1404-10146-10149] , ET SECR a grrr Mn AS SF 12 September 1978 MEMORANDUM FOR : Director of Central InteVligence VIA >: Deputy Director of Cenfral Intelligence FROM : S. D. Breckinridge SUBJECT >: Letter of 11 September 1978 from Chairman Stokes, House Select Committee on Assassinations 1. Action Requested: A recommendation for your approval a is at paragraph 3. 2. Background: The House Select Committee on Assassina- tions (HSCA) has Tet a subpoena lapse without execution, and the 11 September letter from Chairman Stokes, a copy of which is attached, lists five items of interest to the Committee, some of which were the subject of the earlier request. The five items are noted and commented on briefly below: a. The letter specifies interest in "mug books" shown to a Cuban defector, Having raised the questions, the letter then goes on to say that this "is no longer a matter in dispute."' The material has been available for review by HSCA personnel for some two weeks now. b. The Committee is interested in "all debriefing memoranda" relating to a Cuban defector. This was one of the subjects in the subpoena and relates to a debriefing memorandum (numbered 40) in a series of sequentially numbered documents. In fact, we believe that a debriefing memorandum that is unnumbered, but that appears to have been in the sequence of debriefings, has been reviewed by the HSCA investigator. That investigator has been briefed on this and a written summary has been available for his review. Chairman Stokes may not have been informed accurately on this point and we think that the explanation available is a valid one. 223 55 SECRET
14-00000 a ee ger we 4k ' a » hs io SECRET c. The HSCA requests "all files and file references" to a person not named in the letter, but who was William K. Harvey. The HSCA has seen the official personnel folder on Mr. Harvey for the period requested (1959-1966). The Office of Security files were also reviewed, but these had been sanitized to remove references to personal difficulties experienced by him in a later part of his career. No complaint had been made to the Office of Security about the sanitization, and they are ready to show these sections to a senior member, only, on the HSCA staff. d. The HSCA request for "the three-volume history and analysis" of the Mexico City Station was a subject of the subpoena. It is inaccurate to describe it as an analysis, and it is more a compilation of terse summaries than a true history. It covers a-twenty-two year period in the history of the Station from 1947>to 1969, with a wide range of subject matter that by any normal reasoning is irrelevant to the question of the assassination of x President Kennedy. The rationale offered up by Mr. Blakey is that he must understand the history of the Station to evaluate its performance during the investigation of the assassination. While the Agency's position has been that this is irrelevant to the charter of the Committee, LA Division is prepared to let either Mr. Blakey or his deputy, Mr. ‘Cornwell, review this. We realize that both gentlemen are very busy, but the total compilation is too sensitive to let the young men on the staff have access to it. e. The request for access to "all files and file references to a Cuban citizen" for the period # . 1 September 1963 through 31 January 1964 raises the question of the Proenza case and a deception opera- tion in which Miss Proenza was one of the targets. Contrary to the statement in the letter, a House investigator was shown the 201 file for the period from January 1963 through May 1964. Access to the operational file on the deception matter was denied the Committee on the recommendation of the DDO, approved by the DDCI. LA Division believes this contains no reference to the subject of the investigation, and is reviewing the files again to verify this. The origin of the interest in this SECRET,
14-00000 at ¥ K EL was in Miss Proenza herself, and the relevant period about her and any ties to her association with the Agency would be reflected in her 201 file. The Committee's interest in the unrelated sensitive operation seems unreasonable to us. 3. Recommendation: It is recommended that a meeting be arranged between either you or Mr. Carlucci and Chairman Stokes to review our understanding of the status of the first four items, which have already been satisfied or can be, and to persuade the Chairman to not precipitate a confrontation on the sensitive operational file. S. D. Breckinridge Attachment: As stated SFCRET
14-00000 ve RECORD COPY ee SCA- | OLC # 78 30% |r| 7 12 Septeuber 1978 MEMORANDUM FOR : Director of Central Intelligence VIA >: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence FROM : §S. D. Breckinridge . SUBJECT : Letter of 11 September 1978 from Chairman Stokes, House Select Committee on Assassinations 1. Action Requested: A recommendation for your approval is at paragraph 3. 2. Background: The House Select Committee on Assassina- tions (HSCA) has let a subpoena lapse without execution, and the 11 September letter from Chairman Stokes, a copy of which is attached, lists five items of interest to the Committee, some of which were the subject of the earlier request. The five items are noted and commented on briefly below: ; a. The letter specifies interest in "mug books" shown to a Cuban defector, Having raised _ the questions, the letter then goes on to say that this "is no longer a matter in dispute." The material has been available for review by HSCA personnel for some two weeks now. b. The Committee is interested in “all - debriefing memoranda" relating to a Cuban defector. This was one of the subjects in the subpoena and relates to a debriefing memorandum (numbered 40) in a series of sequentially numbered documents. In fact, we believe-that a debriefing memorandum that is unnumbered, but that appears to have been in the sequence of debriefings, has been reviewed by the HSCA investigator. That investigator has been briefed on this and a written summary has been available for his review. Chairman Stokes may not have been informed accurately on this point and we think that the explanation available is a valid one. afro cu av LSLYO.
14-00000 c. The HSCA requests "all files and File references' to a person not named in the letter, but who was William K. Harvey. The HSCA has seen the official personnel folder on Mr. Harvey for ‘the period requested (1959-1966). The Office of Security files were also reviewed, but these had been sanitized to remove references to personal difficulties experienced by him in a later part of his career. No complaint had been made to the Office of Security about the sanitization, and they are ready to show these sections to a senior member, only, on the HSCA staff. d. The HSCA request for "the three-volume history and analysis" of the Mexico City Station was a subject of the subpoena. It is inaccurate to describe it as an analysis, and it is more a compilation of terse summaries than a true history. It covers aitwenty-two year period in the history | of the Station from 1947:to 1969, with a wide range of subject matter that by any normal reasoning is. irrelevant to the question of the assassination of President Kennedy. The rationale offered up by Mr. Blakey is that he must understand the history of the Station to evaluate its performance during the investigation of the assassination. While the Agency's position has been that this is irrelevant to the charter of the Committee, LA Division is. prepared to let either Mr. Blakey or his deputy, _Mr. Cornwell, review this. We realize that both gentlemen are very busy, but the total compilation is too sensitive to let the young men on the staff ‘have access to it. y e. The request for access to "all files and file references to a Cuban citizen" for the period 1 September 1963 through 31 January 1964 raises the question of the Proenza case and a deception opera- tion in which Miss Proenza was one of the targets. Contrary to the statement in the letter, a House investigator was shown the 201 file for the period from January 1963 through May 1964. Access to the operational file on the deception matter was denied the Committee on the recommendation of the DDO, approved by the DDCI. LA Division believes this contains no reference to the subject of the investigation, and is reviewing the files again to verify this. The origin of the interest in this in Tay ) me 4 ba i
14-00000 was in Miss Proenza herself, and the relevant period about her and any ties to her association with the Agency would be reflected in her 201 file. The Committee's interest in the unrelated sensitive operation seems unreasonable to us. 3. Recommendation: It is recommended that a meeting be arranged between either you or Mr. Carlucci and Chairman Stokes to review our understanding of the status of the first four items, which have already been satisfied or can be, and to persuade the Chairman to not precipitate a confrontation on the sensitive operational file. ' S. D. Breckinridge Attachment: As stated OLD/SDBreckinridge:hfs (12 September 1978) Distribution: l - Legislative Counsel - DDCT ~ SA/DDCI - ER - DDO feed fect feed fend peed ped feed peed fal f C/LA Division Mr. Sturbitts (LA Division) Mr. Shepanek (PCS/LOC) OLC/Subject -OLC/Chrono