MEMO: ALLEGED ANTI-CIA COMMENTS MADE BY PRIESTS AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY.
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF SEATTLE OFFICE
To: DIRECTOR, DCS
Document date: 02/07/1968
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10189-10017

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

Attn

FROM :

SUBJECT:

REP

I creo 101-918

UNITED STATES COVERNMENT

Memorandum

Director, DCS

John W. McConnell

Chief, Seattle Office

SEA-57-68

DATE: 7 February 1968

Alleged Anti-CIA Couments made by Priests at Seattle University

Denver memorandum DEN-51-68, dated 1 February 1968, with attachment

1. You will find attached i copy of a Memorandum for the Record

dated 31 January 1968 and written by Don Jordan of the Denver Office.

The text of the memorandum needs no further explanation.

2. I made a cursory check with local sources who were unable to

confirm or deny the allegations made by Mrs. Margaret Fanning, nother

of Mias Clare Loulse Panning who is currently a student at Seattle

Since the matter is not cxactly in our ken 'and might be

of interest to the PBI I made a digest of the original memorandum and

gave a copy to the Seattle FBI Office. A copy of. the digest was also

given to Mr. William Barrus, CIA. O/S, Seattle Resident Agent.

of the digest is atrached.

Seattle FBI Office said that they probably

take any action but would pass the information along to their

headquarters in Washington DC.

In all probability the information

will be attributed to the Seattle Field Office.

3.

I made a further check with Colonel Michael J. Dolan, Place-

ment Officer, Seattle University, to determine if he had heard arything

about the subject matter on

the campus.

Colonel Dolan works with Mr.

Thomas L. Culhane, CLA, OP/RD. Mr. Culhane says that Colonel Dolan

can be trusted to be discreet in any dealings that we might have with

hio.

Colonel Dolan was unable to give me any Information of a sub-

stantive nature regarding Subject but stated that Miss Panning 18

having academic problems and her grade point has gone down steadily

since enrollment at Seattle University.

Her present courses are all

aught by laymen so if she has any contact with the Jesuit priests th

contact would be outside of the classroom.

It was Colonel Dolan',

opinion that the university administration would be very interested in

running down information of the nature outlined by Mrs. Fanning.

Colonel Dolan has stated he will make some discreet inquiries without

implicating either Mrs. or Miss Fanning.

3010-108

Buy U.S. Sarings Bonds Rizularly on the Payroll Savings Plan

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Subject: Alleged Anti-ClA lirasents

made by Priests at Seattle University

...4.

If 10 18 determined that there 18 any trash so the allegationa

we will be advised.

le suspect, however, that Miss Fanning la fabri-

cating in order to cover up fer poor academic progress.

tomatossed

Wilk: kg

cc:

Chief, Denver Office

Attachments

(dion: D. S.

Jordan)

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L

31 Januäry 1968

MEHORANDUM FOR THIS RECORD

SUBJECT:

Call fros Mis: Marzaret Panning Regardirig Ant1-CIA seeIvity

at the Univerally of Seattle

1. On 18 January 1968; 1100 hours, the Denver Office recesved a

call'on the listed number frou a ioman who identified herself ao

Mis. Margaret Fanning.

"Hra. Fanning stated that she lives is pueblo

and that at the cise of the call she was at Stapleton Alrport enrouto

to Texas.:" MIs. Fanning'a readon for calling us was her great concern

about what her daughter, Clase, 1s being taught about the ClA and the

Kennedy assassination at the University of Scatcle shere Clare 18 a

student.

2.

Mrs. Fanning has received several telephone calls recently

from Clare in which Clare Inforzed her mother that some of the pileste

at the University of Seattle (a Jeault school) had convinced tse studenta

that Carrison's cheories about the assassination are correct and that the

charges about the Agency's topilcation are also correct.

3.

Mrs. Fanning stated that her daughter is actually afraid of the

CIA and conaiders that the ClA 1s

comparable to the Gestapo.

Kis. Fanning

acated that she cried to persuade Clare that what she (the dauzater) had

heard 1s totally untrue but Mrs. Panning had no succesa whatsoever in

changing her daughter's vleupoint.

4.

Mrg. Fanning also atated that Clare asked her to be sure not

to repeat to anyone any of the foregoing information and that the prlests

at Seattle University had Instructed their students not to discuss these

matters with their parents.

MIs. Fanning was obviously nost upset that

a faculty member at a university, particularly a priest, had instructed

students not to discuss matters presented to chea at the school with their

parents.

In this cornection, I suggested to Mrs. Fanning thai she posalbly

id legitimate grievance agalnst the school and that she aight drite

ter to the president on this particular ltes

'. I also pointad out to her that li there 1s in progress at che

niversity of seattle activity shich could be construed as a chreat t

HIA which is apparently being disseminated at the University of Seattle

but pointed out that there is very little we can do about such =atters.

ar..

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31 Janusry 1968

He a le or toney a can reporten are a the taerty

of Seattle would like to go to New Orleans to dessestrate support for

'Garrison.

•7.. In she course of her discussion Mrs. Fanning mentioned that hor

daughter's sodfacher 1a a bar by tha name of Robert Locito whos Mrs.

Fanning sald worked for the ClA for nine years.

He daughter, Clare,

emphasized to her mother that nothing should be said to Lotito about

the daughier's bellefs in Garrison's theorles on she assassination and

MICHAEZ M. TODOROVICH

DS Jordan/ Jda

That wear. i

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It was learned on 18 January 1963 that there 1s an alleged

ants-clA activity

'In progicso at scattla Univorsity. Tho

Intomant do a MEs. Marcaret terrárg uno Ilves in lucalo,

Mas. Hanning statoa that hor doughecs, Claro, e

atudent al seattlo Unlvorally 10 baing taught thes ClA vas

laplicatod in tho Kennedy assassination.

Mrs. Fanning allagedly has received several talenhona calla

racently fron Claro In which che rolated chat cona of tho

prióato at Seattla Univorally hed convinced the studento chiat

Carrison's theorlos abóut the arscaslracion aro correct end

that tho chargon about cIn'e leplieation ard also corroce.

Mrs. Panning states hor dauchter 10 afrald of CLA and corsidars

CIA as boing comparablo to

Mrs. Fanning has trled

to persuado has doughter thae these chargon sio totally untrua

but apparantly has had no quecors in charging hes daughter'a

vicwpoint.

Maß. Fanning also states chat her daughter has been cold to

be puro not to repeat to anyona

the foregoing Infornation and

that cho priosts at Sositlo University havo Irstructed thelt

studente not to diacuos theao sattera with eicis paronto.

MrB. Panning stated that her dougliter las roachsd a point unera

ohe wanto to send sonay to GarIlson and that a sroup of atudenis

at Soattlo Univeralty would liño to go to lew Orleana to desoso

strato support for Carrison.

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