LETTER TO THE HONORABLE JAMES A. BAKER III FROM WILLIAM J. CASEY REGARDING CIA ASSISTANCE OF SUBCOMMITTEE IN ITS EXAMINATION OF FOREIGN INVESTMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83M00914R002100160060-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2007
• Sequence Number: 60
• Publication Date: February 15, 1982
• Content Type: LETTER

Approvg~Qr Release 2007/03103 :CIA-RDP83M00914R00210016006
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 Approved For Release 2007/03703: CIA-RDP83M0~~,4R0021~169.Q60-0 s ~ ~,
15 .February 1982
Honorable James A. Baker III
Chief of Staff
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Since 1979 the CIA has been cooperating with the
Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer and Monetary Affairs of
the House Committee on Government Operations, chaired by
Representative Benjamin S. Rosenthal, to assist the Subcom-
mittee in its examination of foreign investments in the
United States. In that connection, the Agency has made
available to Mr_ Rosenthal 17 classified documents with the
understanding that the classification of this material be
respected.
The Agency's 1979 Understanding with Mr. Rosenthal, a
copy of which is enclosed at Tab A, set up procedures whereby
the documents would be reviewed for declassification in the
eventuality that the Subcommittee wished to make public any
of the information furnished to the Subcommittee by the
CIA. The Understanding further provides that, if Mr. Rosenthal
and the DCI are unable to agree as to which material may be
made public, Mr. Rosenthal may inform the President of the
information which the Subcommittee wishes to disclose and
may disclose such material unless the President, within 10
working days, personally states his objections and the
reasons therefor. Thereafter, pursuant to the Understanding,
the Subcommittee may refer the question of disclosure to the
House of Representatives.
Pursuant to that Understanding, Mr. Rosenthal requested
that the documents be declassified. The Agency, thereupon,
reviewed these documents for declassification, declassified
portions of the material,, but informed Mr. Rosenthal that
much of the material required continued classification.
Because of Mr. Rosenthal's dissatisfaction with our efforts,
I had called together a group of very senior, qualified
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officials in the Agency and the Departments of State and
Treasury to conduct a renewed declassification review of the
material which, in general, affirmed the findings of the
original review and I have informed Mr. Rosenthal accordingly.
Please note my letter at Tab B.
Although I had earlier informed Mr. Rosenthal that this
review by the group of senior Agency officials was underway,
Mr. Rosenthal apparently did not wish to await the results
of that review and sent a letter to the President on 9 February,
a copy of r~ahich is enclosed at Tab C. Mr. Rosenthal in that
letter invokes the provision in the 1979 Memorandum of
Understanding whereby Mr. Rosenthal could appeal to the
President. The 10-working-day deadline by which the President
should reply to Mr. Rosenthal's letter expires on 24 February.
I suggest the prudent course to follow would be to have
the President reply to Mr. Rosenthal?s 9 February letter
since it is possible that Mr. Rosenthal would, indeed,
publish the 17 classified documents, as he suggests, if the
President .does not reply. Enclosed at Tab D is a suggested
draft of a letter by the President to Mr. Rosenthal.
Be assured that I have taken steps that no agreements
like that with Mr. Rosenthal will be entered into henceforth
unless the President's specific authority is obtained in
advance.
Sincerely,
n
~~/I, G~ ~5~~~~~ ~o
William J. Casey
Director of Central Intelligence
Enclosures
Approved For Release 2007/03103: CIA-RDP83M00914R002100160060-0