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

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CONFIDENTIAL

OLC-78-3014

23 August 1978

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT : HSCA and Proenza Files and Mexico City History

Yesterday evening Messrs. Joannides, Hawkins,

Shepanek,

and the undersigned met with Mr. Blakey of

HSCA to discuss the handling of the Proenza matter and

no too the one i Pe or the bet pon tach

I September 1963 through 31 January 1964, and specifiec

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 it 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.

3. 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

few pages made any comment (part of

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.

He

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

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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.

4. 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 pathan tea te can is investigation,

5.

I mentioned Blakey's earlier personal agreement

with the bel, suggesting

that he might be given access

under those terms.

He did not respond. I

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.

thing other than what was brought to the meeting, noting

incht on tro at mas

6. I said that I was not authorized to provide any-

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.

I

asked Blakey if the Chairman could be contacted 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.

out of the building.

observed that there seemed to be three very different

alternatives.

hore soon a to

When he finished I escorted

him

On the way to our automobiles, I

first, the materials could be released

as he requested, which presented problems. Second, it

could be released to him alone, personally, under the

*greement with the bet, which I preferred.

Finally, It

simply could not be released.

Responding only to the

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 100k

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

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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:

Orig. - OLC/Subject

1

- OLC/Chrono

- SA/ DDCI

1

- DDA

- DIDO

3

CONFIDENTIAL

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