CASEY FOUND 'NOT UNFIT TO SERVE'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000605850002-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 2, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605850002-7
A.PP;,1ED
WILLLLM J. CASEY
... probe lasted four months
Casey Found
`,Not - Unfi
To Serve'
By George Lardnerlr..
The - Senate Intelligence
Committee- concluded ?:its
prolonged investigation- .:of.
'
CIA . Directov, William
Casey yesterrlay.with a- slen-,
der report that member .said
faults him for inattention-to;{
detail but finds-no, cause toy
call for his ouster:.. ?.
The `report, which-is-less..
than 10 pages, iofg,' l-not
be released until tcda-after Casey has had,. a chance to -1
review it. . -
"It's safe to say the whole.`{
situation is .not very flatter:'
irg," Sen. Harrison H:
Schmitt (R-N.M.) told re:
porters after an 'executiv
session yesterday'af ernoon.
"But you can't come to'the'
conclusion that he is unfit to...
serve .... l-just .wish.he.was
more attentive -to- details,;,ia.
his personal Life." ; ;- ? , ,.
THE WASHINGTON POST
2 December 1981
According to several en
ators, the bottom line of the
report is, this negatively
phrased finding that Casey is
not "unfit to serve" as direc-
tor of the Central Intelli-
gence Agency; .
The investigation, which
lasted four months, delved
primarily into- Casey's busi-
ness dealings and his failure
to disclose various aspects of
them in the financial reports
he made to 'the Senate when,
be was nominated.'- CIA. director:;;
;where were omissions,'': Schmitt-:
' 'ertent, but there were omissions." '
Several committee' Democrats;
>). Huddles-ton (D-Ky.) said, "lrly
. not been that inattentive, that it-has
been by design, maybe. .L ;iaise.that.'
"
as a question.
Huddleston said Elie also thought
:? axe' report; which: the committee
,opted in place- of atlongeraxiddmore
detailed .. version, still- contaixis `
enough evidence for-President' Rea=p`
'
not bee
fan to conclude that it might
.
in the best interests. of-the .CIA`:to:
keen Casey on.'1...
} "The ball- is = back in the?.'presi '.
dent's court,". Huddleston- told re=_
porters. "It's his appointee. f.wouI4'
iliirk A hat. an. administration - tha - -
has: said- much. about: streflgthening
. ibteiligence ought -to-give onsider-
ation to whether. it ought to contin,
lie' with Casey in charge,'
- -4 Sen. Patrick J., Leahy (l V) said
tZat'~iith one-or two.excetions" on-
tbe ecrxmittee "certainly people were:.
not pawing. over ona another-ta s
porkMr. Casey;x :: z ; ; a
-w=Leahy. said be personaIl felt that>
?'" he questions.. raised her:> ? [in.. the
.Casey inquir3d were..a heck of. a lot
. more serious " than?,,the ,questions,,
raised about JReagan's'nationa1.se-1
". -
runty adviser Richard V.] Allen.
;;Ailext came. under Justice Dirt'
hnlent investigation' for his-rt eipt of,
$1000 tendered by, a Japanese nag-.
s-. last January 'following ;Ow.,
interview. at the White Houuse:with '
Mrs.' Reagan and. allegedly. intended
aka =btrr
''Leahy said ."he` was more con-:a
c e ned about a1I'egations-that -Casey.
had misled potential investors in a
defunct agribusiness:. firm- and - his
:failure to list. all the-sources of in-3
cgme-: required. under; Senate rules-4
for presidential appointees subject to
canfirmation. Leahy-said some com-
niittee meinbers-ue-longer had, any
6nfidence in Ca.4 credibility. - "~
Schxritt;- however'said that part':{
of the?problexzz-lie~t~ hat heralled .
'the .-ethics-in-govemment-environ-
nent" that lawmakers have created
1'a-recent years. "We have made. it .
unbelievably complex," he said.
"The main thing we found is. that-
e was not attentive to, detail in his-
sown business matters,"-Schmitt said:'
But he argued that this should not:
3beheld against Casey in his capacity-.1
as CIA- director anymorem, than the? {
fact. that "you don't: make. your bed,. .
;inythea morning_Lmeans you're: not;.-
- going to keep a. clean desk at the-
-office." w
the CI? Schinitt, maintaiit`ed; :i
asey has. improved morale and "is
demonstrating his. fitness every day"
,
in the intelligencefield;.The Nevr,
"Mexico Republican==said. there was
no;question,in_ his. rnind that Reagan
-`would keep_Caseyo*rthe job.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000605850002-7