READ THE FIRST AMENDMENT, MR. CASEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100100036-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 7, 2012
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: May 26, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100100036-1
26 May 1986
LETTERS To THE EDITOR
. Read the First Amendment, Mr. Casey
Somebody should send CIA Direc-
. for William Casey a copy of the First
Amendment. Its blanket prohibition of
government interference is absolutely
clear.
Mr. Casey's threats to prosecute
media organizations for disclosing
classified communications intelligence
under an obscure Cold War statute
are mere bluster. Even the present
conservative-minded Supreme Court
can read the First Amendment fairly
enough to prevent this sort of uncon-
stitutional assault on freedom of the
press.
The CIA's request to the justice
Department to prosecute NBC News
for its report on an eavesdropping
program by U.S. submarines inside
Soviet harbors is partibulary inexpli-
cable. This information was given to
the Russians by accused spy Ronald
Pelton, according to federal prosecu-
tors. If the target of this operation
already knows its particulars, why
shouldn't the American public also
know? What is the point of classifying
information known to our adversar-
ies? Who does Mr. Casey want to
remak ignorant, the KGB or the
American people?
Thank God, and the Framers of the
Constitution, that the First Amend-
ment protects us from William Casey
and all the potential censors within
the government.
STEVE COLLINS
Alexandria
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100100036-1