LETTER TO WILLIAM J. HUGHES FROM ROBERT M. GATES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90G01353R001400120003-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2013
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: September 30, 1988
• Content Type: LETTER

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ROUTING AND
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Testimony of CIA Official! m l?Oc
(13)
FROM:
John L. Helgerson
Director of Congressional
Affairs
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
1. Deputy Director of
Central Intelligence
DATE
I EXTENSION NO.
DATE
30 September 1988
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from wh
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comm
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OntraMmdipmaAgng
NtiNhinpon D C 20505
OCA 3289-88
The Honorable William J. Hughes
Chairman
Subcommittee on Crime
Committee on the Judiciary
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
30 SEP 1988,
This is in response to your letter of 27 September 1988
requesting that the Central Intelligence Agency provide an
appropriate witness to testify before your Subcommittee on
4 October to discuss allegations of drug trafficking by the
Nicaraguan Contras. While I-certainly understand the
importance of the investigation you are conducting, I do not
believe it would be appropriate for a CIA official to testify
before your Subcommittee on this subject.
Intelligence information concerning drug trafficking by
specific individuals invariably involves sensitive intelligence
sources. Testimony regarding the extent of our knowledge
regarding such drug trafficking, therefore, could identify
intelligence sources and would be inconsistent with the
Director's legal responsibility to protect intelligence sources
and methods.
Even if the hearing were closed to the public and media, I
would still have concerns about autho,riting an Agency official
to testify. We have in the past confined disclosure of highly
classified and source-sensitive information to the Intelligence
Committees. In this instance, we have briefed the House and
Senate Intelligence- Committees extensively on our knowledge of
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allegations of drug trafficking by members of the Nicaraguan
Resistance. I would suggest that you contact the House
Intelligence Committee regarding their investigation of this
matter.
Should your investigation unearth new information or
significant questions that the House Intelligence Committee has
not considered, I suggest that you pass that new information to
that Committee. We would be happy to appear before the House
Intelligence Committee to discuss this issue further if they
request us to do so.
Sincerely,
is/ Retut M. Cates
Robert M. Gates
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
DAXYVJUI,
Distribution:
Orig - addressee
1 - ECCI
1 - EXDIR
30 Sep 88
)1i:7=-Ekecutive Registry
1- D/OCA
1 -J1m/ocA
- Ciihrono
1 - OCA Records
1 - OCA/LEG Subj. File
OCARead
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CF7NTRAL INTELLIGENCE Appscy
Director of Congressional Affairs
OCA 88-3262
30 September 1988
NOTE TO DDCI
Bob:
If possible, I would like to discuss the
attached letter with you early this afternoon.
My strong inclination is to decline this
invitation. I have also sent this letter to
the DO.
'John A Helgerson
,Attachment
cc: EXDIR (Watt)
DO (Watt)
Distribution:
Original - DDCI,
1 -. EXDIR
c-71-11-1
1 - OCA Record
1 - JLH Chrono
STAT
, DCI
EXEC
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OTTE. vK Ft0E5INO JR
>OS TEXAS
BIR W ELATEHMEIER, WISCONSIN
DOH EDWARDS CALIFORNIA
JOHN CONKERS. JR.. MICHIGAN
KKOKAAJNO I MAZZOLI. KENTUCK v
WILLIAM J HUGHES. NEW JERSEY
MIKE SYNAF. OKLAHOMA
PATRICIA SCHROEDER. COLORADO
DAN GLICKMAJ, KAJ4SAS
LARNE, FRANK. MASSACHUSETTS
CEO W CROCKM. JR MICHIGAN
CHARLES E SCHUMER_ NEW YORK
BRUCE A MORRISOK. CONNECTICUT
E.DwAJc., FUGHAN OHIO
LAwRS NCI J Sum,. ILOEUDA
HOwalIm L liERKKAN CAL IKORKRK
NCK 150iJCHER. ViRGIKRK
HARLE, 0 STAGGERS. JR . WEST ViRGtNi?
JOHN BRTANT. TEXAS
SEIQA.laiN C CANDift, MARYLAND
NEW A PtStr. CHAIRMAN
NAA,KILTON FISH. JR NEW YORK
CARLOS .1 MOORHEAD. CALIFORNIA
HENRY J HYDE. ILLINOIS
DAN LUNGRIN. CALIFORNIA
F JAMES SEMSENBRENNER. JR.. WISCONSIN
DILI IWCOU.Lni. FLORIDA
E CLAY SHAW, JR.. FLORIDA
GEORGE w GEKAS. PENNSYLVANIA
\MCRAE" WHINE, OHIO
WILLIAM E DANNEADYER. CALIFORNIA
PATRICK L SYVINDALL GEORGIA
HOWARD COBLE. NORTH CAROLINA
FRENcu SLAUGHTER, JR., VIRGINIA
LAMAR S SMITH. TEXAS
September 27, 1988
11.6.f4ouge of RepresSentatibeB
Committee on tbe Yubiciarp
agbington, 13C 20515-6216
Macao= 202-225-3951
Judge William H. Webster
Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, DC 20505
Dear Judge Webster:
SA ELAINE WELKE
STAN, DIRECTOR
ARTHUR P SNORES. JR
ASSOCIATE COUNSEL
ALAN F. COFFIN', JR
The Subcommittee on Crime of the House Committee on the Judiciary
is conducting an important oversight investigation regarding the
enforcement of Federal laws concerning narcotics, firearms, and
money laundering laws.
I believe the Central Intelligence Agency can
information to assist the Subcommittee in its
In this regard I request that the CIA provide
witness to testify before the Subcommittee at
for 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 4, 1988.
provide significant
important work.
an appropriate
a hearing scheduled
The witness should be prepared to discuss allegations of drug
trafficking by the Nicaraguan Contras. A July 1986 State
Department report indicates that the U.S. intelligence community
had developed information regarding drug trafficking by persons
associated with the contras. The witness will be asked to
provide substantive information related to that report, and
information regarding the narcotics related reports that were
passed on to law enforcement.
The Committee on the Judiciary has legislative and oversight
responsibility for Federal narcotics laws and their enforcement.
The Agency on -a number of occasions has stated to the Congress
that it promptly turned over to the Justice Department
information relative to drug trafficking connected to the
Nicaraguan conflict. It is concerning these law enforcement
matters that we are asking the CIA to provide information to this
Subcommittee.
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,Tudge Webster, September 27, 19_88_, _Page 2
Anyi 'questions regarding this matter can be directed to
Subcommittee Counsel Hayden Gregory or Investigator Jim Dahl at
225-1695. Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated.
Sincere
William J. Hughes
Chairman
Subcommittee on Crime
WJH:jd
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ER 88-3673X
STAT
ExecGtive Secretary
3 Oct '88
Date
ni,n7 (10-81)
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Yrdm: -,Tonn L. Heigerson So
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plan to prepare an
answer for signature.
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We plan to prepare an
answer for my signature.
No answer expected or required
John, I prefer to
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ER 88-3673X
STAT
"RA17 (10-81)
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Execatiye Secretary
3 Oct '88
? Date
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Washington D C 20505
OCA 88-0516
2 3 FEB 1988
The Honorable William J. Hughes
Chairman
Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittee on Crime
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
The Director has asked me to respond to your.11 February 1988
letter requesting certain records in connection with your .
investigation of the enforcement of Federal laws regarding
narcotics, firearms and money laundering.
The records that you have requested all relate to matters
that have been investigated by the House and Senate Iran/Contra
Committees. All CIA documents relevant to these matters have
already been made available to the select committees.
Accordingly, I .believe that the most expeditious manner to
proceed would be for you to obtain relevant CIA documents
directly from the House select committee. It is our understanding
that these documents have been indexed by the select committee ?
and thus should be readily retrievable from the record repository
of the Committee. The documents that originated from CIA will be
readily identifiable because they have been all copied on paper
that identifies the CIA as the originator of the document.
I want to emphasize that almost all the CIA documents
provided to the select committee in their full text are
classified. It will, therefore, be necessary to ensure that
not only your staff have the appropriate clearance to review the
documents, but that the documents are stored in a facility that
meets the security standards for protection of this information.
We are particularly concerned about Top Secret documents, which
must be stored in areas that meet stringent security requirements.
I would urge that your staff review this Top Secret material in
the offices of the select committee. We are prepared to assist
your staff in ensuring that appropriate security standards are
adhered to in handling the CIA documents.
I appreciate your offer for the staff of the subcommittee
tc meet with us to discuss the necessary restrictions against
dissemination of sensitive intelligence materials. I suggest
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that before such a meeting is arranged, your staff review the
relevant documents in the possession of the select committee and)
identify those documents that may need to be disseminated beyond
those cleared individuals on the staff of your Committee.
Finally, I note that your letter also requests information on
records in the possession of the National Security Agency "or any
other United States intelligence operation or bureau." Since
each Federal agency had separate responsibilities for providing
,pertinent information to the Iran/Contra investigating
committees, I suggest that you communicate directly with NSA and
these other agencies on this issue.
If you have any further questions on these matters your staff
may contact my Deputy, who served as the Agency's
focal point with the House and Senate Iran/Contra Committees.
telephone number is:
Sinrprplv
//John L. Helgerson
Directbr of Congressional Affairs
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1 - DD/HA/OCA
FYI)_
(a-1--?b 1.-ference/ACTION#O-CA- 0609X-88)
1 - OCA Le? Subject File: Select Conunittee(s)
OCA/Leg (22 February 1988)
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HUNDREDTH CONGRESS ER 0609X-88 U ELAINE WELKE
PETER W RODINO, JR..
JACK BROOKS. TEXAS
ROBERT W. KASTENMEIER. WISCONSIN
DON EDWARDS. CALIFORNIA
JOHN CONYERS, JR.. MICHIGAN
ROMANO L MAZZOLI. KENTUCKY
WILLIAM J. HUGHES. NEW JERSEY
MIKE SYNAR. OKLAHOMA
PATRICIA SCHROEDER. COLORADO
DAN GLICKMAN. KANSAS
BARNEY FRANK. MASSACHUSETTS
GEO. W. CROCKETT. JR.. MICHIGAN
CHARLES E. SCHUMER. NEW YORK
BRUCE A. MORRISON. CONNECTICUT
EDWARD F. FEIGHAN. OHIO
LAWRENCE J. SMITH, FLORIDA
HOWARD L. BERMAN, CALIFORNIA
RICK BOUCHER, VIRGINIA
HARLEY O. STAGGERS. JR.. WEST VIRGINIA
JOHN BRYANT. TEXAS
BENJAMIN L CARDIN, MARYLAND
NEW JERSEY. CHAIRMAN
HAMILTON FISH. JR. NEW YORK
CARLOS J. MOORHEAD. CALIFORNIA
HENRY J. HYDE, ILLINOIS
DAN LUNGREN. CALIFORNIA
F JAMES SENSENBRENNER. JR., WISCONSIN
BILL McCOLLUM. FLORIDA
E CLAY SHAW. JR_ FLORIDA
GEORGE W. GEKAS. PENNSYLVANIA
MICHAEL DEWINE OHIO
WILLIAM L DANNEMEYER. CALIFORNIA
PATRICK L. SWINDALL. GEORGIA
HOWARD COBLE, NORTH CAROLINA
D. FRENCH SLAUGHTER, JR., VIRGINIA
LAMAR S. SMITH. TEXAS
Judge William H. Webster
Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20505
Dear Judge Webster:
jliousk of Repraentatiba
committee on tbe jubiciarp
assbington, 3DC 20515-6216
ttelepbone: 202-225-3951
February 11, 1988
STAFF DIRECTOR
ARTHUIRIDRES.JR
ASSOCIATE COUNSEL
ALAN F COFFEY JR
Pursuant to Article I of the Constitution of the United
States and the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Subcommittee on Crime of the House Committee on the Judiciary is
conducting an oversight investigation of the enforcement of
Federal laws regarding narcotics, firearms and money laundering.
On or about March 31, 1986, Assistant United States Attorney
for the Southern District of Florida, Jeffrey Feldman, met in the
U.S. Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica with U.S. Ambassador Lewis
Tambs and CIA Chief of Station Joseph Fernandez concerning an
investigation Mr. Feldman was conducting in Costa Rica in which
he discussed the alleged role of Lt. Col. Oliver North and his
associate Robert Owen, among others, in providing arms to the
Nicaraguan resistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Feldman was
accompanied by two special agents of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation, George Kiszynski and Kevin Currier. It has been
alleged that participants in that arms supply operation have had
some form of complicity with the traffic in illegal narcotics,
money laundering or violations of Federal firearms and export
control laws. The notebooks of Lt. Col. North indicate that on
that day Mr. Fernandez called him to report on this investigation
into the Contra supply network.
To carry out its investigation, the Subcommittee needs from
the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, or
any other United States intelligence operation or bureau, a copy
of all records and communications they have concerning this
meeting and the subjects discussed at that meeting: an alleged
plot to assassinate Ambassador Tambs; an alleged plot to blow up
the U.S. Embassy in San Jose; and the activities of Lt. Col.
Oliver North and Robert Owen and their associates in providing
lethal assistance to Nicaraguan Contras after passage of the
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Judge Webster, February 11, 1988, page 2
Boland Amendment. In particular, the Subcommittee would like a
copy of any communications, or notes on such communications, from
Ambassador Tambs, Chief of Station Joseph Fernandez, or any one
else in Costa Rica to any personnel of the CIA and any other U.S.
intelligence operatives relating to the investigation being
conducted by Messrs. Feldman, Kiszynski and Currier.
Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. If
you have provided any of these documents to the House Select
Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions With Iran,
please let me know just which documents you provided so that I
may obtain them from that Committee without troubling you
further.
The staff of the Subcommitte on Crime, which has been issued
top secret clearances, is prepared to meet with your General
Counsel to discuss the necessary restrictions against
disseminating sensitive intelligence materials. I wish to stress
that the Subcommittee on Crime places the highest priority on
protecting the integrity and confidentiality of intelligence
sources, procedures and operations, law enforcement
investigations and prosecutions, and protecting the security and
confidentiality of law enforcement data.
WJH:ees
Sinc ely your
ii lam J. Hu.ies
Chairman
Subcommittee on Crime
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STAT
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Executive Secretary
17 Feb 88
Dote
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From: John Helgerson
476:9
We plan to prepare an
answer for your signature.
/We plan to prepare an
answer for my signature.
No answer expected or required
John, I prefer to
41It
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