404-10445-10832) & aye fo LRG ate « a a + = 4 shesg dliat 3 a Bis BEAR Se a ne nem ea anata ™ roars || res .¢ oan bay 14 August 1978 - RETURN TO cm “Background Use a Do Not Reproduce = MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD SUBJECT : Meetings with HSCA Committee and Staff “Members 1. Messrs. McMahon, Hitz and I met on Friday afternoon with Representative Devine, Chairman Stokes, Representative Preyer of the HSCA and then with Staff Director Latimer of HPSCI. Upon return to the Headquarters building Mr. Joannides and I met with Mr. Cornwell of HSCA and with Messrs. Hardway and Berk of his staff. This last meeting resumed early Monday morning with Mr. Cornwell meeting with Messrs, Sturbitts and Hawkins of LA Division, Mr. Shepanek, Mr. Joannides and the undersigned. | 2. In the meetings with the three Representatives, Mr. McMahon outlined our concerns over sensitive matters involved in the Mexico City and Nosenko issues and requested that if that subject matter is to be treated in the hearings that it be in executive session. He made it clear that the treatment of Nosenko by the Agency was not, of itself, subject to sensitive security considerations; however, any discussion of his bona fides and the sensitive information received from him should not be exposed to publicity. eo s . «tity 3. Representative Devine 15s clearly supportive. He stated that he is opposed to "spreading defamation" of Government agencies. He had opposed creation of the Committee 2RAF a
14-00000 but when it was established asked to be on it. Hé appreciated the points on intelligence protection and recommended talking to other members. 4. Mr. Blakey was with Chairman Stokes when we met with the latter. Chairman Stokes expressed his appreciation for the need to exercise care in conducting public hearings. Apparently, not having been kept up to date by Mr. Blakey he said that we had refused access "to our agents, an impression that we corrected. Although his statements were appropriate they were also general and we emphasized the need for adequate lead time in planning how to handle the matter. Representative Preyer was interested in a series of specific questions. Most of these questions arose out of the propaganda show currently under- way in Havana. In addition to talking about .the sensitivity of the telephone and photography operations, explaining how the Warren Commission had handled the information, we also addressed the questions of whether or not Oswald was the person who went to the Cuban Consulate, the question of whether AMLASH was a double agent, and the general line being advanced from Havana as part of an attack on CIA. Representative Preyer was clearly familiar with a number of the issues and asked for our suggestions and help. 5. The meeting with Tom Latimer was to apprise him of the fact that we were talking to members of the Committee and trying to have those portions of the testimony that are sensi- tive held in executive session.
14-00000 6. The meeting with Cornwell ran from about 1745 to 1930. It involved a discussion of files. We discussed our requirment for a refinement and specification of the informa- tion that they wanted from personnel folders. We took the occasion to urge them once more to give some consideration to a more orderly approach to doing business with us, pointing out that the priority claims by independent investigators Cannot be honored in the absence of written verification by the Staff Director. We agreed to look into the question of the Mexico City history and asked that they consider those elements that they really wish to see. | 7. At this morning's meeting I first described to Mr. Cornwell the nature of the Proenza case. In response to his questions J ascertained and reported to him that the Agency had no contact with Proenza, nor did we have any Aa a record that she had been in contact with Lee Harvey Oswald. Mr. Cornwell did not say that the information I gave him would suffice, ssowe may héar from him further on this. I asked him to report the result of our discussion only to Mr. Blakey and Representative Stokes. 8. We discussed the file of AMMUG, which Mr. Joannides understands is now ready for review. The only Office of Personnel file that we discussed was that of former, Agency employee, Bill Harvey, now deceased. The period in his
14-00000 career in which they are interested is from the end of 1961, when he was first assigned responsibility for the plot with the criminal syndicate, through his service as Chief of the Cuban task force and his period as Chief of Station : (the interest in the latter assignment being due to Harvey's reported contact with Johnny Roselli). Arrangements were made to use this file as a test case for reviewing OPF ts, discussing the problems presented and settling them. 9. The history presented a different problem. It is almost entirely devoted to the history of the Mexico City Station for the period[1947] until the late 1960's when it was written. Only a few pages treat with Oswald : and the | questions arising out of the Warren Commission investigation. 9 Some of the facts concerning Oswald are in error, showing his arrival in Mexico City the day before he got there, i with his departure being four days later than it actually was. After one minor sanitzation, we agreed to show the Table of Contents to Mr. Cornwell, without his taking notes, following which he was to request those sections he was interested in seeing. The sections that he requested are on their face far broader than his area of authorized investigation, which he was told. We undertook to review these sections and then discuss with him the questzgns ” presented by his request. ; & cc: SA/DDCI com, | => 9, foo: § DDO (Mr. Shepanek) | , 4 Dhantchan, es LA Division (Mr. Sturbitts) - .T S. D.. _ Breckinridge OGC (Mr. Rininger) cee Distribution: Orig. - OLC/Subject 1 - OLC/Chrono no 8g dR LE af