HSCA AND PROENZA FILES AND MEXICO CITY HISTORY
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: BRECKINRIDGE, S.D.
To: THE RECORD
Document date: 08/23/1978
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

104-10145-10411-

CONFIDENTIAL

OLC-78-3014

23 August

1978

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT : HSCA and Proenza Files and Mexico City History

1.

Yesterday evening Messrs. Joannides, Hawkins,

and the undersigned met with Mr. Blakey of

HSCA to discuss the handling of the Proenza matter and

the Mexico City history.

In earlier discussions with

1 September 1963 through 31 January 1964, and specitied

sections of the Mexico City history, designated after

reviewing the table of contents of the history.

We had

the Proenza 201 file available (I had advised

that the

HSCA Spanish speaker should be present as much of it is

in Spanish, but he was not with Blakey).

We also had

the requested sections from the Mexico

City history, with

portions sanitized, but which Mr. Hawkins would explain

to Mr.

Blakey if there were questions.

2. Blakey wanted to know what we had, asking if the

Proenza operation file was there.

I replied that the

Proenza file was there, which had the usual 201-type

information about her,

but that the operation of which

she was a target was not there. Blakey stated that he

wanted the operation file. He was unmoved by a series

of exchanges.

Blakey said he should see the entire three

volumes of the Mexico City Station's history. I pointed

out that covered about twenty years, and that only a

pages made any comment (part of which is error)

about Oswald's visit to Mexico and the

ensuing investiga-

tion.

He said that he needed it as background for an

evaluation of the Station. I replied that it would not

serve that purpose.

In any event, his inquiry was

broadening unreasonably, and he was investigating only

the five-day visit of Oswald and what followed.

said he was investigating CIA, to which I replied he

was not but that he was investigating only the assassina-

tion of President Kennedy and the investigation that

22319

CONFIDENTIAL

---

## Page 2

CONFIDEN MAL

followed. I pointed out that his people had asked for

the White House history of Mexico City,

while what was

involved was what was known as the WH Division history

of the Station.

We ended up asserting one another's

position in terms unacceptable to

each other:

I said

he was trying to broaden his inquiry beyond his charter,

while he said I was giving the narrowest description.

I had stated earlier that access to the Proenza

file had to be broadened to include Ed Lopez, the HSCA

staffer who speaks Spanish.

Except for this, in this

conversation, I stated that neither

set of papers could

be shown below the level of himself. He made it clear

that he might (read will) want staff members to read

portions of the papers as well. I said that neither

set

of papers dealt with the purpose of his investigation,

other than the few pages in the history.

5.

I mentioned Blakey's earlier personal agreement

with the DCI, suggesting that he might be given access

under those terms.

He did not respond.

suggested he

might read without taking notes.

He replied, wanting

to take notes, which we could sanitize, but I am sure that

would lead to

additional problems.

6.

I said that I was not authorized to provide any-

thing other than what was brought to the meeting, noting

that the other two items in the subpoena had been reviewed

before the subpoena was voted.

I would have to refer the

matter back to those with an equity in the question.

asked

Blakey if the Chairman could

be contacted

l if desired.

He said he knew how to contact him.

7.

After the meeting ended, Mr. Blakey reviewed the

Proenza 201

file and a piece of research on Sylvia Odio,

done by Chris Hopkins.

When he finished I escorted him

out of the building.

On the way to our automobiles, I

observed that there seemed to be three very different

First, the materials could be released

as he requested, which presented problems. Second, it

Finally, it

Responding only to the

final alternative, he said that the subpoena was dated

for return on 6 September, at which time it would go to

a vote of the House.

I asked how the matter might look

to the House, given

the flaws in the subpoena (asking

for materials already reviewed and other materials out-

side the HSCA charter). He said a vote would subject

the DCI to criminal prosecution for criminal contempt.

2

CONFIDENTIAL

---

## Page 3

CONTIDENTIAL

I asked if he had considered the possibility of Presidential

pardon; he had not.

On that rather macabre note we parted,

with my undertaking to get some answer to him by COB

today.

S.D. Breckinridge

Distribution:

1

1

- OLC/Chrono

- SA/ DDCI

- DDA

- DDO

3

CONSIDENTAL

---