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5 

10 November 1975


MEMORANDUM FOR: Office of Legislative Counsel

 

ATTENTION 

 

SUBJECT CIA Legislative Objectives

1. With regard to paragraph A of reference, entitled

?Restrictions on Domestic Activities": This subject will be
treated in a paper being prepared by OGC with 25X1
assistance from of the DDO, entitled "Impact

of Various Legislative Restrictions on Foreign Intelligence
Activities,? [responsive to Issue, Options and Action
Paper No. 

2. With regard to paragraphc of reference entitled
"Covert Action": Per (2), while historically it has been
felt that the President should not be tied directly to
covert activities, I wonder if the of presidential
?plausible denial" has current validity. Perhaps, it is
preferable the American public knows that no major covert
action can be undertaken without presidential responsibility.
Kissinger has recently made it clear publicly that the
President is aware of all major covert actions and has
given them his approval. At this stage of history, with so
much publicity given to the "Rogue Elephant" concept, I
believe that Congress and the American public will insist
on Presidential approval despite the risks this entails to
the Chief Executive's prestige and credibility.

3. What should be spelled out more clearly is the kinds
of covert action which should require Presidential approval
and overisght committees' notification. The hundreds of minor
media operations and the many contracts whom we refer to as
?agents of influence? are neither risky, expensive nor
exceptional enough to warrant high level approval and notifi?
cation.

 

25X1

 

 

 

C.R 

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-2-

4. Another subject which could cause difficulty is
that of intelligence collection controls. We are now free
of external controls over our collection activities, but I
devine sentiment on the part of some influential SSC staffers
that collection operations as well as covert action opera?
tions should be subjected to 40?Committeehtype and/or ambas-
sadorial control and review. This would be most inhibiting,
and, in the case of Ambassadors, would seriously erode the
Director's ability to protect sources and methods. Any new
legislation should avoid, even implicitly, subjecting intel?
ligence collection to controls beyond the Agency, except
when there is exceptional risk. We must remain the Agency 25X1
which determines risk.

 

 

 

 

onn n. wailer
(a
f. 

Distribution:

 

2 OLC
2 


 



Approved For Release 2005/11/21 CIA-RDP77M00144R001200060015-0

(we, 75 

[1 CONFIDENTIAL [j SECRET

 

 

ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET

 

SUBJECT: (Optional)

CIA Legislative Objectives

 

FROM: EXTENSION NO.
John H. Waller

 

 

23?1415 one . 25
10 November 1975

 

 

 

 

TO: (Of?cer designation, room number, and DATE
building) COMMENTS (Number each commenf Io Show from whom
INITIALS Io whom. Draw a line across cqumn after each commenI.)

 

RECEIVED FORWARDED

 

VOLC


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IO.

 

 

 

13.

 

I4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I PMWMIF 

Idle-mm,
29:3? 6] SECRET CONFIDENTIAL [3 UNCLASSIFIED