REIMBURSEMENT FOR CALLING CARDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00709R000400070033-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 5, 2001
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: December 13, 1948
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2001/09/03 : CIA-RDP84-00709R000400070033-6
OGC HAS REVIEWED.
j"-"
A., ?
CARDS
Approved For Release 2001/09/
?
8FD
Via: DAD80
Office of the General Counsel
Reimbure?-nent for Calling Cards
STATINTL
STATINTL
STATINTL
STATINTL
13 December 1948
1. Your memorandum of 3 December 1948, has. raised
the question of the legality of payments nada to employeos
of this A e y for the purchase of
In late 1946 and ear
untlersttnding thrt the indivridualt Iti
It is our
ed had been
ale the cards
were conside sary expense incidental to their
employment. Vouchers for the purchase of the cards were
processed throagh the proper channels and were approved
by the Foreigt Branch Chief coneero,d. The practice. of
approving the purchase of such card3 was later discontinued
on the informal advice of legal counscl. rormAl opinion of
legal counsel has now been quetec th regatei to the
propriety of the payments already wide'.
2. The advisability of procuring *abject cards was
an administrative matter and was not in contravention to
any ruleb and regulations of the Agency existing at the
tine. The peculiar nature of this Agency necestarily
reaulres certain Governmental expenditures which would
otherwise be considared personal. 'Although, as a matter
of practlue, the ca-thodox members of the Poreign 5ervlee
supply their own cards, there was 'no rostrAct1onCnthitv-7-
Agency t, prevent the purchase of the-cards when tt-was
considered a justifiable expense. . The later dee:talon not
to Tchase them was simply a reveTsal of an administrativo,
policy, and it does not seem legally 7,ecessary to_queation
the paytents now. 113 the Comptroller General indiented in
his opinion in 18 Comptroller leneral 5791 it is zot the
responsibility of accounting ofricera to determine adniwt
istrotive needs but to sea that the work in respectfFto
such nes is complied with and that appropriate monied,
are net x.pended in violation of applicable statutoil.
Thera does not appear to be any vi,lation in this situation.
STATINTL
Approved For Release 2001/09/03 : CIA-RDP84-00709R000400070033-6