LETTER TO TED WEISS FROM WILLIAM J. CASEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 7, 2008
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 11, 1984
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
Central Intelligence A n y
vonnciosca
0
OLL 84-4621/1
2 1 DEC 1984
The Honorable Ted Weiss
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Weiss:
The letter you sent to the President in early November
expressing concerns over Edgar Chamorro's unfounded allegations
that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) advised FDN officials
to misinform Members of Congress was forwarded to me for a
response. We have looked into Chamorro's allegations and can
find no record or recollection to support these charges, and our
officers deny ever having'counselled or directed FDN officials in
their approach to any Member of Congress.
As you undoubtedly already know, the staff of the House
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence thoroughly
investigated the entire psychological operations manual affair,
which included the allegations made by Mr. Chamorro, concerning
CIA involvement in the lobbying of Congress.
Should you need additional information on this subject, I
respectfully. refer you to.the House Permanent Select Committee
on Intelligence.
Sincerely,
William J. Casey
William J. Casey
Director of Central Intelligence
Distribution:
Original - Addressee
1 - cc: S. Kelley, The White House
1 - DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - EXDIR
,Y- ER (#9941/3)
1 - D/OLL
1 - DD/OLL
1 OLL Record
1 - OLL Chrono
LD/OLL (11 Dec 84)
Retyped:pap (13 Dec 84)
Retyped:pap (18 Dec 84)
C3.
DC25X1
EXEC
REG J
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
TRANSMITTAL SLIP I DATE I
TO:
Executive Registry
ROOM NO. I BUILDING
Your ER# 84-9914/3
ROOM NO. 7B0BUILDING
OLL /Liaison Division
hq
FORM R 36-8
1 FEB 55. 241 WHICH CMAYB EMUS D
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
Iq
Next 2 Page(s) In Document Denied
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4 /
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON. D. C. 20505
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Phone: [phone]
29 November 1984
Mr. Morton H. Halperin
Center for National Security Studies
122 Maryland Ave. N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
Dear Mr. Halperin:
Thank you for your letter of 13 November 1984 to Director
Casey.
Si ncerely,
Georg V. Lauder
Director, Public Affairs
Distribution:
Original - addressee
1 - ER #84-9914/a
1 - PAO Registry #84-0442
2 - PAO files. .
Approved in draft by D/OLL (Mr. Briggs)
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
1
DCI
2
DDCI
3
EXDIR
4
D/ICS
5
DDI
6
DDA
7
DDO
8
DDS&T
9
Chm/NIC
10
GC
11
IG
(.1
4S
12
Compt
D/Pers
f
D/OLL
5
D/PAO
16
SA/IA
17
AO/DCI
18
C/IPD IS
19
20
21
22
Dote
Remarks
- F'or a ;~r aria action an.t lirect r?3s f.:se
t r' c2 ssarv.
(Per Mr. Lauder, 23 Nov 84, no response wil
be made3
1. .cv
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
Center forNational Security Studies
November 13, 1984
Mr. William J. Casey
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Dear Director Casey:
We write to express our concern about recent allegations
made by Mr. Edgar Chamorro of the Nicaraguan Democratic Front
(FDN) and published in It& New York Times of November 1,
1984. According to Mr. Chamorro, the Central Intelligence Agency
has instructed officials of the FDN to misrepresent FDN policy in
statements to the press in order to influence the Congress of the
United States; has paid FDN officials to travel to Washington in
order to lobby Members of Congress and instructed the FDN
officials what to say and-what not to say to Members; and has
even provided'FDN officials with what appear to be rudimentary
psychological profiles of some Members of Congress.
We believe that such actions by the CIA violate the law.
We therefore request that the Inspector General of the Central
Intelligence Agency conduct an investigation to determine:
1) whether Mr. Chamorro's allegations are true; and if so
2) the further extent, if any, of improper efforts by
the CIA to influence the domestic political process;
3) the extent and purposes of psychological profiling and
other collection of intelligence information by the
CIA concerning Members of Congress;
4) whether the activities investigated involved
violations of law or executive order; and
5) what corrective action has been taken or is planned
in connection with any such illegal or improper
activities.
We also request that the Agency issue a public report concerning
the results of its investigation.
As you know, Executive Order 12333 on United States
122 Maryland Avenue N.E. ? Washington, D.C. 20002 ? [phone]
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
Intelligence Activities prohibits the conduct of special
activities that are "intended to influence United States
political processes, public opinion, policies, or media." The
covert operation described by the Times has precisely that
purpose.
The operation was also clearly a "significant anticipated
intelligence activity." Since it is hard to imagine that the
Agency told the House and Senate intelligence committees that the
U.S. Congress was the target of a planned domestic covert
operation, we believe that the CIA may have violated section
501(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947, which requires
the Director of Central Intelligence to inform the Committees in
advance of any significant intelligence activity. The CIA may
also have violated section 501(a)(3) of that Act, which requires
the Agency to inform the Committees in a timely fashion of any
illegal intelligence activity.
Finally, officials of the CIA who provided assistance to
lobbying efforts by the FDN or other Nicaraguan insurgent groups
may nave violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which
requires persons acting within the United States in the interests
of a foreign principal to register with the Attorney General.
We consider the covert operation described by T I
York Times a serious affront to the democratic process of the
United States. We urge you to investigate the matter and to
ensure that any illegal or improper activities are immediately
brought to an end and that in the future the CIA adheres to the
law.
Sincerely,
Morton H. Halperin
enclosure: article from Thl Zw York Times of November It 1984
cc: John Stein, Inspector General
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
plane so side NtWy co
u, but etthey~ le took al.
in
most a year to get us one, and it was so
old and that we called it the rusty peli-
can," Mr. Chamorro said.
The plane was a World War II vin-
tage Douglas DC.3, and one rebel offi-
cer,. on a visit to Washington, ruefully
noted that a DC-3 hung from the ceiling
in the Smithsonian's Air and Space Mu-
seum.
By mid-1983, Mr. Chamorro and
other officers said, they began debat-
Lgg C.I.A.'s role in their struggle.
t"'they were paying us to fight, but
they weren't letting us win," Mr. Cha-
morro said. "Many Nicaraguans were
being killed for the goals of a larger
East-West confrontation that had noth.
ing to do with us.':)
ButMr. Cdllejas, while acknowledg
ing. that- "there was disagreement
abort our goals," said: "We had noth-
ing to complain about. We knew from
the beginnfixg
funat the."U.S. Congress
appnr?ed the s for.
When some rebel leaders corhplained
to the C.I.A. agents, Mr. Chamorro
said. "they'd say things like: 'That's a
very good point' or 'interesting idea' "
whey were always eyasive," _~he
Bal
Last fall. the rebel officers said, the
C.I.A. Increased its staff in Honduras
to 25 or 30 people, including secretaries
and support personnel. They had their
own headquarters in a Tegucigalpa
bousIL
At about the same time, Mr. Kirkpat-
rick arrived, and after spending a few
days observing the rebels' psychologi-
warfare ashingtonwhere he ssppe tt abhe flew
out 10
days, Mr. Chamorro said. When Mr.
K tpatrireturned, he began work manual.
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
SUSNN
M.
Executive Secretary
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
1
DCI
2
DDCI
3
EXDIR
4
D/ICS
5
DDI
6
DDA
7
DDO
8
DDS&T
9
Chm/NIC
10
GC
11
IG
12
Compt
13
D/Pers
14
D/OLL
15
D/PAO
16
SA/IA
-
7
AO/DCI
18
C/IPD/OIS
19
20
21
22
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
5:
D/ICS
DDI
DDA:`
Compt
C/IPD/OIS
19
20
21
22,
'
Approved For Release 2008/11/07:
CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
 Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002_4
DANIEL P. MOYNIHAN
"NEW YORK
'1 Cnif ea Ziatez Zonate
November 9, 1984
On November 1, Joel Brinkley of the New York Times reported
an interview with Edgar Chamorro of the Nicaraguan Democratic
Force. Mr. Chamorro said it was a routine for CIA officers to
arrange visits between FDN officers and members of Congress and
for the FDN officers to be briefed on characteristics of those
members and what to say to them.
Mr. Chamorro noted, for instance, that he was told by a CIA
agent that Representative Geraldine Ferraro was "very, very
liberal" and "impressionalbe on religious issues." The full passage
is as follows:
Visits to Capital Recounted
Agency personnel frequently arranged for rebel
officers to fly to Washington, where they would visit
members of Congress "to lobby," Mr. Chamorro said.
"They would tell us which senators and congressmen
to see and what to say," and the CIA officers would
brief the rebels when members of Congress came to
Honduras on fact-finding trips.
Mr. Chamorro, who frequently consulted old appointment
books to refresh his memory as he talked last week,
pointed to one page where he had noted a CIA agent's
briefing on Representative Geraldine Ferraro, who was
planning a trip to Honduras last spring.
The notation said: "Very, very liberal" and "impres-
sionable on religious issues."
If substantially accurate, these charges reflect an invasion of
the privacy of members of Congress and improper conduct about which
the intelligence oversight committees of the Congress have to inquire.
Are the charges substantially accurate? Were officers of the FDN
directed to meet with members of Congress and coached beforehand? If
so, please furnish a list of the members of Congress targetted for such
meetings and the characterizations made about these members.
Sincerely,
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Honorable William J. Casey
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
Approved For Release 2008/11/07: CIA-RDP86M00886R001200330002-4
DOI