READ THE FIRST AMENDMENT, MR. CASEY

Document Type:

CREST [1]

Collection:

General CIA Records [2]

Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):

CIA-RDP91-00561R000100100036-1

Release Decision:

RIFPUB

Original Classification:

Document Page Count:

Document Creation Date:

December 22, 2016

Document Release Date:

February 7, 2012

Sequence Number:

Case Number:

Publication Date:

May 26, 1986

Content Type:

OPEN SOURCE

File:

Attachment	Size
CIA-RDP91-00561R000100100036-1.pdf [3]	34.18 KB

Body:

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