TEST OF FINAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REPORT ON BILLY CARTER`S RELATIONS WITH LIBYA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000200020106-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 23, 2007
• Sequence Number: 106
• Publication Date: April 22, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/03/23: CIA-RDP99-00498R00020
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22 APRIL 1931
WASHINGTON, April 21 ?= Following is the text of the final Justice-Depart-
ment report,, made public today, on the investigation into Billy Carter's relations
with Libya-
Introduction
This is the final report of the Counsel
? on Professional Responsibility.which is
being furnished pursuant to Department of Justice Order No. 907-30, dated
Aug. 1, 1S80, signed by then Acting At
torney General. Charles B. Renfrew.
Under the terms of that order, the
Counsel on Professional Responsibility
was directed "to investigate for crimi-
ral, civil and administrative purposes, .
any offenses arising. from the activities
of 'Billy' Carter in acting as an alleged
agent of the Libyan Government::' On
Oct. 23, 1980, we forwarded a "Status
Report" regarding this investigation to
the Solicitor General. Although the ma
jori y of the investigation had been
completed as of that date, that report
was nevertheless- considered to be a
"Status Report" because several criti-
cal interviews, as set forth below,: had :
rot been conducted..
Additional lnvQstigative..
ith i
wise because of the threat to Billy's--
health and the embarrassment it coulcause. to them both.) The President
stated that he at no time discussed the
release- of aircraft:-to Libya with his
Tamil memcer re-
from any
ducted to obtain additional background pressure Y
Information. Finally, Michele Papa,' a gardingtherelease ofsuch aircraft.
Sicilian attorney and reputed Libyan- Issue of Hostages in Iran
agent; was interviewed and questioned Withrespect to the use of Billy Car-
about his reasons for seeking out Billy : -ter in November, 1979, in initiating con-
Carter and inducing him to travel to , tads with Libyan diplomats to secure
interviewing high level Libyan officials
because of the current state of relations
existing between the United States and
the Government of Libya.
Summary of
the release of the American hostages in
Iran, President Carter stated that the
sole reason for using Mr. Carter was
because of the latter's special -friend-
ship with the Libyans. The. President
r 'fprrpd to the Government's relations
:Additional Investigation
oath at the White House. (His testis -
appearing as consultants on behalf of
Steps Taken
Since the transmittal of our first re--'
.!port , the office -baa conducted those ?
several additional. interviews, .`an-
analysis of which warrants concluding:
this investigation: After a review of
Presidential records by this office,
- President Carter= was-:.interviewed:
'under. oath about: the extent of his
knowledge of Billy Carter's activities,
.his access to intelligence reports in-
Evolving Billy.Carter; discussions with
Dr. Brzezinski and' Attorney General'
Civiletti about Billy Carter, and any at--
tempts on the part- of. Carter family
members to influence the President to
release aircraftto Libya. Also, Dr- Brbezinski was reinter-
viewecL He was estion as to the ex-
on.
fent or a inte i, ence information
available T o him rye i y Carter
anoTiis' d i minatiion c, that informa-
tiun to the President, Billy Carter ant,Zncts. we were finally able to inter-
view i am Eagleton, former.Ameri-
can charge d'affaires stationed in Trip-
oli, but currently stationed in Baghdad,
Iraq, regarding . his : observations,. of
'Billy Carter's= activities and -state-.
ments while in Libya in 1978 and 1979.
Moreover, Richard Gardner; Ameri-;
{ can Ambassador, to Italy, was ques-
timed about Mr. Carter's actions while
in Rome, immediately prior and subse-
quent to his Llbvan.visits.: ;
'Carter stated that he had no advance
warning, and little direct knowledge, of
"cool," and he believed that his brother,
could be, used- to achieve personally
meeting between Dr. Brzezinski and
the Libyan charges to Washington.
When asked whether he had consid-
ered that the use of Billy Carter in this
manner might enhance his prestige
with the Libyans; President Carter re-
sponded that, in retrospect, it is obvi-
ous that it would have had some posi
trip to Libya, in 1978, President Carter since Billy Carter's reputation with the
stated that he first learned of his broth- Libyans was already established, he
er's trip from his secretary, who in- did not at the time focus upon the likell-
formed him that Billy was already en -hood that Billy's. use. as a personal
route to Libya. emissary would increase his stature
Other than directing Dr. Brzezinski with the Libyans.
to remind the State Department that. The President indicated:that-he had
Billy Carter was not an official repre-- no knowledge at that time that- his
5 sentative of the United States Governbrother had been engaged in prolonged
,anent, President Carter did not recall' business negotiations with the Libyans,'
'-issuing any directives regarding his- nor that.he.was seeking a substantial
'brother's trip.- The President stated " loan from them. Mr. Carter stated that
that he had had no prior conversations he first learned of these facts during
.,,with ,Billy-Carter regarding his 1978 the early summer of 1980, when these
trip to Libya. He also said thathe was .I 'mattersbecamepublic.
unaware rior to the summer of 1980 ' - .,
P With respect-to the President soon-
that Billy had been invited to Libya by v'ersation with then Attorney General
Gibril Shalouf, the Libyan Ambassador is Benjamin Civiletti- regarding the Jus.
to Italy, whd lead visited Billy Carter in lice Department's. investigation of
Plains, Georgia, in mid-1978. Billy Carter, the President confirmed
With respect to Billy Carter's second Mr. Civiletti's recollection of that con-
trip to Libya, in 1979, President Carter. versation. He recalled that the"Attor-
stated that he had learned of this trip" { hey General told him that the Justice
only after it had been publicly an. . Department was encouraging Billy to
did reldate in that the in news. (The President file as an agent for Libya; that Billy
did relate February;1979, when had so far refused, and that the depart-
Billy Carter was hospitalized for alto- ment disagreed with his position..:The
holism in Americus, Georgia, Billy told. p resident recalled asking whether
him that he was contemplaing a second there would be any asking l charges
trip to Libya. The President told his brought if his brother filed the required)
brother that such a trip would be un-,F statement, and the-Atto~rn~*e.,Yy+. Ge(n}~erall
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