Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976, Volume XXIX, Eastern Europe; Eastern Mediterranean, 1969–1972

50. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Helms to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger)¹

Washington, undated.

SUBJECT

• Senator Caseʼs Proposed Legislation Re Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty

1. Yesterday we learned by chance of a press statement issued by the office of Senator Clifford Case for release on Sunday, 24 January, stating that the Senator plans to introduce legislation on Monday, 25 January to bring Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty under the authorization and appropriation process of the Congress. The statement also notes that similar legislation is to be introduced in the House by Representative Ogden R. Reid. The text of this release is attached as Tab A.²

2. We first learned of Senator Caseʼs interest in these Radios last October, when the State Department informed us of a letter from Senator Case to Secretary Rogers of 8 October asking several questions about these Radios. A copy of Senator Caseʼs letter is attached as Tab B.³ At that time Agency and State Department representatives agreed that some of Senator Caseʼs questions could not be answered fully on an unclassified basis and that the matter had best be handled by an oral briefing by Assistant Secretary Abshire. It was further agreed that the Agency stood ready to participate if this appeared desirable.

3. We understand that State Department representatives have on a number of occasions attempted, in conversations with Senator Case and members of his staff, to schedule such a briefing but without success.

4. Needless to say, the effectiveness of these radios would be seriously damaged by the introduction of such legislation or the publication of the attached release.⁴

Dick

1. Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 379, Subject Files, Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty, Vol. I. Secret.
2. Attached but not printed.
3. Attached but not printed.
4. In an attached January 22 memorandum to Kissinger, Haig wrote that Helmsʼs submission was “proof positive of the kind of lax interdepartmental discipline which is creeping upon us…. [Helms] points out that at least State was aware that Case was boring into the RFE/RL issue. Since that time, State has been unable to collar Case and brief him on the problem and no one, Rogers or Helms, had enough foresight to ask the White House to intervene. The cost of this bureaucratic fiasco is obvious. Our first exposure to the issue was yesterday when we learned of the Case press release, embargoed until Sundayʼs newspaper. Everyone involved must have known the Presidentʼs view on this which has been articulated both through the 40 Committee and within the context of our recent difficulties with the SPD.” Haig recommended that Kissinger follow up with formal inquiries to “the Secretary of State and the Director of CIA asking why appropriate action was not taken to at least attempt to preclude this action both at the departmental level and then subsequently through the use of whatever White House leverage could be mustered.”