PRESS AGENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000100110037-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 37
• Publication Date: April 19, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20: CIA-RDP90-00806R000100110037-8
ORLANDO SENTINEL-STAR (FL)
19 April 1980
agents.
Gordon Liddy popped up bri-the television screen snooping on America's enemies.
and recalled how he once thought of killing col-
umnist Jack. Anderson'to: keep him from publish- The-press can and should'-snoop, but it should
ing intelligence information.. that the White House do so independently and on behalf of the Ameri-
tivanted to keep secret. can- public.-This does not mean- that the press
should, do--around divulging national secrets or
Exactly a week. earner -Adm Stansfietd Turner, publishing intelligence information that would, be
current director of the Central Intelligence Agen- detrimental to the national interest. In most cases
cy, stood before the nation's newspa
er editors
p
any foreign correspondent who stumbles on
and brashly acknowledged-that the Carter admin some important. intelligence information would
istration has resurrected the practice of recruiting see that. it somehow found its way to the proper
American journalists to znv for the t (niter Stat
es
-
- ~-'
qV\11 VIItIGJ - '
in foreign lands.
But'to use the cover of legitimate press func-'
While obviously an extreme exaggeration, the tion to, deliberately go about gathering inteNi-
vew of Mr. Liddy that government secrets should gence...for the government is, a complete subver-
be kept out of the hands of journalists at all costs sion: of press responsibility. It not only endangers
is one shared by many government officials. Yet the life of the
e
t
b
r
por
er
ut It
are quite ready to bins
-that - same journalist to and to the-American press in general.
gather intelligence se- Most of America thought the practice or using
crets on behalf of the newsmen as spies had ended with the Nixon ad-
government. And they ministration. But now that Adm Turner has again
will readily suggest that dragged this skeleton out of the closet, it is time
anyone who declines to to.dismantle it forever. The proposed charter for
do so is -. being the-FBI and the-CIA
now-bein
id
,
g cons
ered in unpatriotic. Congress, should be amended to flatly prohibit,'
The simple translation the recruitment and employment of legitimate:
of such a conflict is that U.S: journalists for the purpose of espionage.:
the-`government 'would
The gathering of foreign intelligenceis vital to
neatly prefer for the the U U
S
interest
and
.
.
,
government agencies such
press-to--be,-.-its-,. agent, as-the CIA should go aboutthe task with resolute
gathering all the. in-for-. purpose. But the gathering of news abroad is also
mation;it car- but publishing only what the'gov- ?a vital fundtion' of a distinctly separate institution
ernment:wants published.That's.the way itworks
equally as important.to the American people. And
in almost every- nation but' this one: And the fact the two should remain that way-
that we don't operate that way is the.. insurance-,
that we still have what is in effect the-only truly
'i
,freepress- irtthe. world today
-Unfortunately some people such as Adm. Turn-
er, and President Carter if he is condoning this
CIA policy, do not understand that to remain truly
free the press must avoid any official relationship
LAST Thursday former Nixon henchman G. with,-. the 'government, even well-intentioned
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20: CIA-RDP90-00806R000100110037-8