OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP74B00415R000300070025-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 5, 2014
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: March 23, 1972
• Content Type: NOTES

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2014/02/05: CIA-RDP74B00415R000300070025-1
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JOURNAL
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL
Thursday - 23 March 1972
1. (Confidential - 3MM) Office of Security, and I met
with Representative Lester Wolff Y. ) and his Administrative
Assistant, Robert Owens, in response to Wolff's request for information
about the drug traffic in Southeast Asia. We emphasized the absurdity of
certain allegations concerning Air America. and explained in detail the
measures being followed by Air America to prevent drug smuggling. LIII
answered a number of Wolff's questions about the patterns of drug traffic
in the area, and we explained efforts being made through various U. S.
channels to jack up the local authorities to adopt more stringent measures.
Wolff accepted our condition that the discussion be "off the record" and
apparently was satisfied with the results.
2. (Unclassified - GLC) Mr. Eric Freedman, in the office of
Representative Charles B. Rangel (]D., N.Y.), called and asked if there was
a "CIA base at Long Tieng." I told him that Long Tieng had been described
as a CIA base by the press but it was basically a facility for General Vang Pao's
forces although there was some U. So contact with and support given to the
General. When I asked him what prompted his inquiry he said the Congressman
was interested in a story put out in May 1971 by Flora Lewis involving statements
by Allen Ginsberg alleging that illegal traffic in drugs was taking place in the
presence of Agency people. I told Freedman that if he was concerned about
the drug allegations these had been flatly denied by the Director. He said this
was not his concern and said what he was interested in is what CIA does in
Long Tieng. I told him matters concerning our activities were reported to
our CIA Subcommittees on the Hill and I would have to look into the matter
before talking with him further.
3. (Secret - GLC) Hand-carried to Bill Woodruff, Senate Appropriations
Committee staff, a copy of the "horseblanket" of the Agency budget. I also
told Woodruff that and I would like to get together with him some
time next week (other than Monday) to talk about our presentation on the
community budget. Woodruff said he would let me know tomorrow what day
next week would be convenient for him.
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Journal - Office of Legislative Counsel Page 2
Wednesday - 22 March 1972
3. (Confidential - GLC) George Murphy, Joint Committee on Atomic
Energy staff, called about an article which appeared in the New York Times
of 12 March 1972 about a former CIA agent who served on Taiwan and claimed
there was a "strong revolutionary potential" among the native Taiwanese.
Murphy said he would be interested in anything we could tell him about this
case. I told him I would look into it.
On the basis of information given me by Dr. Chamberlain, OSI, I
advised Murphy there was no truth to the Washington Daily News article
of 17 March 1972 indicating the U.S. had come up with evidence proving
that Israel is a nuclear power.
4. (Secret - JMM) Talked with Ed Braswell, Chief Counsel, Senate
Armed Services Committee, and reaffirmed that the Agency took no position
on the question of whether responsibility for administering the payment of
irregulars in Laos could best be passed to Defense or State. I did emphasize
our strong feeling that in the national interest the program not be allowed
to suffer for bureaucratic or political reasons in Washington--that the national
interest was involved and that for both practical and moral reasons we could
ill afford to make life any more complicated than necessary for the hard-pressed
irregulars, especially in view of their critical military situation at this time.
Braswell said there were no plans for a confirmation hearing this
week for General Walters, but it was possible they could schedule something
for Thursday of next week (30 March).
5. (Unclassified - JMM) Called Miss Ward, in Senator Stennis'
(D., Miss.) office, to say that we were ready to bring over some photographs
which we had mounted for the Senator at his convenience and would like to
show them to him personally to be sure they were what he wanted. She said
she would let us know.
6. (Internal Use Only - JMM) Called Walter C. Minnick, of the
White House staff, to explain that and I were going
to brief Representative Lester Wolff (D. , N.Y.) in response to his request
for information on Air America involvement in the drug traffic. Minnick
thought was exactly the man for the job, and recommended that we point
out not only the Agency record with Air America but also the other steps we
had taken to assist with coping with drug traffic in that area.
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