ALLEGATIONS OF CIA DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
• Release Decision: RIFLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: September 27, 2012
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: January 4, 1975
• Content Type: MEMO

No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18 LOC-PAK-509-5-10-0
- MEMORANDUM
THE WHITE HOUSE
WAS
TOP SE CRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION
PARTICIPANTS:
DATE AND TIME:
PLACE:
SUBJECT:
President Gerald R. Ford
Vice President Nelson Rockefeller
Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, Secretary of State
and Assistant to the President for
National Security Affairs
Donald Rurnsfeld, Assistant to the President
Philip Bucher', Counsel to the President
John 0. Marsh, Counsellor to the President
Lt. General Brent Scowcroft, Deputy Assistant
to the President for National Security Affairs
Saturday, January 4, 1975
5:25 p. xn. - 7:05 p.m..
The Oval Office
The White House
Allegations of CIA Domestic Activities
The President: We have been struggling for two weeks with the
consequences of the Hersh article. We have come up with three things:
I am writing to each intelligence officer to tell them: "Here is the law and
you are expected to obey it." Second, we will establish a Blue Ribbon
Committee to look into these allegations. Third, I will urge Congress
to investigate this either by an existing committee or a joint committee.
We have looked at over one hundred names for the Blue Ribbon
Committee. We asked seven -- John Connor, Douglas Dillon, Governor
Reagan, Lyman Lernnitzer, Edgar Shannon, Erwin Griswold, and Judge
Henry Friendly. Friendly declined on the grounds of separation of powers,
and Griswold has a question in the ITT hearings. I haven't yet decided
about Griswold.
NSS Review Completed.
--Tep-seeReTiSENSITIVE/NODIS
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
Colby has gone to [Acting Attorney General] Silberman not only
with his report but with numerous other allegations.
The Vice President: At your request?
The President: Without my knowledge.
Mr. Buchen: I think he did not disclose all of it because the Attorney
General is only concerned with domestic violations.
[pEz...a.p.sir,...4.94 described the "horrors book.]
The President: We are concerned that the CIA would be destroyed.
The Vice President: And we become the laughing stock around the world.
The President [to Rockefeller]: I would like you to be the Chairman of
this Panel. You have the knowledge, the prestige, and the background to
do the job which is needed.
The Vice President: Just what is the Commission to investigate?
Secretary Kissinger: If we can just confine the Panel to the domestic
issue, we are okay, but if the Attorney General investigation starts a
series of leaks, we may have to have the Panel expand its charter to deal
with that too.
? Mr. Marsh: Sparkman sent Colby a letter saying he wanted to investigate
covert activities related to foreign issues.
The President: Colby has told Justice ana several of us . . . And Nedzi
and Symington. And Helms thinks Colby shafted him; Helms made it clear
if there were any dead cats to be thrown out he would throw some of his
own. ?
Secretary Kissinger: And Colby has taken to Justice the question of
possible perjury by Helms.
The Vice President: This raises real questions on his judgment.
The President: We debated this and decided we could not move him now.
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
Mr. Rumsfeld: Griswold will be responsible. The Commission is a.
little Republican and right. We thought of maybe naming someone from
Labor, or Averell Harriman, or a black.
And I think no one should now approach the Attorney General, so
it doesn't look like pressure.
The Vice President: I want you to be clear about my credentials. I was
for Ike the chairman of the Covert Activities Advisory Committee and I'm
now on the PFIAB. I am not trying to duck anything, just to point out the
potential problems.
Mr. Rumsfeld: Did PFIAB ever propose CIA actions on the domestic side?
The Vice President: We were concerned that the FBI wouldn't do these
things and CIA said they couldn't. I remember wondering why the President
didn't order it.
Secretary Kissinger: I don't think there was a reason; PFIAB just felt
.that domestic intelligence was falling between the cracks and someone
should do it.
The President: What Helms said was a strong justification of the domestic
bit -- that it was ordered and it focused on the foreign connections.
Secretary Kissinger: And the names, he said it was routine bureaucratic
activity. The mail check was ordered by Ike because Hoover wouldn't do it.
My impression is that all the Presidents used their intelligence resources
as they saw fit and could usefully. employ them.
The President: What should the final report be?
Secretary Kissinger: It should look into the charges to lay out the facts
in the case. I would see two reports: a highly classified one which is a
careful analysis of the domesti-t activities, and a public one which is more
general.
The President: There are 14 Congressmen on whom the CIA has files.
S. They were either interviewed for exnployment, or turned up having some
foreign connection.
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
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" - No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
Secretary Kissinger: Helms swears that no Congressman was ever
investigated while he was serving in the Congress.
The President: I think the Vice President is the one, and I think we
should go to Meany and ask him to serve, or if he couldn't, to designate
someone.
The Vice President: How about Counsel?
Mr. Rumsfeld: The names are circulating.
Mr. Marsh: We are facing eight separate Congressional hearings.
Secretary Kissinger: Colby must be brought under control. Any testimony
to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will leak. Can we work out
anything with the leadership? If Colby continues this attitude, this stuff
will be all over town soon.
The President: I would like laid out what I can legitimately tell Colby.
Secretary Kissinger: There are two ways to handle it. The easiest is to
go to the leaders and have the covert hearings confined to the oversight
committees.
General Scowcroft: But the Foreign Relations Committees are part of
the oversight now.
The President: You can trust the Appropriations and Armed Services
Committees and probably Morgan.
Mr. Marsh: But Government Operations also want hearings.
Secretary Kissinger: You also have the House rule on testimony.
The President: Also the House gimmick -- the rule of demanding
material from the President and other Departments.
Start with Mansfield, Scott, the Speaker, Rhodes, and maybe others.
Secretary Kissinger: It would be overwhelmingly in the national interest
to have it confined to one hearing or one in each House. You can't rely
on Colby. He would say you refused to let him talk.
TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NOM
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0
OP SECRET/SENSITIVE/NODIS
The Vice President: Thu cart say to them: ''Could we-have this
discussion as a. government in time of crisis? Not acting as the
legislature, or the executive?''
The President: I think we should do it early next wee
Should I call Meany now?
?
The Vice President: I would like to bring my lawyer of 45 years Yohn
Lockwood -- into it.
The President calls Meany.
The President: kle will let Phil know Monday. Phil you could tell hiin
it would take full time and steer it to Lane Kirkland.
The Vice President: His Executive Secretary is also reliable.
Mr Ittansfeld: We should decide on Griswold tonight,.
Secretary Kiss art Re is a. man of great integrity.
r. Buchen: The papers may stir up things now forgotten.
e President; I think we should take him.
Thank you very. much, Nelson. It is a tough, Job; it's unparta.nt t
us and to the country.
;0 SECRT/$ENSITlVE/NODIs.
No Objection to Declassification in Full 2013/10/18: LOC-HAK-509-5-10-0