CONVERSATION WITH CHAIRMAN JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00380R000300100011-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2006
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: March 7, 1973
• Content Type: MFR

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OLC 73-0188
7 March 1973
THIS DOCUMENT WAS SUBJECT TO ITT/CHILE JUSTICE INVESTIGATION
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Conversation with Chairman John L. McClellan,
Senate Appropriations Committee,
I I ,
1. Today I accompanied the Director and Messrs. Colby and
Shackley to a meeting with Chairman McClellan and Senator Jackson (of
the CIA Subcommittee of Senate Armed Services ) where the Director
explained our problems regarding investigation by the Chiirr-h Su bcommittee
Senate Foreign Relations into the Agency's relationsi
2. Chairman McClellan's first suggestion was that the Director
explain directly to Senator Church the problems involved in going into
detail regardin
'before his Subcommittee. Senator Jackson recommended against
this, and it was pointed out that Mr. Helms had already tried to get
Senator Symington to intercede with Senator Church on behalf of the
Agency, without success. It was also noted that members of the Church
Subcommittee staff appeared determined to implicate and discredit the
Agency in the matter and could not be counted upon to handle any information
they obtain with discretion. With the active support of Senator Jackson we
argued for an early meeting of the two CIA Subcommittees under Senator
McClellan's chairmanship, where we could freely discuss
then provide limited written answers to questions posed by the Church
Subcommittee, citing the Director's responsibility for the protection of
intelligence sources and methods as justification for confining further
details to our oversight subcommittees.
r1 C P I../C..
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This led to a discussion of Agency
I I which in turn provided an opportunity or us to acqu in 25x1
McClellan with the rationale, policy approval procedures, and methods
of covert political action generally.
5. Chairman McClellan questioned the legal basis for the jurisdiction
of our Subcommittees and Senator Jackson pointed out that our Armed Services
Subcommittee was officially recognized and identified in the listing of Senate
Committees and that the jurisdiction of our Intelligence Operations Subcom-
mittee of the Defense Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee
rests on the fact that it has, over some years, appropriated funds for the
Agency. McClellan accepted the proposal to convene our Subcommittees and
set 10:00 a. m. on Tuesday, 13 March 1973, as the time (place to be decided).
He said in order to avoid word of the meeting from being spread around he
would not notify most of the members until Monday, 12 March. It was
agreed that in addition to Senators Young, Pastore, Hruska, Symington,
Jackson, Dominick, and Thurmond, Jim Calloway (of Senate Appropriations
Committee staff) and Ed Braswell (of Senate Armed Services Committee
staff) would also attend. Senator Jackson noted that, as in the past, there
should be no transcripts of the meeting.
6. Following this meeting Chairman McClellan recommended that
the Director personally deliver to Senator Church a "strong" letter
explaining that the full details regarding the matters which he raised had
been reviewed with the CIA oversight Subcommittees of Senate Appropriations
and Senate Armed Services, and that, in view of the Director's statutory
responsibility for the protection of intelligence sources and methods, these
details were not appropriate for discussion outside of these Subcommittees.
might obtain to support their suspicions. Mr. Shackley explained
the contents of those with which we were familiar.
an what documents or other evidence the Church Subcommittee 25x1
3. There was discussion about seeking Senator Stennis' approval
for the procedure, but Senators McClellan and Jackson counseled against
it in view of Stennis' present condition.
4. Chairman McClellan asked what the facts were in our relations
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7. Chairman McClellan recommended the Director pay a
courtesy call on Senator Milton Young and acquaint him with the problem
before the 13 March meeting.
8. Senator Jackson asked that we remind him to remind McClellan
to explain his handling of the problem to Senator Fulbright at the first
opportunity.
JOHN M. URY
Legislative Counsel
Distribution:
Original - Subject
1- DCI
1
-. Mr.
Colby
1
-. Mr.
Shackley
1
?? Mr.
Houston
1
?? Mr.
Broe
OLC Chrono
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