Otis G. Pike, 92, Dies; Long Island Congressman Took On C.I.A

[choie]

Source: NY Times

Otis G. Pike, a longtime congressman from New York who spearheaded an inquiry in the 1970s into accusations that the intelligence establishment had abused its power, died on Monday in Vero Beach, Fla. He was 92.

His daughter, Lois Pike Eyre, said he had entered a hospice a week ago.

Over 18 years in the House of Representatives as a Democrat from a heavily Republican district on Long Island, Mr. Pike styled himself an uninhibited, independent thinker, lashing out, for example, against military profligacy.

In 1975, he became chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, which began examining suspicions that the Central Intelligence Agency had had its hand in coups in Chile and other countries and was spying on American citizens. The inquiry paralleled one in the Senate; they were the first in which Congress looked into allegations of abuse by the C.I.A.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/nyregion/otis-pike-congressman-who-took-on-cia-dies-at-92.html?hpw&rref=obituaries

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We have so few Otis Pikes who are willing to take on abusive power. Thank you Rep. Pike...

[gopiscrap]

1. RIP Rep. Pike

[bucolic_frolic]

2. All hail

Let's hope Otis gets an elevator ride to the heavens above - he
sure engaged life with an independent and prolific intellect.

[90-percent]

3. Memories

I grew up in Suffolk county LI from 1960 to 1979. I remember him from that era. I think he wrote a weekly column for Newsday? I was not that politically aware as a child, but this brings back fond memories of my youth.

92 was a good run, Otis.

-90% Jimmy

[Octafish]

4. A great American.

The great DUer bobthedrummer explains:

The Pike Committee

After the Watergate "scandal" there were Congressional investigations into illegal activities by the intelligence and law enforcement communities because it is the duty to have Congressional oversight to protect and defend the rights of US citizens (aka we, the people).

We have a Congress today that is not going to hold accountable an administration that uses war as a policy, tortures, employs mercenaries, has a world-wide secret prison system, conducts massive illegal domestic surveillance, conducts domestic psychological warfare operations and God knows what else.

The oversight role of Congress (in a representational democracy, that=you and me) has been seriously negated. Previous and current suggested reforms of the intelligence and law enforcement communities have been continuously neutralized by an increased para-militarized and privatized component engaged in the administration's "war on terror".

This is a thread about the reforms recommended after the Watergate "scandal"-and a study on the forces that opposed them.

The post-Watergate Senate investigation was chaired by Senator Frank Church (D-Idaho) and known as The Church Committee-most of the various reports and documents from the Church Committee are declassified and available to the public, they have been cited/discussed here for years.

The House investigation began with controversy over leadership, Rep. Lucien Nedzi (D-Michigan) was replaced as Chairman after 5 months by Rep. Otis G. Pike (D-New York)-this House investigation became known as The Pike Committee.

Below are a few links about The Pike Committee, the first is an overview that was authored by the CIA's Agency Historian and head of the CIA History Staff, Gerald K. Haines.

"The Pike Committee Investigations and the CIA" by Gerald K. Haines
http://bss.sfsu.edu/fischer/IR%20360/Readings/pike.htm

Otis G. Pike profile from Spartacus Schoolnet
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKpikeO.htm

Kathryn S. Olmsted wrote "Challenging the Secret Government: The Post-Watergate Investigation of the CIA and FBI" (University of North Carolina Press 1996, paper)-Third World Traveler has a page of excerpts from her work which is linked below.

"Counterattack, Unwelcome Truths, Epilogue"
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/CIA/Unwelcome_Truths_...

I was unable to find the complete final report and documents of The Pike Committee-it is my understanding that portions are declassified yet the House retains control of the full report and documents.

Some of the report was leaked to the Village Voice which set-off a "national security" furor. Daniel Schorr lost his job at CBS as a result of passing on Pike Committee docs to the Village Voice.

NameBase.org has an archived Daniel Brandt article about this aspect of The Pike Committee (and other public disclosure issues).

"Journalism and the CIA: The Mighty Wurlitzer" by Daniel Brandt (NameBase NewsLine #17, April-June 1997)
http://www.namebase.org/news17.html

It is worth noting that George Herbert Walker Bush was Director CIA during this tumultuous period 1975-77.

James Ridgeway wrote an article at the end of 2005 that ties a lot of this together inasmuch as documenting what the failure to implement reform has resulted in.

"The Bush Family Coup" by James Ridgeway (Village Voice 12-27-2005)
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0601,mondo1,71442,6.ht...

COMPLETE links at original: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2990965

[Judi Lynn]

8. So much irreplaceable information. Missed it the 1st time. So much to learn in one place!

Thanks to bobthedrummer for working to share with people who need and want to know, and thank you, Octafish for the mountain of priceless material you have contributed.

If only we could hope to believe there will be more people like Rep. Pike and Senator Frank Church.

[Octafish]

9. Poppy came in to CIA, steamed his predecessor leaked 'The Family Jewels.'

Sen. Frank Church in the Senate and Rep. Otis Pike in the House were leading investigations into the CIA and its active, yet illegal, influence upon American life. So in comes Poppy, and things all of a sudden quieted down on the Hill, a deathly stillness came about, looking back now. About Pike's report, which his fellow Representatives voted not to make public:

Pike was bitter over the vote. He announced to the House, "The House just voted not to release a document it had not read. Our committee voted to release a document it had read." 49 Pike was so upset that he threatened not to file a report at all with the House because "a report on the CIA in which the CIA would do the final rewrite would be a lie." 50 Later, Pike reflected that "They, the (Gerald Ford) White House, wanted to precensor our final report. This was unacceptable." 51

Busted Link now (SOURCE: http://bss.sfsu.edu/fischer/ir%20360/readings/pike.htm)

Internet Archive still has it, though: The Pike Committee Investigations and the CIA

https://web.archive.org/web/20030225021803/http://bss.sfsu.edu/fischer/IR%20360/Readings/pike.htm

For those interest in details about CIA's role in the News Biz:

Three Things Every American Should Know About Corporate McPravda

PS: You, too, Judi Lynn. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[Solly Mack]

5. K&R

[bobthedrummer]

6. RIP Mr. Pike, thanks for all you did and tried to do. K&R n/t

[Wilms]

7. ^