CONVERSATION WITH SENATOR SYMINGTON RE SENATOR BAKER'S WATERGATE INVESTIGATION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01474397
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: February 28, 1974

Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01474397
SECRET/SENSITIVE
28 February 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Conversation with Senator Symington
Re Senator Baker's Watergate Investigation
1. This afternoon I called Senator Symington to pass on to
him a message from Ambassador Helms who had called me yesterday
at my home. I said Helms asked me to be sure to tell the Senator
that Helms would be in town early in the week of March 4th and
wanted to see the Senator at an early opportunity. Symington said
he had written to Senator Baker asking that Helms' appearance be
postponed until the afternoon of the 7th or the morning of the 8th.
Symington said he would be available to see Helms any time from the
3rd on.
2. Symington said he understood Baker had dug up "a good deal
of stuff" on the Watergate issue. I said it was my understanding
that Baker had indeed developed a good deal of information, but it
was not particularly relevant to the Watergate question. However,
I said, I understood it might be something that Senator Symington
and his colleagues on the Agency Oversight Committee might want to
be up to date on, since it might be embarrassing if Senator Baker
had significant information about Agency activities which was un-
known to the Oversight Committee. Symington said it was "not for
me to tell Baker" what to look into. I said I wasn't suggesting
this, but only wanted to suggest that if Baker had developed any
significant information about the Agency, it might be well for the
Oversight Committee to at least be familiar with what was involved,
and I was sure that George Cary or one of my other former colleagues
would be glad to come by and brief Symington on Baker's latest
investigation at Symington's convenience.
3. Symington said that he thought the best thing to do was to
let Baker "run out his string." He said he didn't think Baker had
done anything wrong and I agreed, but commented I thought Symington
would want to know everything Baker knew about the Agency. Symington
said that was why he wanted to go to the hearing at which Helms was
scheduled to appear.
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4. Symington said that he thinks Chairman Nedzi has decided
that the Agency handled itself properly, but Baker doesn't share
this feeling. 'Symington added that it was his personal opinion
that Baker now thinks he is being given the run-around by the White
House and possibly being given the knife.
5. I mentioned to Symington the rumor I had picked up that
Colson might� be passing the word around that Helms knew about the
Watergate break-in in advance. Symington said that in his view
Colson was "the most vicious man in town." Symington said that he
had shown Baker the column by Tom Braden (presumably referring to
the colum of 11 December 73 in which Braden speculated that the
White House might be using Baker to try to pin the blame for the
Watergate break-in on CIA). In closing, Symington said, "Let's
see who gets indicted."
JOHN M. MAURY
'-64;/c/e of Legislative Counsel
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SECRET/SENSITIVE
Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C01474397