The Nation - News from May 16, 1988

The late CIA Director William J. Casey successfully maneuvered to weaken White House oversight of U.S. foreign intelligence operations while the Iran-Contra affair was taking shape, according to a book by a former aide to President Reagan. Martin Anderson, in his book, “Revolution,” also says that former White House Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan abetted Casey in his move, although he was “uneasy” about it. Anderson describes steps leading up to a reorganization of the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board in November, 1985. The board originally had 21 members, but it was reduced to 14 by firing 11 members and adding four new ones, making it what Anderson called a “celebrity board” with few effective checks on Casey and the intelligence community.