MEETING WITH SENATOR BAKER

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01474437
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: January 26, 1974

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OLC 74-0129
26 January 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Meeting with Senator Baker
1. Today I accompanied the Director to a meeting with Senator
Howard Baker (R., Tenn. ) which was requested by the Senator last night.
The meeting lasted 1 1/2 hours, with the Director and the Senator meeting
for a few minutes by themselves and then George Murphy, Deputy Director,
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, and myself joining in the rest of the
session.
2. What emerged as Senator Baker's principal interests were:
a. The Helms /Hunt relationship.
The Director observed that Mr. Hunt probably had
been spoiled within the Agency--primarily because of
his writing talents.
b. The degree to which he could trust CIA, and, if he can,
the degree to which top management would be aware of all
activities either within CIA or by its employees.
The Director observed that top management was
aware of the profile on Ellsberg and the provisioning
of Hunt, the only two Watergate-related incidents in
which the Agency had engaged. It was pointed out that
it would be highly unlikely that lower Agency echelons
could engage in improper activities without the knowledge
of top management mostly because of the bureaucratic
processes involved in conducting or supporting a
clandestine operation.
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c. What CIA activities, if any, the President is trying
to protect in connection with investigation of the activities
of the Plumbers?
The Director said he simply did not know,
mentioning the situation in India in passing. In
response to direct questions, the Director said
he did not believe it had anything to do with the
Radford matter, nor with 3 d. below.
d. The above and other principal points of interest are
further developed in the attached listing of follow-up items.
3. Other points developed:
a. Robert Foster Bennett, pursuant to Gordon Liddy's
instructions, relayed information to Mr. Hunt while he was
in hiding after the Watergate breakin. The Director speculated
that the code word system used probably was a throw back to
Mr. Hunt's tradecraft (one code word used was something
like "Mr. Pecan").
b. The Mullen Company either was involved in or unsuccess-
fully bid on security work
was engaged by Hughes for public relations work.
c. asked Mr. Hunt about certain sensitive services
and Mr. Hunt referred it to Mr. McCord.
d. Senator Baker said he didn't know whether to believe
claim that there is a sensitive Agency matter
which he can't discuss. The Director acknowledged that an
unusually sensitive matter did exist completely unrelated to
"Watergate" and Senator Baker and Mr. Murphy agreed to
treat the matter as such and to make no reference of it to
others. In response to Mr. Murphy's question as to whether
it concerned operational cover slots, the Director said it
involved a "technical" matter.
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e. Infighting and conflicts between Laird/Kissinger/
Ehrlichman /Moo rer.
f. In response to Senator Baker's query as to why Mr. Helms
left CIA, the Director indicated a comment was outside his prov-
ince, and in the ensuing discussion explained that it might be
connected with the implementation of the 1971 Presidential Order
coordinating the intelligence community and the political problems
in implementing that order.
g. In response to a pinpoint question from Mr. Murphy, the
nirector
h. Miles Copeland identified Mr. James Angleton to Senator
Baker as an individual of interest.
i. Senator Baker was impressed by the book by Mr. John
Newhouse entitled "Cold Dawn" and remarked that the material
collected therein could only result from a leak within Dr.
Kissinger's staff.
4. The Senator requested that we continue to work independenay
with Fred Thompson, of the Select Committee, explaining that he prefers
to handle the more sensitive matters through George Murphy and the
Joint Committee's safekeeping facilities.
Associate Legislative Uou�sel
Att.
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FOLLOW P ITEMS
26 JANUARY 1974 MEETING WITH SENATOR HOWARD BAKER,
VICE CHAIRMAN, SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES
1. Was the Agency in any way involved in the investigation of the Yeoman'
Charles E. Radford matter? Apparently there were three investigations--
(a) Buzhardt, (b) Plumbers, and (c) there were two reports of investi-
gations, one short and one voluminous in nature.
2. Any information we might have involving any financial transaction
between Mr. Helms and E. Howard Hunt. Senator Baker said he had
information that Mr. Helms gave Mr. Hunt $30,000 when Hunt left
the Agency. He did not believe that Mr. Helms had private resources
to cover such an amount and wanted to know if perhaps somehow Agency
funds had been used. Senator Baker also said he had information that
Mr. Helms helped Mr. Hunt get his job at the White House. (On
14 December 1973 Senator Baker asked Fred Thompson, Minority
Counsel of the Committee, if he should tell me about the "money."
The Senator deferred on the basis of Mr. Thompson's advice that
they were not yet sure of their source. On 11 January 1974 I asked
Mr. Thompson if the earlier reference by Senator Baker concerning
"money" was still active. Mr. Thompson said it was not and that they
had run down the story to the original source and learned that they had
initially acquired a garbled account as "the money had nothing to do
with Watergate." As a result I had a feeling that this may have related
to the payment to Mr. Hunt for a writeup of an award. )
3. A full and complete wrapup of the Agency's past dealings with the Mullen
Company, including the date that Robert F. Bennett was first made
witting of CIA cover slots in the company.
4. Wrapup of the Agency's relationship with E. Howard Hunt and James
' McCord.
i Z:17 L;k-i.
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5. Any information we may have on why the President referred to the
possible compromise of CIA activities when the President issued his
instructions regarding Justice's investigation concerning the Plumbers.
6. Does the Agency possess any tapes recording any conversation with
any of the principals involved in "Watergate"?
7. Let Senator Baker hear the tape covering General Cushman's session
with Mr. Hunt.
8. In response to his question Senator Baker was told that none of the
Watergate principals were under our surveillance. When Senator
Baker learned that arently Frank Sturgis had attempted to set
up a session with ou ffice in Miami on Friday, he strongly
recommended that we not avoid such a session and said that if we
didn't he might subpoena Mr. Sturgis to find out what he wanted to
talk to us about. It was Senator Baker's opinion that our refusal to
meet with Mr. Sturgis could be made to look just as sinister as any
meeting with him. On the way back to the office Mr. Colby agreed
that if Mr. Sturgis called again to reschedule the meeting he failed
to attend on Friday, that we should tell him that we would see him but
only if what he wants to discuss concerns foreign intelligence matters
or directly involves the Agency, otherwise he should tell his story to
r other appropriate Federal agency. Chief,
was so advised in the early afternoon on 26 January.
9. Spencer Oliver, Jr., still maintains that he had or has an association
with CIA.
10. Did Mr. James Angleton have any conversation with any of the Watergate
principals after the break-in on 17 June 1972?
11. Was Mr. David Young granted a conference badge and associated access
to Agency building?
12. Is there any identifiable communication from Dr. Kissinger to Mr. Helms
instructing Mr. Helms to let Dr. Kissinger know if anyone else in the
White House outside of Dr. Kissinger's command or control calls the
Agency?
13. How often, and identify the circumstances, when the Agency's polygraph
capability (either equipment or personnel) has been made available and
used by others in the Executive Branch.
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