LEAHY SLAMS ADMINISTRATION ON LEAKS; URGES GREATER COMPLIANCE ON OVERSIGHT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100010044-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 17, 2012
• Sequence Number: 44
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/17: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100010044-2
Journal of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers
ol., M. \n. 2, SPRl`Efl9S6
LEAHY SLAMS ADMINISTRATION ON LEAKS;
URGES GREATER COMPLIANCE ON OVERSIGHT
By Harris G
reene
Speaking before an attentive audience of more than
400 members at AFIO's April 21 luncheon at the Offic-
ers Club, Fort Myer, Virginia, Senator Patrick Leahy
(D/VT), vice-chairman of the Senate Select Committee
on Intelligence (SSCI) made a spirited attack on "key
Intelligence Community leaders" who fail to work coop-
eratively with the two congressional committees.
A situation has resulted, he said, of "somewhat
strained, and unnecessarily so" relations between these
Committees and "elements of the Intelligence Commun-
ity." He did not name names, but was unmistakably
referring to personalities such as CIA director William
Casey. Senator Leahy, who took pains to repeat that he
understood and sympathized with the problems of U.S.
intelligence, pointed out that "well over 90 percent" of
the time, the SSCI has voted unanimously to support
intelligence community initial
h
w
es, t
us smoothing the the Congress, without justification he insisted, for
way for full Senate support of specific intelligence pro- allegedly leaking sensitive intelligence information to
jects and programs.
the press. "Far too often," he said, "in The problem arises, he said, from "growing dis- we on the (SSCI) have learned first of tsign ficant inte It,
agreement over the (Reagan) administration's clear gence matters from the press, followed quickly by a
determination to make ever greater use of covert para- breathless call from the legistlative liaison Officers at
military operations as part of what is now being called CIA, DIA or elsewhere, trying to head off our (SSCI)
the 'Reagan doctrine.' " There are areas, he stated, in angry reaction." He has heard a large number of com-
which CIA should definitely be involved, "but not a sub- plaints "from both sides of the aisle" in the Senate
stitute for U.S. foreign policy." about such executive branch leaks.
Leahy lauded the Congress for reducing intelligence Leahy oversight committees in 1976 from eight committees to and Washington Post be tc ass f ed each morning and
two, one in the Senate and the other in the House of sent to his committee as briefing papers in order to get
Representatives. That system, in his view, is working information on intelligence activities quickly, "and also
well. It was made law by the Intelligence Oversight Act get a good crossword puzzle to work on at the same
of 1980, which formalized the requirement that the time." As a result of executive branch leaks, he said, the
oversight committees are to be kept fully and currently protection of having only two congressional committees,
informed of all intelligence programs, including "Signifi- one in each house, protecting important security infor-
cantly anticipated intelligence activities." He outlined mation, is eroding. Other congressional committees are
three serious problems in the oversight process: beginning to express more interest in intelligence pro-
- who is responsible for leaks, and the significance jects. He bluntly accused
of the "leak" problem;
Community" of "parts of the Intelligence
- timeliness of notification by the Intelligence Com- sional committees ~l"i~nan effort to circumventocp sition
munity of significant intelligence activities; in the (Senate) Intelligence Committee." Leahy unhesi..
- covert action programs, especially covert paramili- tantly placed primary blame for leaks on the White
tary programs.
Senator Leahy objected strongly to those who blame
(continued on page 2)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/17: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100010044-2
Senator Leahy