Cram study

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Executive Order 13526, I hereby request a Mandatory Declassification Review of the following records:

Any and all historical studies of James Jesus Angleton's time as Counterintelligence Chief, including but not limited to an apparent study conducted by Cleveland Cram covering Angleton's time as the Chief, from 1954 to 1974. Note that I am not asking for the Intelligence Monograph entitled "Of Moles and Molehunters: A Review of Counterintelligence Literature, 1977-92" which was published by the Center for the Study of Intelligence. This request includes but is not limited to the materials located as part of EOM-2017-00680.

It would be improper to withhold the entirety of the report, as at least sections of it are not exempt from declassification and release. For instance, the Central Intelligence Agency Information Act specifies that the operational file exemptions do not include "the specific subject matter of an investigation by the intelligence committees of the Congress, the Intelligence Oversight Board, the Department of Justice, the Office of General Counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Office of the Inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency, or the office of the Director of Central Intelligence for any impropriety, or violation of law, Executive order, or Presidential directive, in the conduct of an intelligence activity." Similarly, a directive signed by DCI Colby on January 12, 1976 states that "sources and methods" exemptions do not apply to "information relating to any Agency activity or operation which violates a U.S. statute, Executive order or Presidential order or is without authority of law irrespective of any otherwise apparent coverage that might be afforded" to sources and methods.

The CIA Staff study undoubtedly falls under both of those exceptions to any operational and sources and methods exemptions from declassification, as it examines some subjects that were examined by those said offices or were found to be without proper legal authority. These include the Agency's mail opening programs, CIA's questionable liaisons with both domestic and foreign agencies, the Nosenko and Golitsyn affairs, etc. Many other historically significant incidents are undoubtedly touched upon in the study, such as the JFK assassination - which has been the subject of Congressional investigations. There will also be overlap with the Rockefeller Commission, the Pike and Church Committees, the HSCA, the Family Jewels and other investigations which disqualify the information from the CIA Information Act's protections and indicate the types of activities disqualified from sources and methods exemptions, per DCI Colby's directive.

Additionally, the claimed necessity of keeping the information secret is contradicted by the actions of the report's primary author - Cleveland Cram. Mr. Cram allowed a journalist, Ron Rosenbaum, to read the entirety of the report. Mr. Rosenbaum, a mainstream journalist, has publicly stated this several times, including in tweets at https://twitter.com/ronrosenbaum1/status/947876007301861376, https://twitter.com/RonRosenbaum1/status/907233630690451456, https://twitter.com/RonRosenbaum1/status/907206541207621634, and https://twitter.com/RonRosenbaum1/status/907202986400763904. This behavior, letting a reporter read the report in its entirety, is inconsistent with the assertion that it cannot be made public.

Finally, any operational materials contained in the history are easily segregable upon review, as much of the study deals with internal, administrative matters.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter.

I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Emma Best