GATES MEETS WITH TOP REAGAN AIDES ON CIA POST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-01448R000301290073-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2012
• Sequence Number: 73
• Publication Date: March 2, 1987
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
\ Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/16: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301290073-4
2 March 1987
GATES MEETS WITH TOP REAGAN AIDES ON CIA POST
WASHINGTON
FIE ONO
Acting CIA Director Robert Gates conferred today with White House Chief of
Staff Howard Baker and National Security Adviser Frank Carlucci amid indications
Gates would end his bid for Senate confirmation.
Administration and congressional sources said FBI Director William Webster
was among those being considered as a possible replacement for Gates, whose role
in the Iran-contra scandal came under fire at Senate hearings.
But Central Intelligence Agency CIA) spokeswoman Kathy Phersop_said
after Gates' half hour-meeting with Baker and Carlucci that there was "no
change" in the status of the acting director, whom President Reagan nominated to
replace William Casey in February.
Gates, 43, a spy agency career employee, took over as a acting director of
the CIA in December after Casey underwent surgery for a brain tumor. Gates had
been Casey's deputy.
During his confirmation hearings before the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence, some senators questioned whether Gates had been frank in
discussing the extent of his knowledge of the Iran affair. The CIA has been
strongly criticized for its role in the scandal.
Republican leaders yesterday expressed doubts about Gates' nomination.
"The Gates nomination is in trouble," Paul Laxalt, a former senator from
Nevada and Reagan confidant, said. Senate Republican leader Robert Dole said the
nomination "could be in some difficulty."
The Washington Post said Republican leaders had told Reagan that Gates'
nomination would focus additional attention on the Iran affair at a time when
the White House was trying to make a fresh start.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/16: CIA-RDP99-01448R000301290073-4