CONVERSATION WITH CHAIRMAN LUCIEN NEDZI, INTELLIGENCE SUBCOMMITTEE, HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01482351
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 7, 2017
• Case Number: F-2007-00094
• Publication Date: December 27, 1973

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
OLC 73-1477
27 December 1973
SUBJECT: Conversation with Chairman Lucien Nedzi, Intelligence
Subcommittee, House Armed Services Committee
1. Today I called Chairman Nedzi and brought him up-to-date on
the information developed by the IG Staff on the material which the DO
Division picked up from Senator Barry Goldwater's office in 1964 and
passed to the White House. I told him that the facts pretty closely followed
the second story on this subject which appeared in the Washington Post on
21 December. I said that the idea of providing this information to the White
House had apparently originated with Tracey Barnes since he had not been
instructed to do this by either Mr. McCone or Mr. Helms nor as far as we
could determine by anyone else in higher authority. I said this was of course
quite different from the original story which appeared in the Post on 20 De-
cernter indicating that Hunt's office had conducted a surveillance of Senator
Goldwater during this time period.
2. I said the material had been passed to our man on
but I made no mention of the role which played in the
White House as described in memo of 21 December.
I pointed out that the material consisted of open press releases and travel
data, but the arrangement instituted by Mr. Barnes made it possible to
obtain advance copies of this material giving the White House a lead-time
of approximately three hours over the normal release time.
3. Chairman Nedzi agreed that this was rather innocuous as compared
to the original story that appeared in the Post, but he said it was a matter of
concern to him nevertheless. I said we were not trying to justify or minimize
the seriousness of this, but I pointed out that the situation in which the Agency
operated in 1964 was quite different from what it is today. At that time there
was not the degree of sensitivity about "domestic activities" which exists
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today. We were primarily concerned about keeping out of internal security,
police, and law enforcement functions. I conceded, however, that inasmuch
as this material involved Presidential candidates, Barnes did not show very
good judgment and I assured him that Mr. Colby has indicated this kind of
thing will not happen in the future.
4. Chairman Nedzi asked me how we knew that Barnes had undertaken
this activity on his own initiative and how we could be sure that this would not
happen again. With regard to his first question I said that the statements made
by Messrs. McCone and Helms and the lack instructions to
Barnes on this coupled with our interview of who worked for
Howard Hunt at the time, led us to this conclusion. As lar as the present
situation is concerned, I said while we could not make absolute guarantees
we felt that Agency employees are now particularly sensitive in view of
recent developments pertaining to Watergate and other matters and that Agency
instructions and regulations on this subject had become quite specific.
5. Mr. Nedzi asked if Barnes had been interviewed and I told him it
was my impression that Barnes was now dead. I later confirmed that Barnes
died on 18 February 1972.
6. Chairman Nedzi said he did not plan to contact the press on this
and doubted they would be in touch with him. If they do question him further,
however, he will recount the facts as I have given tliem to him.
( E0.' 'E L. CARY; JR.
I:Yeputy Legislative Counsel
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