Plain-English summaryThe CIA's Director of Congressional Affairs replies to Representative James A. Leach regarding his inquiries into Barry Seal and associated matters. The letter explains that both the Inspector General and CIA components are reviewing records, but warns that the agency cannot meet the requested deadlines due to the breadth of the questions. It also clarifies the division of responsibilities within the CIA and notes that Congressional inquiries should generally be routed through the Office of Congressional Affairs or the DCI.
Key line (verbatim from the document)“The Inspector General (IG) has been working on those portions of your request that involve information the IG dealt with in preparing its previous report on these © matters”
Summary written with AI help from the document text and checked against it; the key line is matched word for word to the text. Read the original before citing.
Full text (2,927 characters)
Central Intelligence Agency (bits)
Washington. D.C. 20505
APPROVED FOR
RELEASEUDATE:
23-Sep-2009
OCA 98-1195
20 April 1998
The Honorable James A. Leach ©
Chairman
Committee on Banking and
Financial Services
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman:
The Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) asked me to
reply to your April 2 and April 20, 1998 letters to him
requesting further information regarding Barry Seal and
associated matters.
The Inspector General (IG) has been working on those
portions of your request that involve information the IG
dealt with in preparing its previous report on these ©
matters. Also, the Office of Congressional Affairs is
working with the appropriate CIA components to respond to
those aspects of your. request that involve further records
searches and additional information. Please understand that
given the breadth of your questions, we will be unable to
respond by the requested deadlines.
I wagrat any confusion that may have arisen during your
recent dealings with the IG, with respect to that Office’s
role and the allocation of responsibility within CIA for
answering Congressional inquiries. By way of clarification,
this Office is the primary point of contact for responding
to requests by Congress for CIA data or other support. I
also note in this regard that section 17(b)(2) of the CIA
Act places the IG under the general supervision of, and
states that the IG shall report directly to, the DCI. For
these reasons, as the IG’s letter suggests, directing new
requests for Agency information to the DCI or to this Office
is generally the most appropriate avenue for addressing such
requests.
The Honorable James A. Leach
Finally, please be assured the DCI and I take seriously
all Congressional requests for information or other. support.
The Agency will do its best to respond to your current
“inquiry and to future requests or interests that you may
have. a
If we may be of further assistance, please call me at
Sincerely,
ee Moseman
Directorof Congressional Affairs
Get our free primary-source worksheet: read a declassified document like this one, line by line.
Free. Confirm by email. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy
