'A REAL SHOCKER'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100190061-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 14, 2007
• Sequence Number: 61
• Publication Date: February 15, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/03/15: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100190061-7
O:i PAGE
vGE f
ON t! t- -
THE WASHINGTON STAR (GREEN LINE)
15 February 1980
_,Let rS_ 0 editor
Your political editor, Jack-W: Ger-
mond, notes "a-sharp break with
? traditional political practice" aris-
ing out of President- Carter's use of
Director of Central Intelligence
Stansfield Turner and Deputy Secre-
tary of State Warren Christopher as
-"props" in television ads run in sup.
,port of the president's re-election
:campaign in New England (The Star,
Feb. 6):
While Mr. Germond states that
neither Christopher nor Turner
made any partisan statements in this
television commercial - which was
intended to convey difficult presi-
dential decisions in foreign affairs
he then goes onto state that "the
unwritten-rule-in politics has been
that both the. State Department and
the CIA - are kept entirely free of
involvement in partisan politics
To us, as former officials of the
i CIA, this report of the use, of the
CIA's director as a prop in a televi-
sion political commercial is a real'.
shocker - what your editorial on
Feb. 9 rightly calls "distinctly out of.
bounds. , . .
Outofbounds?-
concept that the director, although
he serves- at the pleasure of the-.+
president,.does not occupy apolitical !
Such use of the director has never position, and therefore it would be
occurred. before. The CIA, since its inappropriate for him to submit
establishment in .1947, has made' such a resignation as is traditionally
every attempt to keep out of partisan done by members of the cabinet and
political campaigns,- other than to other senior political appointees.,--
brief the presidential.-nominees-on.,.. -
world-affairs at:the direction of the,,,:. Thus, there was an established
incumbent: president, whether a.--. tradition that the position of direc-
..Republican_or a Democrat___.__._.. -tor of central intelligence is non-
Now, for the.CIA.to find its direc- litical-and should not be involved in.
for in political television commer
cials must be a harrowing experi-
ence for all those-who are laboring
in the intelligence vineyards at
Langley, thinking of themselves, 'as
;your, editorial suggests, as "servants
of the republic rather than members
-of a supporting cast for political
advertising.
aY Let us take this matter one step
further: Commencing with the elec-
tion of 1948 (the first presidential incredible occurrence will not be re-t
election after the establishment of .peated.-- ---_-
the CIA), it has been CIA practice
Lawrence R Houston
.that the director not submit his Former General Counsel, CIA
resignation. following either the re- Pforzheimer,
election of the president or a change. Former Legislative counsel, CIA',
of administration.
";:.?..,,JohnS.WarnerSr. Someof uS were involved in advi
- ;
-
S
F
ormerly Genera; Counsel en
ing CIA directors on this matter over this "` '-ti; ' x LegislalrveCounselCIA:
theyears;..and. we emphasized the , Washington D.C: ,
.any way in partisan politics_Nowto:
find- thar'the present: director has
been a part:of a parti?an campaign
by his.. inclusion,. with or without his
knowledge, in a political television
commercial is. to us absolutely
:abhorrent'.'' Itis demeaning to the American j
people, who have every reason to ex-
pect-that the CIA's director is not en-
meshed in partisan political activity. ,
It is fervently: to be hoped that this