COMMENTS ON PROPOSED DCI STATEMENT (HUNT CASE)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01430447
• 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: May 8, 1973

-Approved for Release: 2017/01/18 C0143-0447g,
U N F
(b)(3)
8 May 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. W. E. Colby
Executive Secretary, CIA Management Committee
FROM Director, National Estimates
SUBJECT Comments on Proposed DC1 Statement (Hunt Case)
Since you are aware that I have no facts bearing on the case, I
take it that you asked for comment from the following point of view:
will the proposed statement be well received by the committee?
The main questions in the committee's mind will be: Did CIA
cooperate wittingly in activities which w ere both illegal and outside its
charter? Or did it only respond supinely to higher authority even though
it had some reason for suspecting illegal conduct?
Tactically, I think there would be advantage in coming to grips
frankly with these questions in the statement itself. The text in its
present form could be taken as a minimum factual response which doesn't
quite get at the heart of the matter. I think it preferable, in the interest
of the Agency's reputation on the Hill, to proceed to candor directly rather
than to be drawn to it by subsequent questioning.
Key follow-up questions which can be anticipated would includ.e
the following:
Why is there no record of the initial Ehrlichman-Cushman contact?
If Cushman recorded the conversation with Hunt, was he not already
suspicious of the latter's purpose and why didn't he ask? At a
minimum, could he not have inquired whether "the individual whose
ideology we aren't entirely sure of" was an American citizen?
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When Cushman told Ehrlichman on 27 August 1971 that CIA was
suspending support to Hunt, was it only on the ground that the
latter had become "too demanding"?
Why was the personality study on Ellsberg provided when it
was obvious that this action transgressed the Agency's charter?
Obviously most questions which will be raised can only be answered
by Helms and Cushman personally. Nevertheless, I think the DCI would be
well advised to provide a candid evaluation of these proceedings in his initial
statement. To do so voluntarily would make mare persuasive the assurances
the Committee will want that .nothing of the sort will be done under his
direction of the Agency.
/1"
Johni idnga
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