CIA NOMINEE CAUTIONS ON COVERT ACTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000402840003-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 24, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 5, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP90-009658000402840003-4
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
5 "larch 1987
CIA nominee cautions on covert acts
Mot heed laic and keep Congress informed, Webster
/ By Davtyd liv e ,~~
Ina Rron ~.ruu
WASHINGTON - FBI Director Wil-
liam H Webster, President Reagan's
choice to head central intelligence.
pointedly asserted yesterday that
any CIA chief should "adhere to the
rule of law" and spurn secret opera-
tions that flout the agency's charter.
In a chat with reporters after meet-
ing with the President at the White
House, Webster avoided any direct
criticism of the role that his prede-
cessor, retired CIA Director William
J. Casey, played in facilitating U.S.
arms shipments to Nicaraguan rebels
- an activity that some critics say
was illegal at the time because of a
congressional ban on aid to the reb-
els.
But Webster made it clear that he
would resist any order or impulse to
involve the CIA in covert activities
that violated such a ban. And he said
he believes that Congress should "be
informed just as soon and just as
fully as is possible within the con-
straints of national security" about
covert activities.
On both counts, independent and
congressional investigators have
said that Reagan and his top national
security advisers and operatives, in-
cluding CIA officials, failed to abide
by the rules for managing covert
operations.
Webster met with Reagan for the
first time since being asked by the
president to take the CIA post. After
the meeting, Webster spent several
minutes with reporters and said he
"wanted to take advantage of the
lessons learned" from the mistakes
made in the Iran-contra affair
Noting that on Tuesday Reagan
had instructed his National Security
Council subordinates to abide by the
rules, Webster said, "l think the Pres-
ident's remarks to the National Secu-
rity Council staff about adherence to
the rule of law, both nationally and
internationally, is a very important
principle."
On Capitol Hill, Webster's nomina-
tion was greeted yesterday with en-
thusiasm by lawmakers who gener-
ally predicted quick approval of his
appointment.
Senate Intelligence Committee
vice chairman William S. Cohen (R.,
Maine) said he hoped the panel
could start Webster's confirmation
hearings next week and get the
nomination to the Senate floor be-
fore the middle of the month.
Among candidates mentioned as
the possible successor to Webster at
the FBI were U.S. District Judge D.
Lowell Jensen of San Francisco and
U.S. Attorney Rudolph Giuliani of
Manhattan.
Webster told reporters that past
political ties to the administration
should not automatically disqualify a
person from the post, which carries a
statutory 10-year term. "I don't think
you should rule out someone simply
because they have been in a govern-
ment position or association with the
attorney general in an official capac-
ity," he said.
Attorney General Edwin Meese 3d,
in an appearance before the Senate
Judiciary Committee yesterday, said
that a successor should not be cho-
sen on the basis of political connec-
tions to the Reagan administration.
'That definitely, is not the way the
FBI director should be selected,"
Meese said.
Meese met yesterday with inde-
pendent counsel Lawrence E. Walsh
and agreed to seek dismissal of a
lawsuit that is threatening to derail
Walsh's investigation of the Iran-con-
tra affair. The suit, filed by It. Col.
Oliver L. North. contends that the
law governing the appointment of a
special counsel is unconstitutional
because it violates the separation of
powers doctrine by turning oser ex-
ecutive-branch powers to the judicia-
ry.
Meese will join Walsh's motion for
dismissal but will do so only on nar-
row legal grounds, said Justice De-
partment sources. That would Icaye
open the possibility the Justice De-
partment could raise questions later
about the constitutionality of the
1978 Ethics in Government \ct un-
der which Walsh was appointed.
The department has not sought dis-
missal of a similar lawsuit filed by
former White House aide Michael K.
Deaver. Another independent prose-
cutor is investigating Deaver's lobby-
ing actitivies after he left the White
House.
Sen. Howard M. Metzenbaum (I)..
Ohio), a committee member, told
Meese, "(f at this point the attorney
general of the United States isnt in
the courtroom defending the consti-
tutionality, the perception of the
American people is going to be dev-
astating to the administration,"
says
The attorney general told Sen Ar-
lcn specter i R . Pa. i that regardless
of questions if constitutionality. he
wants to ensure that independent
counsels "go forward in their yart-
ons matters wiiilc preser\,ng "the
trusts of their !ahors. Specter