M E M O R A N D U M
NO-406-67
TO: Director, Domestic Contact Service
DATE: 15 November 1967
Att'n: Operational Support Staff
FROM: Chief, New Orleans Office
SUBJECT: Case 49364 - Garrison Investigation
1. Attached for your information is a retention copy of a booklet describing the International House 59th Trade Mission which visited Moscow and Leningrad during a six-day trip to the USSR in September 1967. In this connection, your attention is invited to the discussion of the Garrison investigation blocked off in red pencil marks in the paragraph appearing on the unnumbered page headed "Leningrad & Moscow."
2. Soviet Bloc Division might be interested in perusing this page for the reported discussions concerning the Vietnam war and US-Soviet relations. We thought this was insufficient for a separate "realities" report. We talked at some length with two members of the International House delegation and obtained nothing which we considered reportable information.
3. On the evening of 14 November 1967, Hunter C. Leake of this office attended a cocktail party at the home of a very good friend of his, Alfred J. Moran, who has had some past dealings with the Agency. During the course of the evening, he took Hunter aside and told him that he had been contacted by a member of Jim Garrison's staff in connection with the conspiracy charges against Clay Shaw. From Mr. Moran's narration, it appears that the Assistant D.A. had the name of several individuals who happened on one occasion to be together in the Eastern Airlines VIP room at the New Orleans International Airport. One of these names was Clem Bertrand; another was Moran's. Mr. Moran recalled the occasion and positively identified to the Assistant D.A. the presence there of Clay Shaw at that time. Since Mr. Moran is no admirer of Shaw, he could be a very hostile witness at Shaw's trial. He expressed the opinion to Hunter that Garrison had "an ironclad" case against Shaw.
4. Because of the caveat on discussing this case, Hunter merely listened and was noncommittal, but wanted very badly to ask Mr. Moran: (a) the date of the occasion; (b) the identities of all those present (i.e., Clay Shaw and Clem Bertrand might have been both present); (c) whether they had to sign a guest register in the VIP room; (d) whether Eastern Airlines keeps a log on all VIP room guests; (e) the source of the Assistant DA's information and whether his interview with Mr. Moran was by telephone or in person.
LLOYD A. RAY