Documents / FOIA release
This is a Central Intelligence Agency release dated 2025-06-12 under the JFK Act. It collects 1975 newspaper and magazine clippings. They include Mark Harris's New York Times Magazine essay on a UCLA "Conspiracy in America" conference and the conspiracy-theory mindset, a Jack Anderson column on stalled CIA reform, and wire reports of Richard Helms calling CBS newsman Daniel Schorr "Killer" after he testified to the Rockefeller Commission. There is also an essay on power and a publishing item about Philip Agee's book.
“Nevers”28 pages
# Helms Blasts Reporter After CIA Panel Session International Former CIA Director Richard Helms, who has been called repeatedly before investigators to answer questions on Watergate, alleged domestic spying by the CIA and possible plots to assassinate foreign leaders, exploded yesterday with a bitter denunciation of a newsman for reporting on the latter possibility. Helms lashed out angrily in a meeting with reporters after an appearance of nearly three hours before the Rockefeller Commission the longest appearance by any of the 44 witnesses who have testified during its 16-week investigation of the foreign intelligence agency's role at home. HELMS DENIED FLATLY, "as far as I know," that the CIA "was responsible for the assassination of any foreign leader." It marked the first time a government official had ruled out CIA involvement in an assassination successfully carried out. The target of Helms' venom was CBS reporter Daniel Schorr, who first reported that President Ford was concerned that the CIA investigation would reveal that the spy agency had a role in the assassination of at least three foreign leaders. "Killer Schorr! Killer Schorr!" Helms said loudly as he walked down the hallway with reporters following his appearance before the commission. RICHARD HELMS Anger unmasked Later during a news conference, when Schory asked a question on a subject unrelated to the assassinations, Helma would only answer: "I don't like some of the lies you've been putting on the air. "I just want to say one thing. I don't know of any foreign leader that was ever assassinated by the C.I.A. That's my honest belief." Helms bristled when newsmen asked him if there had ever been discussions in the CIA plotting the assassinations of foreign leaders. "THAT'S LIKE asking me if I've stopped beating my wife," Helms said. "There were always discussions of everything. Two men may have sat in the State Department or the Defense Department and discussed things that may not be acceptable to the American people. That happens all the time." Helms refused to comment on reports that former President Lyndon B. Johnson told several coileagies that he believed the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was in retaliation for a CIA plot aimed at Cuban premier Fidel Castro. "I don't know why President Johnson said these things." Helms said. Helms was director of the CIA from 1946 to early 1973. Reports have charged that during the anti-war movement in the late 1940s, the CIA was engaged in a massive domestic spying program, which is illegal under its charter. Helms said his testimony "covered all kinds of subjects - Cuba, Vietnam anything you can imagine." He said he had spent two days preparing with the staff of the Rockefeller Commission and then appeared before the full panel "for a reaffirmation of what I covered with the staff." He refused comment about the specific charges of domestic spring, saying: "Let's wait until the commission has given its report. They've conducted an exhaustive investigation."
Not linked to a story yet.
FOIA release, from the cia-readingroom collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. The text was read from the page images by an OCR model; expect the odd misread word. 83 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.