## Page 1

TO

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

Memorandum

: The Director

- UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

DATE: 1/18/79

FROM

Assoc. inr.

Dep. AD Adm.

Dep. AD Inv.

Asst. Dir.:

Adm. Servs.

Crim. Inv.

Ident. -

Intell.

Laboratory

Legal Coun

Plan. & Insp.

Rec. Mgnt.

Tech. Servs

Training

Public Affs. Off.

Telephone Rm.

Director's Sec'y -_

SUBJECT: HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS (HSCA)

The purpose of this memorandum is to advise of a

contact with a Staff Director for the captioned Committee

regarding the Committee's unauthorized release of informant

reports and other documents.

Pursuant to the request of

Associate Director Adams dated January 11, 1979, Special

Agent Danny 0. Coulson of the Legal Counsel Division con-

tacted G. Robert Blakey, Chief Counsel, captioned Committee.

DETAILS:

By letter dated December 6, 1978 (copy attached),

HSCA Chairman Louis V. Stokes was furnished a copy of an FBI

document dated May 26, 1971, an informant report from the

St. Louis Field Office file of former informant Oliver Pat-

This informant report, along with three related

of correspondence, was furnished to the EBI via the

Department of Justice (DOJ) by Harold Weisberg, a private

citizen, author and self-styled assassination prober.

Mr. Weisberg received the document from Patterson.

The informant report in question was furnished

the HSCA in response to the Committee's request dated Jän-

uary 26, 1978, for all retrievable information concerning

Patterson. Our letter to Mr. Stokes expressed concern that

a document of this nature entered the public domain in such

a manner and requested that the HSCA, in compliance with the

Memorandum of Understanding, afford proper and necessary

security to our documents during the course of future public

INCLOSURE - Cancellene

hearings and the HSCA final report.

Enclosure-detached

maie

CONTINUED - OVER 4 31

fi

led with no ded 1-5-79 756-110

91-

1 - Mr. Adams - Enclosure

2/161.

1 - Mr. Bassett - Enclosure

*73

1

Ryan - Enclosure

1

- Mr.

Foster - Enclosure

2

- Mr. Coulson - Enclosure

DOC: 1Q1

•(7)

3/18\84

Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan

FBI/DOJ

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## Page 2

Memorandum Legal Counsel to the Director

Re:

HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS (HSCA)

In his letter of December 13, 1978, MI. Blakey,

writing on behalf of Chairman Stokes, explained that since

the informant report in question stemmed from Patterson,

it was his (Blakey's) understanding that our release of ma-

terials would include no objection to Patterson having what

he had originally given to the FBI. Mr. Blakey expressed

regret that this instance caused any concern and assured

the Director that the HSCA would continue to afford FBI ma-

terial all measures of confidentiality in compliance with

the Memorandum of Understanding.

Upon receipt of Mr. Blakey's letter, the Director

attached a routing slip, noting "Are you satisfied with this

response?

Anything further required?"

MI. Blakey was contacted on January 11, 1979, and

had been

pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding. Mr. Blakey

has advised that material of this may be available through

FOI/PA.

RECOMMENDATION:

None.

are

For

information.

Adm. Serv.

Crim. Inv.

Ident.

Laboratory

Legal Cou

Pian, & Insp

Rê: Mont

Tech. servs.

Training

Public Afts Off.

- 2 -

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## Page 3

-...

.-

1

1

- ME. Adams

Mr. MEDermott

1 - Mr. Bassett

1 - Mr. Mintz

1 - ME. Ryan

Mr.

Coul

- MI

Januaiy 10,

F09595

G. Robert Blakey

ChieF

Counsel and Director

House

\Select Cormittee on Assassinations

U. S. Bouse

of Representatives 20515

Dear Mr.

Blakey:

Reforence is made to your letter of December 13,

1978, concerning

materials furnished to the Federal Bureau

of Investigation

FBI) From Harold Weisberg

You are correct that the informant report in

question was prepared by Mr. Patteraoy and given the Bureau

In 1971. however, the N-300 cover sheet was attached by

the FBI upon filing and, therefore, did not originate with

ments to the

House Select Comittee on Assassinations (HSCA)

concerning Mx. Patterson, under the lenorandur of Understanding,

these documents could not be publicly disclosed without

prior approval of the FBI, Since this would include docu-

ments steming from Mx.. Patterson, your understanding is

incorrect that we do not object to fir. Patterson having

what he originally furnished the Bureau.

It is requested that any other FBI documents in

your possession which may have been similarly provided to

ho. fatterson or any other outside party be identitied,

along with the identities of the recipients.

Your reassurance that the Cormittee will

future afford FBI material all neasure of confidentiality

appreciated.

Assoc. Dir.

Dep. AD Adm.

Dep. AD Inv. -

Asst. Dir.:

Adm. Serv. -

Crim. Inv.

Fin. & Pers.

I dent.

Intell.

Laboratory

Legal Coun

Plan. & Insp. -JTA: cfb

Rec. Mgnt.

Spec. Inv.

Tech, Servs. -

(7)K

Training

Public Affs, Off._

Telephone Rm. -

Director's Sec'y -

Sincerely yours,

???.

31/8/810

Sormacke

Willian H. Webster

Director

MAIL ROOM D

APPROVED:

i ector

argod. Dir

DaD. AD

jen. A0 Iny.

TELETYPE UNIT I

PRALDS 89

SEE NOTE PAGE TWO

Arm. Sor.

Crim. Inv

Laissatory

-1172

FBI/DOJ

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## Page 4

-

G. Robert Blakey

House Select Cormittee on Assassinations

U. S. House of Representatives

NOIL: See memorandum j. Ryan to lit. Bassett, 1/5/79, cap-

tioned "House Select Cormittee on Assassinations

(HSCA),

prepared by JIA:cfb.

WARBOVED:

іноіні

Adm. Serv.

Crim. Inv.

Intali.

Laboratory

Legal Coun

Tech dervs.

Pubitr

pou

=2-

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