((DELETION)) -- CONTACT WITH HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS
Originator: CIA
From: ASHBAUGH, BILL, OGC
To: MFR
Document date: 03/03/1978
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

1104-10146-10218

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

CIC +T8 0446

NOTE FOR: Pat Carpentier, OLC/C&R

FROM:

Gary M. Breneman, OGC

Mr. Ashbaugh's memorandum of 3 March 1978

has been revised per your suggestion. While it is

- not the intention of OGC to interfere in your relation-

ship with the Committee's investigation, this Office

has an interest in seeing that the cover of Agency

employees is protected while at the same time ad-

vising the employee concerning the perils of perjury.

This interest, of course, becomes a duty when the

employee, as in this case, comes to OGC for guidance

on these matters. It would seem particularly impor-

tant to have OGC input in this matter given the

sensitive nature of the Committee's investigation

vis-a-vis the Agency in an attempt to avoid even

the appearance of providing misleading information.

eneman

24 peach 78

---

## Page 2

14-00000

#SCA

OGC 78-1353

3 March 1978

OC 418 0446

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

FROM:

SUBJECT:

Bill Ashbaugh

Office of General Counsel

Merrill McCollough -- Contact with House Select

Committee on Assassinations

1. Subject, an Office of Security employee under Department of Defense,

cover, was contacted by a staff member of the House Select Committee on Assas-

sinations on 27 February 1978. Mr. Jeremiah Aker arranged a meeting with

the subject to take place on 2 March 1978 in order to discuss subject's knowledge

of the Dr. King assassination. Subject came to work for the Agency in 1974 but

worked for the Memphis Folice Department at the time of the assassination.

Subject has previously been questioned about his knowledge of the Dr. King

assassination by the Department of Justice.

2. Subject came to the Office of General Counsel for guidance concerning

protection of his cover while dealing with the Committee. It was the initial

opinion of the undersigned that a member of this Office should accompany the

subject to the 2 March meeting in order to advise those present of subject's

true employer and ask that such cover be protected since current employment

was not material to their investigation.

3. The undersigned notified Pat Carpentier of the Office of Legislative

Counsel of subject's neeting uf 2 March 1978. Mr. Carpentier is acting as

the Agency liaison with the House Select Committee on Assassinations.

Coincidentally, present at the time in Mr. Carpentier's office was Gary Cornwell

who is the Associate Counsel for the House Select Committee on Assassinations.

After explaining the situation to both men, it was their opinion that the under-

signed should not accompany the subject and that subject should stick with.

his Department of Defense cover during the questioning. Mr. Cornwell is

aware of subject's true employer and feels that his knowledge is sufficient

notice to the Committee at this stage of the inquiry. The undersigned passed

this advice along to the subject.

21354

FOR MOre 0357741

'IRs

---

## Page 3

4-00000

4. Subject subsequently advised the undersigned that he was questioned

on 2 March by four attorneys and one investigator from the Committee staff. He

was not placed under oath, but was asked about his employment to which he

responded using his Department of Defense cover. Subject will notify the

undersigned if he is contacted by the Committee in the future.

Bull Achlaugh

Bill Ashbaugh

CC:

OLCV

---