DEFENSE, SPACE BIGWIGS TIED TO QUORUM CLUB

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000100250033-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 1, 1999
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: October 29, 1963
• Content Type: NSPR

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Ry David Kraslow 1, private industry. It is located! two top aides to vice Prest- dais (ScUm M. Karagulla a'
src .o: e, eels. Ttmec in the Carroll Arms Hotel. dent Lyndon Johnson. }Bernard E. Pollak Jr., both 4
the Office of International
Defeit$e,' Space Bigwigs Tied to QuorurnClu
d 'tense and space contractors
a 'e represented in the mem
! ?rship list of the Quoru
lob, an intimate luncheo
cocktail hideaway o
c +d
C apitol Hill that was forme
I ?; the law firm of forme
. ornate Majority Seereta
I ohert G. (Bobby) Baker.
Until he resigned his pos
ndcc fire, Baker was one o
my 31 Government employe
t s members representatives a
. omc of the biggest names i
the Ctyb shows 197 members. tors are tmnici n. crew' w -- Bureau of It--'
Representatives of some 90 , Maryland Frank Church of S? Spaulding,
companies, including national' Idaho, J. Howard Edmondson national Commerce).
trade and professional associ-; of Oklahoma and Harrison k According Club was organized to its nized "to charter, the
estab
bens. ,are shown to be mem?i Williams Jr. of New Jersey.lish, maintain and operate a
be The two Representatives are club for literary purposes,
The probe of Baker's activi?i tvililtan H. Ayres of Ohio and mutual improvement and i14e
ties stemmed initially from his James F. Battin of Montana. 'prornotion of social inter-
reported involvr'ment in aj The two Johnson aides are Bourse."
vending machine Company that ;Walter Jenkins and George E i, Nothing Sinister"
has franchises with defense:Reedy
and space contractors. One member of the Club,
Also on the roster are A. F.,
Contractors Listed I (Tvfatty) Matthews, executive di- who asked that he not be
Representatives of some of rector of the Democratic Sena.! .identified, said Saturday "there
those contractors are mem? torial Campaign Committee, is nothing sinister about the
and aides to Sen. Hugh Scott, organization
bets of the Club. ,We needed some place near
Leonard F. Lee, vice presi (R-Pa.) (George H. Busch ' f
!dent of:-the : Tennessee Gas mann), Sen. Howard Cannon the Hill where people could
(D-Nev.) (John F. Conlon),kcat lunch, have a drink and
Transmission Co., is a mem? Sen. J. William Fulbright (D talk in private Thai's all
brr. That firm was the owner Ark.) (Lee Williams). Burton there is to it."
of a $125,000 Washington man- W. Cameron, a former aide to' He said the Club is open
sion in which Baker now re Rep. George F. Senner Jr. (D-;only from 11 a.ns to 8 P.M.
sides. lldtiday throe h Friday and is
Edward M. Bostick, presi?, Ariz.) is also on the member
! ship list. closed on ur(xends.
dent of Melpar, Inc., defense) ~temsuit +;i i. restricted
contractors, is a member. Scott I. Peek, who resigned men, I>ut v::mten guests are
are
A court suit filed by Capitol recently as top aide to Sen.
George Smathers (D-Fla.) to j1errniucd.
IVeBaker nding charged rged Inc., a ainsti One member, heatedly de-
that Bakerienter private business rtt nied reports that table stake
Miami, was the club's first
were practical)
used his influence to get Mel- ~ president. poker games
y
par to cancel its contract with The staff directors of the a daily occurrence in the club.
the vending company. Senate Small Business Commit-, "I'm sure there has been an
Baker was a charter mem?; tee (Lewis G. Odom Jr.) and occasional card game," he
ber when the Quorum Club the House District of Columbia said, 'Just like a lot of other
was founded in the spring of Committee (Clayton D. Gasque) Nati around town. Like the
1961. Baker's law partner, and a staff member of the Se,t- -+ational Press Club, for in.
"
Ernest Tucker, was one of the ate Foreign Relations Comnpit- stance. An announcement in 1961
club's incorporators. Tucker tee (John H. Yinglingp w-? launch:ng the Club said the
also Is a codefendant in the among the members.
vendin?1 machine suit. Other "Government" mem? initiation fee for members
would be $50 and annual duesI
bers include two Navy admir-
Six Legislators in Club als (Rear Adms. Sarnuoi it. `would be $25.
The 31 public payrollers.Brown Jr. and flcrnru'd I Tnstcad of keys according to,
shown on the' 1963 ntember-'Roeder), a former Donut, .h.' annou+:c?ement, members,
. ship roster include onl, four Under Secrcta;,' of the Arwa %v `?'-`' to ro(cc specially!
Senators---all Democ:rats--andlfor international Affair. (How tn-,,(-! card, which, when
)only two Representatives--ard E. Hautrrnd) and three touched to u+ally doorplate.,
rboth Republicans, as well lts.Commerce t)cgartment oif+ would automatically
door.
Approved For Release 2000/05/05: CIA-RDP75-00149R000100250033-1