Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (44 USC 2107 Hote}. DATE: 11-14-2017 JFK Assassination System Date: 3/31/201 : Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: = 124-10378-10173 RECORD SERIES: HQ AGENCY FILENUMBER:  62C-HQ-1029205-3572 ; eee Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: OPCA TO: FINANCE TITLE: DATE: — 10/01/1997 ‘PAGES: 4 SUBJECTS : JFKARCA OF 1992 - DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: 3 CURRENT STATUS: Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 05/06/1999 OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE COMMENTS : i vo. 439 Docld:: 323227015 Page 1
Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 199? (44 DATE: 11-14-2017 _ ° . S, ; 6 C* : C) + (12/31/1995) = = FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Precedence: PRIORITY Date: 10/01/1997 To: Finance Division Attn: Mr. Cordis, Rm. 6851 Ms. Greene, Rm. 6875 National Security Division Attn: Mr. Rother, Rm. 4427 Ms. Buckley, Rm. 4012 Ms. Ruden, Rm. 4825 Ms. Haney, Rm. 4637 From: OPCA Historical and Executive Review Unit, Room 11144 (Formerly known as the JFK Task Force) Contact: Carol Keeley, ext. 0671 Approved By: Collingwood Joh [p- Keeley Carol f Drafted By: Keeley Carol L Wilkins LuAnn M:lmw Case ID #: 62A-HQ-1029205 Title: PROCUREMENT OF ASSASSINATION RECORD REVIEW AND CLASSIFICATION CONSULTATION SERVICES Synopsis: It is requested that the services of Carl Valentine be extended for 60 days from October 1, 1997 through November 30, 1997. National Security Division (NSD) should review the issues to decide if consultants are needed to manage the additional. 49 a LEM MGS Details: The Historical and Executive Review Unit (HERU) is responsible for transferring FBI records covered by the “President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992" (the Act) to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Act also included the establishment of an independent Presidential Review Board to oversee the identification and release of records until October 1997. However, President Clinton recently signed legislation authorizing a one-year extension for the Board. This gives the Board an additional year till October 1, 1998 to complete their mission. To date more than 666,000 pages have been transferred to NARA and at least 180,000 currently identified pages remain to be finished by that deadline. Additionally, HERU manages the responsibilities of the Historical Declassification Review Team (HDRT). A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) established the HDRT when the Executive Order (E.0O.)12958 was Signed. The MOU gave the FBI an exception of automatic declassification, since E.O. 12958 established an automatic declassification for documents over 25-years old unless an agency Docld: 323227015 Page 2?
Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1997 (44 USC 2107 Hote). DATE: 11-14-2017 . C) C) To:* Finance Division From: OPCA Re: 62A-HQ-1029205, 10/01/1997 C could justify an exemption of their records. As defined in the ‘MOU the HDRT systematically reviews FBI documents and files for Classification/declassification of information deemed to be of historical interest. The systematic review is also time and volume driven, because the review is scrutinized by Associate Deputy Attorney General (ADAG) Roslyn A. Mazer. The ADAG's proposal and opinion is that if the FBI's systematic review is not up to DOJ's standards then the FBI should move to a bulk’ declassification, since “disclosure of 50-year old techniques used during and prior to World War II would not appreciably affect today's national security and if there were a few isolated instances of sensitive disclosures, this might be a fair price to pay for bulk declassification.” The opinion continues with extending this review to material dated up to 1964 with possibly a sample review for bulk declassification. The Act and E.O. 12958 both provide criteria for restricting certain information in records sent to’ NARA so it is not open for public inspection. One basis for the restriction is the demonstrated need to continue to classify specific. ~ a information. To meet both Mandates, HERU is attempting to reduce the amount of postponed information in part by declassifying information whenever there would not be any damage to the national security or FBI operational interests. As already noted in this communication, both document review projects are subject to time constraints and high visibility. Therefore, it is imperative that HERU have operational opinions on a timely and daily basis. ‘The records being reviewed by HERU under the Act and E. O. 12958 (i.e., CPUSA, VENONA, surveillance on foreign embassies, etc.) contain a great deal of classified information, relating chiefly to Russian, Cuban, other foreign counter intelligence countries, and information gained through intelligence collection on allied. countries. To classify/declassify issues related to_ the Act and the E.O. 12958, consultation has been necessary with individuals having the institutional knowledge of national security issues and operations. Mr. Valentine has performed these duties over the past three years with three other former NSD employees, who are no longer available. Mr. Valentine's previous national security investigative knowledge and the experience of working on classification matters with this unit Maintained his prior contacts with the operational division. Currently, he continues to have easy access to the appropriate contacts when the opinion of the NSD is required. Beyond the background in NSD, Mr. Valentine assisted in making the contacts and setting up meetings with Department of y State (DOS) senior officials. These contacts were necessary in | Docld:323227015 Page 3
Released under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records collection Act o » DATE: 11-14-2017 To: Finance Diviston From: OPCA O Re: 62A-HQ-1029205, 10/01/1997 . determining the status of foreign relations with certain countries before the FBI could declassify investigative information according to the MOU between the FBI and DOS. The opinion of DOS was important since the material to be released concerned national security investigations and could have affected foreign relations. This is another example of the types of issues HERU will continue to see in the relevant material. The unit will need someone with the appropriate understanding and contacts to decide the classification under the Act and E.O. 12958. Mr. Valentine has the experience and vast knowledge in FCI matters and the legislation concerning classification matters. Beyond the duties mentioned, he consults: with the Office of General Counsel, NSD, and the Litigation Unit in OPCA on the issue damage and writes the evidence to be presented to DOJ's Departmental Review Committee. This knowledge would ‘be very difficult to duplicate and qualifies him as an expert for the review of this material. In addition, having the services of Mr. Valentine will permit the unit to meet its deadlines and not cause any new burdens or distractions from the ongoing operational investigations in NSD. Due to the time constraints placed on HERU under the Act and E.O. 12958 and Mr. Valentine's unequivocal institutional knowledge, it is imperative that Mr. Valentine's contract be extended 60 days. Therefore, it is requested that Mr. Valentine's consultation services be contracted for 60 additional days (10/1/97-11/30/97) at his current hourly rate. The amount to be budgeted to cover the 60 days is $21,000. HERU also requests NSD to provide a consultant or possibly more than one for the 1998 fiscal year to manage all the national security concerns. This next year will be crucial in complying with the Act and meeting DOJ's standards. It will be necessary to have at least one consultant available for the issues listed above. Docld: 323227015 Page 4
DATE, 11-14-2017 e C Re: 62A-HQ-1029205, . LEAD (s): ; . Set Lead 1: FINANCE DIVISTON Cleased under the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act 6 10/01/1997 ! | . To: Finance Divisdén From: OPCA Ss AT WASHINGTON D.C. Upon receipt of the communication, it is requested that Carl Valentine's consultation contract be extended for 60 days and $21,000 be placed in his account. Set Lead 2: NATIONAL SECURITY DIVISTON CC: 2 PREPRPRPPP YE Docld: 323227015 Page 5 AT WASHINGTON D.C. Upon receipt of the communication, NSD review the issues to consider providing knowledgeable individuals to HERU for consultation during the next fiscal year. Mr. (1 Mr. Mr. Mr. Ms. Ms. Ms. Mr. Ms. Lavonis, Room 8504 - Attn: Luwanna Greene) Collingwood, Room 7240 Wilkinson, Room 7244 McCarron, Room 7262 Proffitt, Room 7262 Orr, Room 7262 Keeley, Conner, Wilkins, Room 11144 Room 11144 Room 11144