SECURITY FILE: WEISBERG, HAROLD

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Records Related to the Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00440177
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: June 6, 2025
• Document Release Date: June 12, 2025

104-10305-10002 WEISBERG EXTRACTS CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM RELEASE IN FULL 1998 11 January 1968 SUBJECT: WEISBERG, Harold .Subject was security approved for employment with OSS on 7 Ally 1944. He was assigned to the Presentation Branch (Editorial),-Washington� and on 12 February 1945 he was transferred to the R&A Branch (Latin America), Washington according to a note in his file by HALPERIN (Maurice HALPERIN). One of WEISBERGts listed references, Lydia LEE aka Lydia Lee HEFLIN, was identified as a Soviet agent by Hede MASSING known by MASSING in the 1930ts. Another of VEISBERGts references, Sidney KAUFMAN, was under investigation by the FBI in 1959 on suspicions of espionage. (KAUFMAN was employed by OSS in 1943.) Harold WEISBERG is the author of four books on the assassination of President KENNEDY - "Whitewash", "Whitewash II", "Photographic Whitewash", and "OSWALD in New Orleans: Case for Conspiracy with the CIA". All of his books have questioned the findings of the Warren Commission and have attacked the FBI 'Report as a"tissue so thin andgemic so undisguised that it would demean the labors of a hick police force." WEISBERG testified before a secret session of the Orleans Parish Grand Jury for almost three hours on 28 April 1967, charging that the Warren Commission had failed in its mission of fact gathering and saying that the last thing he wanted to see was a reopening of the Warren Commission or anything like it. Rather, he said, he expected a "new and thorough investigation by Congress which would be entirely open to the public even though right now the Government is trying every possible way to prevent GARRISONts investigation." WEISBERG was born 8 April 1913 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He listed his parents.' dates and places of birth as "unknown" except for the country � given as "Russia" with racial -background given as "Jewish". He listed employment with the Ur-S.-Senate Subcommittee on Education and Labor (which was known as the Senate Civil Liberties Committee) from 1936 to 1939 as an editor, investigator and Asst..Secretary. His reason for leaving this employment was given as "termination of work". From *1939 to 1942 he worked as a free lance writer (was Washington representative with CLICK magazine). In a statement dated 5 December 1944 concerning his employment history, WEISBERG described his writing as "original work on Nazi cartels and their interference with our defense preparations, un-American activities both by Nazi and native Americans and resistance to the Nazi in the occupied countries of Europe." In 1942 Subject entered the Army and received an Honorable Discharge in November 1944 with the rank of Corporal. He was a Private in the U. S. Army when he EOD with OSS in 1944 and the notation concerning his transfer the Presentation Branch to the R&A Latin American Branch of OSS in March 1945 indicated he was a civilian at the time. A security certification in his file dated 20 November 1945 reported that there was nothing derogatory in the security investigation conducted on him and that his security record while employed with OSS was satisfactory. A PUS dated 1 June 1944 carries a notation "Do not contact Senate employment". In September 1967 a confidential Source known to the Office of Security reported that in 1940 an abortive attempt was made to link Chailman Martin DIES (of the House of Representatives Committee to Investigate Un-American Activities) with the notorious Nazi "jew baiter", William Dudley PELLEY, of the famous Silver Shirts, who was eventually convicted of sedition at Indiahopolis and sentenced to Federal prison. One of the principals in this plot was Harold WEISBERG, Editor for the La Follette Civil Liberties Committee, who fed the DAILY WORKER confidential information from the la Follette Civil Liberties Committee files. Others involved in this plot were Gardner JACKSON, Secretary of Labor's Non-Partisan League (CIO); David Dubois MAYNE, former agent for PELLEY (allegedly paranoic); John N. HENSHAW, leg man for Drew PEARSON; Drew PEARSON; and Frank E. HOOK, left-wing Congressman from Michigan. JACKSON, an alleged Communist and newspaperman and a close friend of Drew PEARSON and Robert Sharon ALLEN, had a series of conferences with PEARSON on how best to proceed to destroy DIES. PEARSON introduced NSHAW to WEISBERG and JACKSON, and recommended him as the man to arrange things. HENSHAW was the catalyst between WEISBERG and MAYNE, and persuaded MAYNE to forge the documents which were used to smear DIES. According to this confidential Source, HENSHAW was a secret Washington agent for William Dudley PELLEY and tried to get a job on the DIES Committee while on PELLEY's payroll. HENSHAW subsequently was indicted for perjury, pleaded guilty, and received a suspended four year jail sentence. This matter eventually was brought to the floor of the House and FELLEY appeared to denounce the forgeries. This case was investigated by the FBI as a "Treason Racket Case" but a D. C. Grand Jury refused to indict MAYNE; although, a second Grand Jury indicted him for forgery and uttering and false pretenses on 12.1. May 1940. A memo in Subject's file dated 12 July 1949 reflects that he was one _ of a number of employees fired by the State Department but no details were given.  05213a APR 68 - CONTACTS/NEW ORLEANS 00. CONTACTS/WASHINGTON OSs (NusULIN )L -SUBJECT: CASE 49364 .GARRISON INVESTIGATION - FRANK BARTES 1 REF:, YOUR TELETYPE 78512., DATED 27 NOV 67, OUR TELETYPE 0003, DATED - 27 NOV 67, Y,IOUR TELETYPE 78543, DATED 29 NOV 67, OUR TELETYPE 3011, DATED 30 NOVI 67 J. HAVING MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ME, BARTES CALLED ON ME THIS MORNING TO GIVE ME SOME INFORMATION HE THOUGHT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THE AGENCY. AFTER OUR DISCUSSION OF THAT PATTER, HE TOLD mE THAT ON 12,MAR 68 HE HAD, AT THE INSISTENCE OF HAROLD WEISBERG, AUTHOR OF "WHITEWASH" AND OTHER BOOKS ABOUT THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION, MET WEISBERG IN THE LOBBY OF THE FONTAINEBLEAU MOTEL HERE IN NEW ORLEANS:, WEISBERG REQUESTED BARTES TO GO TO HIS Roon IN THE FONTAINEBLEAU, SAYING THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO TAPE THEIR CONVERSATION. BARTES REFUSED AND SAID THAT ANYTHING THA,WEISSERG HAD TO SAY TO HIM COULD BE SAID IN THE LOBBY. WEISBERG INSISTED THAT XE HAD THINGS IN HIS ROOM WHICH HE WOULD LIKE FOR BAXTES TO SEE BUT BARTES STILL REFUSED TO GO TO HIS ROOM, WEISBERG. WAS,VERY MAD ACCORDING TO' BARTES AND TRIED TO BLACKMAIL HIM BY SAYING THAT HE-KNEi-OF PEOPLE ZU WHO INTENDED TO HARM HIM. BARTES DOES NOT SCARE EASILY AND NEYFOLD WEISBERG THAT IF HE KNEW OF SUCH PEOPLE, HE SHOULD REPO2,T THE?4, TO THE POLICE, THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO HIM, WEISBERG WOULD FIND HIMSELF IN TROUBLE. ACCORDING TO BAETES, WEISBERG HAD SOME VERY EAD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT BOTH CIA AND THE FBI. EARTFS SAYS. THAT HE REPORTED HT', MEETING WITH WEISBERG TO . THE FBI I W Ul_EAJS !D GAVE TH:n A RUN-DOWN OF HIS CONVEREr,TIO ATH CF INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO DISCUSS THE GARRISON CASE, I . FlY TO D.A-1-,7,S AND DID NOT c'.:TION HIM ADOUT TNE MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD SUBJECT: Book by Harold WEISBERG Entitled "Frame - Up" 31 March 1971 4) cr),11 Subject book follows the pattern and line of disparagement in others of its ilk regarding the assassinations of President Kennedy and his brother, Robert Kennedy. This book concerns the assassination of Martin Luther King and the case of James Earl RAY. Key paragraphs in the book are the following: It Once again the federal government was preventing the workings of our own law, frustrating the concepts of our own kind of justice - contriving evidence and shaping it to fit a predetermined political need. "This is what it did in the Warren Report. Here it was accomplishing exactly the same ends. " Attached is a summary on Harold WEISBERG dated 11 January 1968 prepared by undersigned in connection with the GARRISON investigation. WEISBERG's references to CIA in Subject book are concerned with Ray's first lawyer, Arthur HANES. Most of the references merely say "HANES former FBI and CIA man. " In one instance WEISBERG is more specific about HANES. On p. 46 - "In addition to his zareer as an FBI agent, HANES is also 'a one-time contract employee of the Central Intelligence Agency. ' (Part of the Bay of Pigs preparations were in Birmingham. )1' automatic doungraclicg 1-- On p. 237 WEISBERG alleges that the FBI liaison man with the White House is also a CIA man. OS records were negative on this individual, one Courtney EVANS. In the Section "NOTES" at the end of the book WEISBERG briefly mentions "CIA's generosity" with the Cuban exiles. He also refers to a mental patient in a Louisiana Hospital who had a CIA telephone number in his possession. This is Godfrey Lyle KIRKPATRICK. Attached is a summary dated 18 July 1968 on KIRKPATRICK prepared by undersigned also in connection with the GARRISON investigation. Sarah K. Hall SRS/OS Attachments As stated 2 Lillian& Harold Weisberg Coq d'Or Press ROUTE 8, FREDERICK, Code 30114 73-8186 Mr. Richard Helms, Director Central Intelligence Agency Lpngl ey, Dear Mi. Helms, In your yesterday's speech Before the American Society of Newspaper Edi you are quoted as having said that the CIA 4oes not engage in any-kind of. e1): or surveillance against Americant:,I haveno doubt you think' you spoke the t: However, you did not, and of this there is do boubt for I am in possess of the unquestionable evidence.' I am one of those against whom it was directed. Because I believe you thjnk you did speak truthfully, I think it is wros( if you had. deliberately spoken falsely, for this would be a reflection of an � able internal autonomy'. Do not misunderstand me. I do not believe that in today's world fvetign intelligence is ante-democratic. But I also believe that domestic intelligence by the agency of foreign intelligence, is anti-democratic. Rather than being opposed to our country's intelligence, I have, voluntarily, been part of it, in my younger day. I mean this in both official and unofficial senses, for as an investigative reporter I did produce valuable intelligence during World War II and delivered it to several government agencies. I was, in fact, what would tpday be nailed an "unregistered foreign agent", for.I also worked with and supplied information to the intelligence service of a friendly foreign power. However, the intelligence operation against me is of a different and I thil 'wrongful character. Most of all because I am a writer. I am writing to ask that you conanct a thorough investigation and then prov me with copies of all of it. If your subordinates tell you that what I say is no true, I am prepared to sue under 5 T.S.C. 552, where none of the exemptions cord: be invoked by your agency, and to produce in court copies of some of it.I would much prefer that it not get to that point as I hope you would. May I also suggest that if you are opposed to such things, what I ask of yot gives you .a chance to at least try to put an end to them? I would also appreciate the full text of your remarks yesterday. erely id Weisberg OGC "'( .0016 2 January 1975 MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Operations Deputy Director for Administration SUBJECT: Harold Weisberg 1. Subject came to see me today with his lawyer, James Lesar. Mr. Lesar, in establishing the appointment, indicated that his client, Weisberg, had documentary proof that he had been surveilled by the Agency. I had touched base with Security ahead of this appointment, and the only thing they brought forward is the attached letter to then Director Helms, dated 15 April 1971. 2. Weisberg pointed out that he had worked as an intelligence officer for the British in World War II and subsequently was attached to OSS. He referred to the attached letter saying that it had been unanswered and indicated he had written another letter which also had never been answered. He stated there were three levels of belief that he had been surveilled by CIA: a. documentary proof; b. substantial reason to believe; and c. moral certainty from other evidence. In response to my request for an explanation of his evidence, Weisberg refused to offer any. He pointed out that he had authored several books, including one dealing with the Warren Commission investigation of the Kennedy assassination. He also offered that some surveillance had occurred in 1967. He referred to two embassies that were under surveillance in connection with his own surveillance. (This I could not get him to clarify.) He referred to telephone tapping, but did not say where. He indicated there must be at least two files on him in the Agency. It could well be, he indicated, that other agencies had forwarded OS 50254 material on him to the Agency. He also referred to other operations against him other than surveillance without further clarification. He added that the surveillance had been in more than one city. 3. Weisberg indicated that both he and his lawyer, Lesar, had worked with Bernard Fensterwald in connection with Freedom of Infor- mation suits. Lesar suggested it was known that we have at least two files, if not more, on Fensterwald and probably Weisberg's name appears in those files. 4. I queried Lesar as to what it was he wanted from this Agency. His reply was that they wanted a response to the 1971 letter; that, if they did not get adequate response about Agency surveillance of Weisberg, they were going to court. Weisberg stated that undoubtedly the people that I have to check with will lie to me. He pointed out that this of course would cause considerable embarrassment to the Agency when they file suit'under the Freedom of Information Act and the documents are actually turned up. Weisberg said he has been hurt by this surveil- lance and he wants it stopped; and, while not explicit, there was the implicit threat of suit for damages. I would like your assistance in a careful search for any references to Weisberg in our files so that we can prepare for possible eventualities. c vi , 7fr, ,f: / t. ,t 7 3-/oHN S. WARNER ( /General Counsel Attachment cc: Inspector General OGC:JSW:sin Original - OGC Subj: Claims w/att 1 - Chrono MEMORANDUM FOR: General Counsel SUBJECT Harold Weisberg , 1.- Reference is made to your memorandum, dated 2 J/nuary 1975, in which you requested a close search Of the Offi e of Security file pertaining to Harold Weisberg and any ot,JIer files which may contain -references to his name. Of particu.ar interest, according to your request, were items whic/h Would indicate that Mr. Weisberg had ever been subjected to surveillance activity of any type by the Office of Secutity- 2. The Office of Security file on Harold W isbergdisclosed that he Was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 6n 8 April 1913' of Russian born parents_ He attended the:Univ rsity. of Delaware for three years, 1931 to l934, without .attai ng a degree,' and worked as a newspaper correspondent, United tates Government employee and freelance writer prior to ent ing the United States Army in December 1942. While in m itary service, Mr. Weisberg served with the Office of 'S ategic Services in North Africa. According to a Personal story Statement, completed by Mr. Weisberg in December 44�.. he was given an "Honorable-Medical" discharge from the United States Army in November 1944... A background investi:;tion, completed in July 1944, was completely favorable as to Mr. W isbetg's loyalty and reputation. He has had no subsequent.affiliatio with the Agency since 1944. 3.- The Office of Security f' e did disclose that one of the persons listed by Mr. 'Weisberg a a social reference on his 1944 Personal History Statement, tydi4 Lee,' was identified by another source as a Soviet Agent. A se ond reference,* Sidney Kaufman, listed by Mr. Weisberg on his 944 Personal History -Statement, was subsequently investigated ,by the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion in 1959 on suspicion of,espionage. There was no indication, however, that Mr. Weisberg e er engaged in such activity or was even aware of the allegations against these two individuals whom he had listed as Teferences1 4. Since 1944, the only material placed in M'. Weisberg's Security file, in addition to the 1971 letter to . Helms which you mentioned in your request, have been s aries, prepared by the Office of Security and newspaper sources, relative to the book he has written entitled "Whitewash" "Whitewash II", "Frame-Up", "Photographic Whitewash", and "Osw ld in New Orleans: Case for Conspiracy with the CIA." Ail of these publi- cations are critical of the Warren CommissioijReport, relative to the assassination of President Kennedy, d have called for additional Congressional investigation to d termine the real story behind the death of the President. S. While the name of Mr. Harold We berg appears in several other files maintained by the Of ice of Security, each of the citings pertain to Mr. Weisberg books on his efforts. on disproving the findings of the Warr :n Commission. 6. Mr. Weisberg's Security fil reflects: no information to indicate that he has ever been pe sonally subjected to any electronic, mechanical or human sur eillance of any type. However', it is interesting to note that Mr. Weisberg has been a friend of Robert S. Allen-, a s 1icated reporter whose columns appear in. the Northern-Vi inia SurLnewspaper,'for over thirty years. Mr. Allen and his writing partner, Paul J. Scott, were subjected to telephone tap ng by the Agency for several months in 1963. The circumstan QS and results. of this telephone tapping is depicted in the fil concerning Project MOCKINGBIRD. There is no indication, thoug that any telephonic transmissions between Mr. Allen and Mr. Wei erg Were ever intercepted during this Agency surveillance. Charles W. Kane FEB 1975 MEMORANDUR FOR: General Counsel SUBJECT 2 Harold Weisberg I. This memorandum will confirm the verbal advice which was provided a representative of your office on 27 January 197$ concerning the Subject. 2. Office of Security files contain no information which would indicate that Darold Weisberg has over been the subject of technical or physical surveillance by the Office of Security. ---- Charles W. W. Kane Director of Security cc: DDfA Distribution: Orig. & 1 Adse 1 - D/Security 1 - OS Registry 1 Subject file 1 ChronO _ OS/PSI/RWGambino:jm (5 February 1975) Declassified by date 1 a SEP 1975 (7-'3 Zci OS 50254/A �-� I 7/- ba r Press ROUTE 8, FREDERICK, MD. 21701 In Your YeeterclaY.ti. speech Before the AmeriCan Society of Newspaper Editors on are atoted ha haviig twi i that the CIL does not engage in any Idna of spying. O r SurvRiiier.-i-E3 -f474-incrt- Aimerican cf. I have no doubt- you "chi Tar you spoke the truth.' -Because- r believe, you think- you did speak truthfully, I think- it is wrose than : if you liefi deliberately spoken falsely, for this would, be a. reflection of an intoler� . able internal "autonomy. � � . Do -1=t- - - today' s world frzit&ri intelligence is ant�democratic. But I also believe that donies-*d.c intelligence by the agency of foreign'intelligence.is anti�deraocratd.c. Rather than bej-rz opposed to our country's intelligence, � I-. have, voluntarily, been part of it, -in my younger day. I 13iean this in both official' and. unofficial senses, for as _an investigative reporter If:did produce. valuable intelligence dUring World War II and tip-livered :it to -several government agencies. :-I was, in fact, what would - -day be called- an. "unregistered fOreiica agent,. for.I also worked. with p-rvi surixolied informatioxl:. to the :intelligence service of of a_ fria.nal y foreiza. Dower.- However, the in.teliige.nCe operation- against me is of a different and. I wrongful character. Host of all because I am a Writer. I am writing to ask that You conduct a thorough investigation anfi. then provide me with copies af all of it. 1- If your subordinates tell you that -what I say is not true, I an prepared to sue irrvier 5 Y.s.e. 552, where Ti ore of the eiemp.ti_ons could be invoked by your agency, and to produce in court copies of some of it.I would much prefer that it not get to that point, as I hope you would.. - Nay I also suggest- that if you are opposed to such things, what I ask of you gives you. a Chance to at least try to ".ut an end to thew? I would also appreciate the frill text of your "-emarks yesterday. Sincerely e(eA-Y P Weisberg Harold Weisberg.-:: Rt. 8, 1"rederick, Md.:21701 5/4/75 ' � Nr. William Colby, Director � .::Central Intelligence Agency .:1WaShingtonia.C., ' 'Dear Jir. Colby, Y29day's:Washington Post headlines from your communication the words, - Have the CIA. You'do,littsay merely some t'nings. - � You say there has been a basic change, that the past has been outlived, that-refOrft and honesty are the new way. Under your directorship and within my experience this has not been true. ,Y-:1)4rPOse._in this letter is to give you, personally, an opportunity to make lt:more'the:reality than the claim and the headline.. among the CIA intrusions into my life and rights there has been surveillance. :,..Even: after I-told him I have copies and live witnesses your general counsel enied this. Has this change Of which you beast extended to an abandonment of semantics? � Y.0r�tothe.f.Iltering of what goes upward in the bureaucracy? Since our meeting earlier this year there has been relevant published testimony and4:,haVe:obtained. information from other agencies. Both, inevitably, mean that -WittLresPect:to intrusions into my rights, hurtful and improper. . _ . t447L,adimOADoint. this will cease being a private matter, restricted to meetings and eOrrespondence to which there has never been honest or meaningful response. j We 'share belief in the need for an effective intelligence agency in today's world., We do not Share belief in the meaningfulness of your headlined words.- .4.:::telieVethis letter gives you, persenally, an opportunity to add, meaning to 'J9UrWords,:by shaking .your bureaucracy down and forcing it to come Up with the full trutheucan�do it and the proof is there. If you do not make the effort and if you do not succeed your boating of change is no more than propaganda. � Sihcer ly, r ld Weisberg:, . WEISBERG, Harold Route 8 Frederick, Md. 21701 DCI Security Staff has a record of Subject writing one time -15 April 1971_ Letter was to Mr. Helms and Subject wanted the full text of Mr. Helms' speech. Letter was sent to Director �of Security. SRD had information indicating that Subject had visited Mr. Warner earlier this year with his lawyer. Subject had stated that he had proof he was being surveilled by this Agency. In February of this year a reply was sent to the General Counsel's office stating that we do not have any info'=tion that would indicate any technical or physical surveillance was conducted on Subject. Subject was a former OSS employee. DCI Security Staff