PROS AND CONS OF THE ROBERT MAHEU CASE.
Originator: CIA
From: OSBORN, ROBERT, D/OS
To: DCI
Document date: 07/29/1966
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence

THROUGH

SUBJECT

: Deputy Director for Support

:

Pros and Cons of the Robert Maheu Case

1.. This memorandum is for your information only and is

forwarded with the thought that it may prove useful to you in your

consideration of the difficulties now facing us in the Robert

Mabeu Case.

2. I have spent considerable time in an effort to evaluate

the various alternatives open to ua in this case. To me, it is not

really a question of whether to brief or not to brief but rather to

examine the consequences arising from either action. In an ef-

fort to delineate all possible actions which could result from

either position you may take on this case. I have prepared the

attached list of "pros and cons". It is completely objective and

I have scraped the bottom of the barrel to list all possible con-

sequences. It is forwarded with the thought that you might find

it usefui.

Howard f. Osborn

Sirector o1 Security

Attachment

List of Fros and Cons

on Robert Mabeu Case

Distribution:

Crig. - DCI

1 - DDS

1 - General Counsel

EVES ENLY

SESHET

RETURN TO CIA

Background Use Only

Do Not Reproduce

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PROS AND CONS OF THE ROBERT MAHEU CASE

1. Senator Long has been told by Morris Shenker, his personal attorney, that Robert Maheu

was involved in certain assignments for this Agency. He is specifically aware of our interest in

the Onassis-Niarchus Case, as well as our use of Giancana (not the mission). Senator Long allegedly

agreed to withhold the subpoena of Maheu if the Agency simply confirms Maheu's statement that he

has been utilized in the past on

sensitive assignments for CIA. Senator Long reportedly does not

desire to know any of the particulars and reportedly agrees not to get the Agency involved through

other witnesses that may be called.

2. If the Agency accepts this proposal, the following possibilities exist:

a. If the Senator honors the agreement, the following Pros and Cons exist:

PROS

CONS

The Agency will not become involved and

no publicity will ensue. This undoubtedly

would also have a number of advantages

for Maheu personally, since he would not

be involved.

The Senator could withhold the use of

this information at this time, but could

utilize the information later if he desired

to do so.

• He could withhold use of the information

at this time, but have his Committee

Staff dig into the matter more deeply to

develop the full story in the case for use at

a later date.

He could advise other individuals on the

Hill that he had withheld the subpoena

of Maheu due to the Agency's involvement

in the two cases.

BIES 0AM

SHORET

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b. Il the Senator does not honor the agrcement, the following Pros and Cons exist:

PROS

The Agency would be in a position of

having attempted to cooperate with the

Senate Committee by informing them of

our interest in the matter.

We would be more sure of having the

fullest support of Maheu, Morgan and

Shenker since we have attempted to

solve the problem and our attempts

have failed through no fault of our own.

CONS

Maheu will be subpoenaed and upon inquiry

into the Onassis and Giancana affairs, will

refer the Committee to the Agency, This

will publicly surface our connection. (The

Onassis case does not present too much

of a problem since this association has been

a matter of court record, the Agency was

not involved in wire tapping, and senior

officials of the Government were well aware

of the operation. )

Even though Maheu refers the Committee

to the Agency in this matter, the Giancana

situation could be most embarrassing.

First of all, even though Maheu would not

be involved in the questioning, the Committee

might call Giancana to testify. The attendant

publicity would possibly identify Maheu as

an Agency intermediary to other members of

the Giancana family.

If Maheu's association with the Agency is 03

CERO

information on the Djakarta incidaits.

The Senator could also leak it to the Press.

BES CTV

SCENET

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C1Y

Coal

c. If the Agency does not accept Senator Long's proposal, the following Pros and Cons exist:

PROS

We have made no admissions and have.

furnished no validation to the Committee

concerning our association with Maheu.

We have not admitted to the Committee

our involvement in the Onassis or Giancana

affairs.

We are in a position to simply

deny any involvement in wire tapping in

the Maheu case, which after all, is the

purpose of the hearings of the Long

Committee.

CONS

We risk arousing the ire of Maheu,

Morgan, and Shenker because of our lack

of cooperation.

Since the Senator has reportedly been

informed of our involvement with Maheu

and we have not acknowledged it, he may

then feel free to dig into the matter

completely since we have not furnished

him with the information.

Giancana may be called to testify and we

could not control Giancana.

0'3

24

Florence Horn(of Project HARPSTAR could

Come into the picture as a result of the

television publicity involving Maheu.

Our involvement in the Giancana situation

would become known to other members of

the Giancana family.

SERTET

421.291

a/920

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