(foat0706-t0298 Exs ry io tay ALF TO f 24 January 1975 MEMORANDUM FOR: THE RECORD SUBJECT : Howard Hunt's Letter to Gene Fodor 1. Attached hereto is a note,from Gene Fodor submitting a copy of a letter he received from Howard Hunt relative to the New York Time story which identified Gene Fodor as a CIA agent. ; 2. Ina telephone conversation during the week of 13 January 1975 with CCS/COB, Gene Fodor reported receipt of the letter and expressed his desire to write an answer to Mr. Hunt. It is Mr. Fodor's opinion that the answer: should point out to Mr. Hunt that the release of such information could do great harm to Mr. Fodor's relatives in Czechoslovakia. This same theme is repeated in Mr. Fodor's trans- mittal letter where he asks for an Agency opinion on how to proceed. 3. -In answer to Mr. Fodor, CCS/COB telephoned him on 23 January and gave the opinion that a simple acknowledgment letter was the best course of action if he insisted upon giving some type of answer to | Mr. Hunt. CCS/COB discouraged Mr. Fodor in his answer to Mr. Hunt from dealing with any of the subjects raised in Mr. Hunt's letter, and Mr. Fodor made the comment that perhaps a simple sterile acknow- ~ - ledgment would suffice. It is CCS/COB's opinion that he will proceed along those lines. 4. Mr. Fodor is concerned about possible testimony before a Senate committee, as suggested in Mr. Hunt's letter. He says that he has forgotten a number of facts about his Agency relationship, and wonders if he will have an opportunity to review files or receive a briefing in the event that he must testify. CCS/COB said that we would have to deal with that whole problem at such time as he was called to testify. 5. Mr. Fodor has received inquiries from many places in the world where his books are read and sold, and he claims that his cooperation with the Agency has already been announced on the radio in Czechoslovakia. This latter fact is of great concern to him because he fears. that something will happen to his relatives in
14-00000 that country. One favorable note is that the British owners of his company do not seem to be exercised or upset about the news release. [.— Hn — “William H. Koehler Chief, CCS/COB Attachment: h/w. 13 Jan 75 letter from Howard Hunt 3g Fodor's note CCS/COB/WHKoehler: db Distribution: Orig - DDO then return to C/CCS and ccs /co8 1 - FODOR File (201-234047) 1 - Chrono 1 - Reading Board
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14-00000 oe ee” t. . Taare, . . . 2 ~ . } “ - - 4 HOWARD HUNT 13 January 1975 Mr. Eugene Fodor Litchfield, Connecticut Dear Mr. Fodor: I want you to know that I greatly regret the em- barrassment caused you by the New York Times' revelation of my executive session testimony given in confidence to the Ervin Committee more than a year ago. Senator Baker and Minority Counsel Thompson gave me assurances that I was authorized to reveal classified CIA matters to the Select Committee, and I did so on the assumption that. the testimony would not be publicly revealed. A UPI story of today's date quotes you as stating that you and I never met, or had any dealings, and that of . course is not accurate. Uniess the Agency has destroyed the files of all CIA projects with which I was involved there should be a re- cord of at least one meeting _between you and me at a CIA office in Washington‘ s4 : | I mention this by way of refreshing your memory, for I expect that both of ‘us may be summoned before the CIA Investigating Committee within the near future. Again, it was not my desire that you suffer in any way because of your relationship with CIA and our late mutual friend, Charlie. Leaking classified information is both illegal and reprehensible whether done by Daniel Ellsberg or a Senate Committee staff member; it also seems to be a non-prosecutable offense, particularly \ when the recipient is the New York Times. Sincerely, ae a cc: William A. Snyder, Jr., Esq. Baltimore, Maryland