35, CIA CONFIRMS VENTURA MEETING OCCURRED
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35. CIA confirms Ventura meeting occurred
Tim Pugmire, Minnesota.PublicRadio.org, 3 January 2008
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The St. Paul Pioneer Press offered a sneak peek Thursday Jesse Ventura's forthcoming boos
"Don't Start the Revolution Without Me." In one excerpt, Ventura describes a post-inaugural
meeting with CIA agents. He also claims a CIA operative was on the state payroll. Even a
Ventura confidant is questioning the account. But the surprising revelations are at least
partially true.
St. Paul, Minn. -- Shortly after taking office in 1999, Jesse Ventura writes he was asked to attend a
meeting at the state Capitol. He says 23 CIA agents were waiting for him in a basement conference
room.
Ventura's account of the meeting is detailed in an advance copy of his new book, which is schedule,
for release in April. He claims the agents' questions focused how he campaigned for office, or as
Ventura writes "how had the independent wrestler candidate pulled this off?"
Memories can fade after nine years, but a meeting with 23 CIA agents is something that might stanc
out. John Wodele, who served as Ventura's director of communications, said the meeting was news
to him.
"I don't recall any indication that the governor had met with a CIA agent," he said. "Now, that doesn'
mean it didn't happen. But I was not aware of it.
Turns out there actually was a Ventura meeting with the CIA in 1999. CIA Spokesman George Little
confirmed the event today in a written statement, but he offered few details.
Little said that "on occasion CIA officers meet with senior state government officials, as they did in
this case, to discuss issues of mutual interest."
Little shed less light on another revelation in Ventura's book. The former Independence Party
governor says he was "stunned to learn that there is a CIA operative inside every state government.
Ventura says the Minnesota operative was a deputy commissioner, who was working with a dual
identity.
In response to a question about Ventura's claim, Little wrote, "I wouldn't think of CIA officers as bein
in state governments. They're federal employees."
John Wodele said it would seem unusual that a CIA agent would be working in state government.
"If that did happen, I'm not aware of it," he said. "And I guess that would be that way it should be. I
think the CIA is supposed to operate that way, where directors of communication are not made
aware."
CIA operations primarily focus on the collection and analysis of information about foreign threats to
the United States. Domestic matters fall into the jurisdiction of the FBI.
Former Republican U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger is questioning Ventura's claims. Durenberger, whc
spent eight years on the Senate intellegence committee, says he never heard of CIA operatives in
ClAconfirmsVenturameetingoccurred.htm 5/26/2009
Media Highlights - CIA confirms Ventura meeting occurred Page 2 of 2
state governments or agents grilling new governors.
"I cannot think of a reason why either the details of, or his personal experiences with how he got
elected would do anything for understanding threats to the United States and to our national securit,
policy presented by foreign agents," he said. "It doesn't jibe. Unless Jesse had another life that he
either wrote about in this book or has yet to disclose to us prior to becoming our governor. It sort of
like blows even my imagination to think of how this could be a reality."
CIA finances and personnel are classified. But Durenberger said he thinks the agency would be
stretched to assign operatives to every state capitol and send 23 agents to attend the same meetinc
It's unclear whether the current administration has any dealings with the CIA. Brian McClung, a
spokesman for Gov. Tim Pawlenty, said the governor talks on occasion with diplomatic, defense any
intelligence officials. But he said Pawlenty does not comment on matters relating to intelligence.
Minnesota Public Radio ?2008 All rights reserved
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