CHURCH BILL RE FINANCING OF FOREIGN ELECTIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00380R000400110039-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 26, 2005
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: July 9, 1973
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2005/11/21 : CIA-RDP75B00380R000400110039-8
9 July 1973
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(a) the questionable wisdom of a law which at the minimum implies
authority to violate international law by interferring in foreign elections
with "appropriated funds" and otherwise implies that previously if
private financing was available, it was permissible for Federal agencies
to interfer in foreign elections;
(b) the inadvisability at this perilous legislation state for Radio Free
Europe and Radio Liberty to publicly su est t}-,t their activities may
STAT be construed as possibly interferring1and s violating the proposed
draft bill.
I
SUBJECT': Church Bill re Financing of Foreign Elections
1. During the day, OGC, on behalf of the National
Security Council, and OPPB, on behalf of the International
Division of OMB, called concerning a draft bill by Senator Church which
would (a) make it a crime for a person to give money to a Federal agency
to be used in interferring in a foreign election and (b) prohibit a Federal
agency from receiving such funds for such purpose.
2. I advised both that this office had not been
contacted by State, OMB, or any other Executive or congressional agency
for our views on the draft legislation which apparently was prepared, in the
aftermath of the Church Multinational Corporations Subcommittee hearings
and report on ITT and Chile.
3. At the close of business, I[ called again to say that the
International Division indeed wanted a reaction to State's osition on, the
draft bill, which was in essence "no objection. " I told II that this
was consistent with the Agency's position that it only expended appropriated
funds and did not and had not accepted funds from private sources for this
purpose. I also told him that although we had not seen either the draft bill
or State's report, we quite likely would point out:
said he would possibly call the International Division and point out
Associate Legislative Counsel
Approved For Release 2005/11/21 : CIA-RDP75B00380R000400110039-8