Church Committee

The Church Committee is the common term referring to the United States Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, a Senate committee chaired by Senator Frank Church (D-ID) in 1975. The committee investigated intelligence gathering for illegality by the CIA and FBI after certain activities had been revealed by the Watergate affair.

Related Topics:
Senate - Frank Church - D - ID - 1975 - CIA - FBI - Watergate

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1975 and 1976, the Church Committee published fourteen reports on the formation of U.S. intelligence agencies, their operations, and the alleged abuses of law and of power that they had committed, together with recommendations for reform, some of which were put in place.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Among the matters investigated were attempts to assassinate foreign leaders, including Patrice Lumumba of the Congo, Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic, the Diem brothers of Vietnam, Gen. Rene Schneider of Chile and President John F. Kennedy's plan to use the mafia to kill Fidel Castro of Cuba. Under the pressure brought about by this committee, President Gerald Ford issued Executive Order 12333 to ban US sanctioned assassinations of foreign leaders, thus restricting the United State's options to conventional war only in cases where diplomacy has failed.

Related Topics:
Assassinate - Patrice Lumumba - Rafael Trujillo - Diem - Rene Schneider - John F. Kennedy - Mafia - Fidel Castro - Gerald Ford - Executive Order

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Together, the Church Committee's reports have been said to constitute the most extensive review of intelligence activities ever made available to the public.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~