BRIEFING OF CONGRESSMAN DON EDWARDS ON AGENCY POLICY AND USE OF ACADEMICS AND SCHOLARS BY CONTRACT TO CONDUCT STUDIES OR EVALUATE MATERIALS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90B01390R000801080030-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 2011
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: May 14, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/08: CIA-RDP90BO139OR000801080030-0
OCA 86-1812
14 May 1986
SUBJECT: Briefing of Congressman Don Edwards on Agency Policy
and Use of Academics and Scholars by Contract to
Conduct Studies or Evaluate Materials
1. On 14 May 1986 representatives of the Agency met with Congressman
Edwards in his office at his request to provide an unclassified briefing on
the above subject. Representing the Agency were: H. Boatner (DDI),
(OCA). Accompanying
Representative Edwards were Catherine LeRoy, Counsel to the Subcommittee on
Civil and Constitutional Rights and James Demsey, a staff member of that
subcommittee. Congressman Edwards chairs the Subcommittee on Civil and
Constitutional Rights.
2. Using the answers that we provided to Edwards in his previous letter
of inquiry concerning CIA contracts with academics and scholars for various
studies, Ms. Boatner explained the four types of contracts we utilize and the
circumstances under which each is us of the contract categories
included the type used to emplo at Harvard University. This led
to a discussion of the DDCI's speech at Harvard regarding Agency policy and
practice in contracting work by academics and scholars for studies and
evaluations. The subcommittee staff had thoroughly reviewed the DDCI's
statement and asked two questions, both of which were answered satisfactorily.
3. Mr. Nelson was interested in the number of contracts in each of the
four categories. Ms. Boatner supplied the numbers and explained the secrecy
clauses and publication review requirements in connection with those
contractors that had access to classified material. She also explained why we
were unable to provide any exact answer to a category of contract in which
written material may have reached the public because there was no way in which
the Agency is able to keep track of such material. Subcommittee staff said
that the purpose of this question was to determine whether such untracked
materials were actually propaganda efforts inside the U.S. by the Agency.
Ms. Boatner, in detail, clarified and illuminated the nature and purpose of
this "suspect" category by indicating that they were nearly all scientific,
engineering, technical or economic in nature. Furthermore, she noted that a
number of these personal services contracts resulted in no writing at all but
were merely evaluative. Mr. Edwards appreciated our dilemma and appeared
satisfied with our answers in this regard.
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4. Next, Edwards said that he was interested in the extent to which the
CIA had published abroad with the specific design and purpose of that
Dublication finding its way to the United States for propaganda purposes.
replied that such actions were prohibited under E.O. 12333.
During the-course of this conversation Edwards was extremely critical of the
FBI tactic of questioning U.S. persons who had returned from Nicaragua. He
continued that the frame of such questioning was intimidating and said it had
a "chilling" effect on the rights of U.S. citizens. He said he hoped that the
CIA was not en a ed in similar activity. Ms. Boatner clarified the work and
purpose of efforts, and that this has been a practice that has been
ongoing since a the formation of the Agency. She emphasized that
solicitation of such information was entirely voluntary and methods used were
low key and never threatening.
5. The briefing ended on a discussion of the extent to which academic and
scholastic materials are pre-reviewed by the Agency before publication.
Edwards said that he was satisfied with our briefing, and the meeting
concluded after about an hour.
Distribution:
Original - OCA/LEGIS/Subject File PROCUREMENT
1 - D/OCA
1 - ExO/OCA
1 - OCA Registry
1 - JE Si er
OCA/Leg (pap) (29 May 1986)
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/08: CIA-RDP90BO139OR000801080030-0