LETTER TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH FROM JOHN ALEX MC CONE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79M00467A000200090001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 31, 2003
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 18, 1976
• Content Type: LETTER

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November 18, 1976
STATOTHR
Dear George:
Thank you very much for yours of November 10th
concerning the current Federal Grand jury hearings, As
you know, I appeared on Tuesday, November 16th,.
The hearings were laborious, lasting almost four
hours but I do not think any classified information was
compromised nor were the names of any of your current
or former employees raised during the interview other than
Dick Helms, Walter Elder and Jack Maury.
I was met at the airport on Monday evening by
Walter Elder who told me that justice had suggested that
the Agency not supply me with copies of or permit my access
to Agency documents, memoranda, etc. , which apparently
had been delivered to justice and were to be used by Mr. Carver
and others in my interrogation. In view of this restraint, I did
not stop at Langley except to drop Walt off at his car. He
carried no papers with him.
before the Church Committee.
troubled because Mr. Broe's memorandum for the record
contradicted his own as well as several others' sworn testimony
n July of 1970. I was asked to read parts of
this memorandum aloud to the jury which I did. I was greatly
Obviously, I had little if any recollection.of discussions
that took place at various meetings, breakfasts or telephone
conversations of several years ago. Therefore, I was some-
thing less than the most informative witness and, at times,
was concerned that the jury might think I was "stonewalling"
which was not the case. This was my first experience with
a Federal Grand Jury. The game is played under rules that give
the interrogator all the cards - the witness, none.
I was permitted access to only one memorandum - a
memorandum for the record of Mr. Brae's meeting with
UCi( Has Keviewea ' ' 1
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I am reluctant to comment to any extent on my
testimony although I was assured by Mr. Carver and
Mr. Andary that I am under no restraints from either
the Grand jury or the Department of Justice. Nevertheless,
I feel it best to observe some confidentiality in connection
with the testimony, at least for the time being.
Again, thank you very much for your letter.
With warm regards.
Sincerely,
The Honorable
George Bush
Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D. C. 20505
P. S. I will not return to Washington until January. Ty
and I will spend New Year's in Spain, returning to
Washington on the Concorde from Paris on January 5th
and will be in your city on the 6th and 7th. Hope we
can have a visit.
J. A. M.
bb
STA
OTHR
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 Remarks:
Asst/ DCI
Mr. Walt
Elder
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Mr. John Alex McCone
612 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, California 90017
I thank you-for your note of 20 October, a .dvising ' tIat you had received
my 13 October memorandum on the subject of the investigation having conducted
by the Department of Justice and the possibility that you might be summoned to
appear as a witness before the federal grand jury that is now hearing evfden.ce
in this investigation.
As my legal staff understands it, based on its contacts with the Justice
Department attorneys who are handling the investigation, there isvno intention
to pursue questions relating to the Agency's activities in Chile in 3.964. Rather
the, focus is on the 1.970 Chilean elections and subsequent testimony given in
connection with the Agency's activities, and those of ITT in relation to. those
elections. I should add, however, that we are not able to speak with total con-
fidence about the exact'scope of the investigation, or the specific charges that
may be under consideration, inasmuch as the Justice Department attorneys have
not felt very free to discuss with us the progress or development of their case..
Numerous current and former Agency employees have been interviewed
in the course of the investigation. In addition, the Justice Department attorneys
have had complete access to all relevant Agency files, and they have asked us
in a series of requests over the last few months to review and declassify- to the
fullest extent possible a large number of documents contained in our files. That
process, now largely completed, has resulted in the declassification and release
to.Justice of many of the requested documents, either with or without deletions,
and these documents are now in the custody of Mr. George Allen Carver, the
Justice attorney who has played the lead role in the investigation. In this con-
nection it is our understanding that the examination of witnesses before the
grand jury will not extend to matters that remain classified. You should be
aware, however, that the names of certain current and former Agency employees,
together with other items of information that may relate to the investigation, have
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SENDER WILL CHECK CLASSIFICATION TOP AND BOTTOM
UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SE ET
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP.
TO
--- NAME AND ADDRESS
DATE
I I
The Director
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE
REPLY
APPROVAL
DISPATCH
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
FILE
RETURN
CONCURRENCE
INFORiMATIDN
SIBNATURC
Ra-m arket L6 '"
This proposed response may be a tit more
stiff and formal than what you had in mind, and
I will make a stab at something more "folksy" if
you think that would be appropriate.
~,. Anthony . Laphanz
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME, ADDr8E5$ AND PHONE NO.
DATE
General Counsel - -
11/9/ 76
UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL
SECRET
FCRM M0. 237 Use previous editions
s-ar
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been deleted from the documents released to Justice and so far as we know have
never come into the public domain. These names and other items of information.
are known to Mr. Carver, and you of course are at liberty to consult with him
or the Agency's Office of General Counsel should questions arise as to the con-
tinued classification of any matter about which you may be examined. As to the
likely extent and direction of that examination, the lines of inquiry that may be
followed, the documents about which you may be asked, etc . , the, only source of
authoritative advice is Mr. Carver.
Apart from the documents that have been declassified and released by fhi,.
Agency, and whatever testimony the grand jury may hear about these documents
from Agency witnesses, and apart from whatever evidence Justice mmiay have
developed independently of this Agency, a good deal of information about the
relevant events in Chile in 1970, and the subsequent testimony about those
events, are already in the public domain. Much of that information may be found
in three Senate publications. Volume 7 is entitled "Covert Action" and dated
December 4 and 5, 1975. The second is the Interim Report of the Select Committee
to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities entitled
"Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders" (9th Con.g. 1st Sess.
Report No. 94-465, November 20, 1975). The third is Part I of the Hearings
Before the Subcommittee on Multinational Corporations of the Committee on.
Foreign Relations, United States Senate. Part 1 of the Hearings on. Multinational
Corporations and United States Policy is on the International Telephone and Tele-
graph Company and Chile, 1970-1971. These hearings are dated March. 20, 21,
22, 27, 28 and 29, and April 2, 1973.*
Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Sincerely,
STATINTL
STATINTL
e7' vt/~
01
I am told that you may have most of these bulky materials
they will be here for your perusal.
DGC:AAL: sin
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1.-DDCI
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? ( , $ OCT 1976.
FROM 373:.? DE$:C OP I 8ietu4'vs Regtoxy
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FROM THE DESK OF
THE DIRECTOR
Tony:
I must soon reply to attached.
Please ask someone to give me
a draft- or quick feel for his last
paragraph.
DCI/7 November 1976
Distribution:
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1 - DCI w/orig. of at
- ER w/cc of att.
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October 20, 1976
Dear George:
Thank you very much for your memorandum of
October 13th advising me of the possibility of a Grand
Jury investigation into Agency activities in Chile.
I have testified on this subject a number of times
before committees on the Hill, the Rockefeller Commission
and elsewhere but always in doing so, have carefully pro-
tected areas considered sensitive or secret. I have no
hesitancy in testifying before a Grand jury without benefit
of outside counsel - and, indeed, outside counsel not fully
cleared would be useless. However, if called before the
Grand Jury, I would like to take advantage of your offer
to consult with your General Counsel on specific questions
concerning proper handling of classified information.
I am sure your staff had had access to my testimony
and the testimony of other Agency personnel including Dick
Helms and I would be most interested in learning whether
their review of testimony indicates differences or contra-
dictions.
of preparation on my part would be indicated.
Incidentally, I was never called upon to discuss in
any detail any actions of the Agency in Chile prior to 1970
although from time to time, references were made to the
1964 election. Could your General Counsel determine from
the Department of justice as to whether their investigation is
to be limited to the 1970-73 period or if it is their intent to
pursue questions on earlier periods. If so, a certain amount
Yours mpst sihcerely,
The Honorable George Bush
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D. C. 20505
]Executive aeglMry
STAT
STATINTL
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Honorable George Bush
Central Intelligence Agen
Washington, D. C. 20505
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STAT
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