaked clas-
sified national security informa-
tion.
The President and senior mem-
bers of his staff have also said they
would support prosecution of
news organizations for publication
of sensitive information that dam-
22M security under a
1 .law that, prohibits disc sure
of intelligence gleaned from com-
munications intercepts.
A number of White H
offi-
cials owledged that the
decision to Prosecute would be
controversial, and said it should be
considered on a case -case
w en a news oreanvation
discloses classifi
tMMJ
ions Intel i2encetntel information
"As to [the media], we do it
case by case, as to how did they
get it, why did they reveal it,
under what circumstances," said
one Reagan aide. "I don't think
we can have a hard and fast policy
where every damn time that hap-
pens, we f -osecute."
"demeaning" and too controver
Approved For Release 2010/08/24: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605440004-0