F.B.I. ASKED TO STUDY LEAKS OF DATA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100030043-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: September 29, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sl Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100030043-1
ARTICLE EARED
ON PAGE
NEW YORK TIMES
29 September 1983
F.B.L Asked to Study Leaks of Data
WASHINGTON, Sept..28 (UPI) -
Commerce Secretary Malcolm Bald-
rige has asked the Federal Bureau of
Investigation to investigate leaks of
secret Government economic statis-
tics, the department said today.
The action was taken after publica-
tion today by The Washington Post of
a breakdown of the elements of the
preliminary, or "flash," report on the
growth of the gross national product
in the third quarter. Although the
overall estimate of a 7 percent annual
growth rate in the July-September
quarter was made public Sept. 21, the
figures that supported the estimate
"Leaks of confidential statistics
can erode the reputation of the U.S.
statistical system - a reputation for
honesty and reliability that has been
built and maintained for many
years," Mr. Baldrige said.
The "flash" is the earliest estimate
by the Government of economic
growth and is used internally -by the
Government to gauge tax receipts
and expenditures. It is followed after
the quarter ends. by morez complete
reports.
The Washington Post report said
half the gain in third quarter resulted
from the rebuilding of inventories; in
the second quarter, only about one`
third of the period's 9.7 percent
growth rate was attributed to this ac-
ti B Jay Cooper, .spokesman for the
.department, said there had also been
"several instances of premature re-
lease of information" from other re?
ports.
The department earlier this week
considered moving. the release time
for the report due Friday on August's
leading economic indicators to before
the stock markets open. Department
officials said they were told the July
figure had been known` to a market
trader before its release time of 10
A.M., Eastern daylight time. ,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/09: CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100030043-1