Office of the Historian

97. Memorandum From Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)1

Washington, January 26, 1979

SUBJECT

  • Libya and Billy Carter

You should be aware that Clinton Murchison—among other things owner of the Dallas Cowboys—is soon on his way to Libya to discuss an air defense system. (State opposed sale of this system to Libya, but Murchison evidently formed a company in the Bahamas and designed the system with European parts to avoid the restrictions.)

Billy Carter was Murchison’s guest at the Super Bowl, and another guest was Irving Davidson who is Murchison’s advance and PR man. Davidson is a Vice President of one of Murchison’s businesses and, among other things, is a registered agent for Israel.

During the game, Libya was much discussed. Davidson described the process of registering as a foreign agent as a painless one that is merely a formality. He suggested that Billy Carter register as a foreign agent for Libya. According to Davidson, Billy Carter said that is exactly what he intended to do.

This information comes from the State desk officer for Libya who got it directly from Davidson.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East, Subject File, Box 61, Libya: 1–12/79. No classification marking.↩