HOUSE ASSASSINATION COMMITTEE: INTERNECINE BITTERNESS SEEN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R000600210029-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 8, 2004
• Sequence Number: 29
• Publication Date: February 20, 1978
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

~ e In ider
v. Penthouse Magazine suit,
the largest such libel action
ever. In an article on the Cali.
fornia resort. Penthouse had
alleged that La Costa had con-
nections to organized crime.
have financed the investiga- staff. Several staff members and La Costa's suit
piness of staff members who talked i resigning because ration of war by the alleged
charge that the investigation the would not clear them. ra eteers -- Moe Dalitz
want of funds. (Blakey sup- ous reasons. Other staffers, pre s. Blakey. in his 22-page
orters contend that the co who are still pending CIA affi avit, fired off several
p
mittee was slow in getti g clearance, have not been roun " in that war. He wrote:
LRy -My o n view, based on my
started in 1977 and will sped allowed a. access to Ua-s-
a its entire $5 million allotmen ed material, n ose w o reading he article, the motion
by the end of this vear.1 ealowed to red oeti- papers 4nd my acquaintance
the time you read this,
the House Select Committee
on Assassinations should
have issued its latest report in
the continuing investigation
into the murders of John F.
Kennedy and Martin Luther
King. If you've missed it,
don't worry. It won't tell -you
anything you don't already
know-the Feds still don't
know who done it.
The real news is that the
committee's chief counsel, G.
Robert Blakey, prompted re-
volt among his staff, partially
crippling its effectiveness. He
has taken the almost unprece-
dented step of ? returning
$425,000 to the United States
Treasury-money that was to
No news is no news
House Assassination Committee:
Internecine Bitterness Seen
him nearly as controversial a stt mtt any notes they make to ous lit rature of organized
Lee Harvey Oswald am g the oe~ev~ew la y, crime is that the La Costa
his own staff. Shortly ter - who has refused to call former artic published by Penthouse
taking over from former hief CIA director Richard Helms is parently a prime example
counsel Richard Spra ue, as a witness, once said of i the counterproductive send
Blakey required all remain telli envies, ?' 'ou sationalism serious specialists
staff members to sign agree- don't think t y'd lie me, abhor.... It is clear to me
meats forbidding them from do you? I've or king that their good faith is serious-
even acknowledging their em- with those people for twenty ly in question and that their
ployment by the committee years." conduct appears reckless in
without permission, and to Blakey has also been deal- the extreme. Consequently,
disclose immediately any out- ing with organized crime for the action should properly go
side inquiry. Violation of the 20 years-from the right side to trial." -
agreement threatens a $5,000 of the fence. A former Special By arguing on the side of al-
fine and dismissal. Blakey Prosecutor in Robert Ken- leged racketeers, rather than
also circulated guidelines: nedy's strike force on organ- sitting on the sidelines in such
"Do not conduct interviews in ized crime, and until last sum- a major suit. Blakey raises
your hotel room with a mem- mer the director of Cornell's questions about his resolution
ber of the opposite sex Institute on Organized Crime, in investigating organized-
.. , do not discuss or get in- he has enjoyed a reputation as crime leads in the assassina-
volved in political or con- a crusader against racketeers. tions--questions not unlike
troversial topics with any- But in February 1976, he those about his resolution in
one." seemed to switch sides, and investigating the role of the
Blakey has been as cozy some staffers are wondering CIA and the FBI.
with the CIA and FBI as he why. The occasion was the _ Jerry Polico
has been Draconian with his. celebrated Rancho La Costa - Wm. Scott Malone
Approved For Release 2004/07/08: CIA-RDP81 M00980ROq
 22MCLe 2P & REO
oNP_" ed For Release 20041 j~gTIG1$SRDP 00980R000600216
-ZO February 1
the time you read this.
the House Select Committee
on Assassinations should
have issued its latest report in
the continuing investigation
into the murders of John F.
Kennedy and Martin Luther
King. If you've missed it,
don't worry. It won't tell you
anything you don't already
know-the Feds still don't
know who done it.
The real news is that the
committee's chief counsel, G.
Robert Blakey, prompted re-
volt among his staff, partially
crippling its effectiveness. He
? has taken the almost unprece-
dented step of ? returning
$425,000 to the United States
Treasury-money that was to
No news is no news
House Assassination Committee:
internecine Bitterness Seen
have financed the investiga-
tion-despite the rife unhap-
piness of staff members who
charge that the investigation
has pulled some punches for
want of funds. (Blakey sup-
porters contend that the com-
mittee was slow in getting
its entire $5 million allotment
by the end of this year.)
him nearly as controversial
Lee Harvey Oswald amon
his own staff. Shortly aft
taking over from former chi
Blakey required all remaini
staff members to sign agre
ments forbidding them fro
even acknowledging their e
ployment by the committed
without permission, and to
disclose immediately any out-
side inquiry. Violation of the
agreement threatens a $5,000
fine and dismissal. Blakey
also circulated guidelines:
"Do not conduct interviews in
your hotel room with a mem-
. do not discuss or get in-
volved in political or con-
troversial topics with any-
one."
Blakey has been as cozy
has been Draconian with,-l?is
Approved For Release 2004/07/08
staff. Several staff members
have either been fired or
talked into resigning because
the FBI would not clear them,
often for unstated or ambi
ous_xeaso
er staffers,
who are ill pending CIA
clearance, have not been
allowed any access to clas-
sified material. And those who
owe o read CIA docu-
ments, staffers charge, must
submit any notes they make to
t e C% or review. Blakey,
who has refused to call former
CIA director Richard Helms
as a witness, once said of in-
telligence agencies, "You
don't think they'd lie to me,
do you? I've been working
with those people for twenty
years."
m
i
A fo
pnc
ect
R
rc
un
20 years-fr,
of the fence
nedy's stri
ized crime
mer the di
Institute on Or
he has enjoyed
a crusader agai
seemed to swit
some staffers ar
e right side
er Special
on organ-
last sum-
of Cornell's
nized Crime.
reputation as
1976, he
sides, and
wondering
n was the
La Costa
-RDP81 M008.80R000600210029-2 t
v. Penthouse Magazine suit,
the largest such libel action
ever. In an article on the Cali-
fornia resort. Penthouse had
alleged that La Costa had con-
nections to organized crime;
and La Costa's suit
was widely regarded as a dec-
laration of war by the alleged
racketeers -- Moe Dalitz
among --Them-against the
press. Blakey. in his 22-page
flidavit, fired off several
ounds in that war. He wrote:
'My own view. based on my
eading the. article, the motion
apers and my acquaintance
ith the vast popular and Seri-
us literature of organized
rime.' is that the La Costa
rticle published by Penthouse
apparently a prime cxample:
the counterproductive sear.-
tionalisrn serious specialism
hor. . . . It is clear to me
at their good faith is serious.
in question and that their
onduct appears reckless in
the extreme. Consequently,
the action should properly go
to trial."
By arguing on the side of al.
leged racketeers, rather than
sitting on the sidelines.in such
a major suit, Blakey raises
questions about his resolution
in investigating organized-
tions-questions not unlike
those about his resolution in
CIA and the FBI.