William J. Casey | |
|---|---|
(2).jpg) Casey in 1983. | |
| 13thDirector of Central Intelligence | |
| In office January 28, 1981 – January 29, 1987 On leave: December 18, 1986 – January 29, 1987 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Deputy | Frank Carlucci Bobby Ray Inman John N. McMahon Robert Gates |
| Preceded by | Stansfield Turner |
| Succeeded by | Robert Gates (acting) |
| Chairman and President of theExport–Import Bank of the United States | |
| In office March 14, 1974 – January 2, 1976 | |
| President | Richard Nixon Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Henry Kearns |
| Succeeded by | Stephen M. DuBrul Jr. |
| 5thUnder Secretary of State for Economic Affairs | |
| In office February 2, 1973 – March 14, 1974 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Thomas C. Mann |
| Succeeded by | Charles W. Robinson |
| Chair of theSecurities and Exchange Commission | |
| In office April 14, 1971 – February 2, 1973 | |
| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Hamer H. Budge |
| Succeeded by | G. Bradford Cook |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Joseph Casey (1913-03-13)March 13, 1913 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | May 6, 1987(1987-05-06) (aged 74) Roslyn Harbor, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Sophia Kurz |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1943–1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | United States Naval Reserve,Office of Strategic Services |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal |
William Joseph Casey (March 13, 1913 – May 6, 1987) was an American lawyer who was theDirector of Central Intelligence from 1981 to 1987. In this capacity he oversaw the entireUnited States Intelligence Community and personally directed theCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA) throughout much of theReagan administration.[1][2][3][4]
A native of theElmhurst section ofQueens, New York, Casey was raised as aRoman Catholic inBellmore, New York and graduated from theJesuit-affiliatedFordham University in 1934. He continued his education at other Catholic institutions, completing graduate work at theCatholic University of America before earning anLL.B. fromSt. John's University School of Law in 1937. He was of Irish ancestry.[5]
Following his admission to the bar, he was a partner in the New York–based Buckner, Casey, Doran and Siegel from 1938 to 1942. Concurrently, as chairman of the board of editors of the Research Institute of America (1938–1949),[6] Casey initially conceptualized thetax shelter and "explained to businessmen how little they need[ed] to do in order to stay on the right side ofNew Deal regulatory legislation."[7]
DuringWorld War II, he worked for theOffice of Strategic Services, where he became head of itsSecret Intelligence Branch in Europe.[4][8] He served in theUnited States Naval Reserve until December 1944 before remaining in his OSS position as a civilian until his resignation in September 1945; as an officer, he attained the rank oflieutenant and was awarded theBronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement.
Following the dissolution of the OSS in September 1945, Casey returned to his legal and business ventures. After serving as a special counsel to theUnited States Senate (1947–1948) and associate general counsel to thePoint Four Program (1948),[6] Casey founded the Institute for Business Planning in 1950; there, he amassed much of his early wealth (compounded by investments) by writing early data-driven publications onbusiness law.[9] He was a lecturer intax law at theNew York University School of Law from 1948 to 1962.[6] From 1957 to 1971, he was a partner atHall, Casey, Dickler & Howley, a New Yorkcorporate law firm, under the auspices of founding partner and prominent Republican politicianLeonard W. Hall.[6] He ran as a Republican for New York's 3rd congressional district in 1966, but was defeated in the primary by former CongressmanSteven Derounian.[10]
He served in theNixon administration as the chairman of theSecurities and Exchange Commission from 1971 to 1973;[4][11] this position led to his being called as a prosecution witness against former Attorney GeneralJohn N. Mitchell and former Commerce SecretaryMaurice Stans in an influence-peddling case stemming from international financierRobert Vesco's $200,000 contribution to the Nixon reelection campaign.[12]
He then served asUnder Secretary of State for Economic Affairs (1973–1974)[4] and chairman of theExport-Import Bank of the United States (Eximbank) (1974–1976).[a] During this era, he was also a member of thePresident's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (1975–1976) andof counsel toRogers & Wells (1976–1981).
Casey returned to private law practice in 1976. WithAntony Fisher, he co-founded theManhattan Institute in 1978. Casey represented 117 clients from 1976 to 1981. Among Casey's clients were the governments ofIndonesia andSouth Korea, which were then military dictatorships. Casey would fail to disclose his legal clients and finances from the 1970s to the U.S. Senate during his confirmation hearings to become Director of Central Intelligence.[28][29]
Ascampaign manager ofRonald Reagan's successful presidential campaign in 1980, Casey helped to broker Reagan's unlikely alliance with vice presidential nomineeGeorge H. W. Bush.[30]
Shortly before the final presidential debate on October 28, 1980, the Reagan campaign acquired PresidentJimmy Carter's briefing papers, classified top secret,[31] that Carter used in preparation for the debate. The importance of these documents is still subject to debate, but the leak of campaign papers was not divulged to the public until late June 1983.James Baker has claimed that he had received the briefing book from Casey, who vehemently denied this before his death.[32]
According toBen Barnes, Casey met with Barnes and former Texas GovernorJohn Connally in September 1980 to discuss Connally's trip to the Middle East. During the trip, Connally asked Arab leaders to convey to the Iranian government that Iran should wait to releaseAmerican hostages until after the election of 1980 was concluded. Barnes claimed that Casey discussed with Connally if the Iranians "were going to hold the hostages," possibly corroborating theOctober Surprise theory. The hostages were released minutes after Reagan was inaugurated as president.[33]
Casey then served on the transition team following the election.
After Reagan took office, Reagan named Casey to the post ofDirector of Central Intelligence (DCI).[34] Outgoing DirectorStansfield Turner characterized the appointment as the "Resurrection of Wild Bill," referring toBill Donovan, the brilliant and eccentric head ofOffice of Strategic Services inWorld War II, whom Casey had known and greatly admired.[35]
Despite Casey's background in intelligence, the position was not his first choice; according to Rhoda Koenig, he only agreed to take the appointment after being assured that "he could have a hand in shaping foreign policy rather than simply reporting the data on which it was based."[7] Breaking precedent, Reagan elevated the role to aCabinet-level position for the duration of Casey's appointment.[36]
Ronald Reagan used prominent Catholics in his government to briefPope John Paul II of developments in theCold War. Casey would fly secretly to Rome in a windowlessC-141 black jet and "be taken undercover to the Vatican.[37]
Casey oversaw the re-expansion of the Intelligence Community to funding and human resource levels greater than those existing before the precedingCarter Administration; in particular, he increased levels within the CIA. During his tenure, post-Watergate andChurch Committee restrictions were controversially lifted on the use of the CIA to directly and covertly influence the internal and foreign affairs of countries relevant to American policy.
This period of theCold War saw an increase in the Agency's global, anti-Soviet activities, which started under theCarter Doctrine in late 1980.
Casey was suspected, by some, of involvement with the controversialIran-Contra affair, in which Reagan administration personnel secretly traded arms to the Islamic Republic ofIran, and secretly diverted some of the resulting income to aid the rebelContras inNicaragua, in violation of U.S. law. Casey was called to testify before Congress about his knowledge of the affair. On 15 December 1986, one day before Casey was scheduled to testify before Congress, Casey suffered two seizures and was hospitalized. Three days later, Casey underwent surgery for a previously undiagnosed brain tumor.[1][2][3][4][8][38] While hospitalized, Casey died less than 24 hours after former colleagueRichard Secord testified that Casey supported the illegal aiding of the Contras.[1][2][3][38]
In his November 1987 book,Veil: The Secret Wars of the CIA 1981–1987,Washington Post reporter and biographerBob Woodward, who had interviewed Casey on a number of occasions for the biography, said that he had gained entry into Casey's hospital room for a final, four-minute encounter—a claim which was met with disbelief in many quarters as well as an adamant denial from Casey's wife, Sofia. According to Woodward, when Casey was asked if he knew about the diversion of funds to theNicaraguanContras, "His head jerked up hard. He stared, and finally nodded yes."[39]
In his final report (submitted in August 1993),Independent CounselLawrence E. Walsh indicated evidence of Casey's involvement:
There is evidence that Casey played a role as a Cabinet-level advocate both in setting up the covert network to resupply the contras during the Boland funding cut-off, and in promoting the secret arms sales to Iran in 1985 and 1986. In both instances, Casey was acting in furtherance of broad policies established by President Reagan.
There is evidence that Casey, working with two national security advisers to President Reagan during the period 1984 through 1986—Robert C. McFarlane and Vice AdmiralJohn M. Poindexter—approved having these operations conducted out of theNational Security Council staff with Lt. Col.Oliver L. North as the action officer, assisted by retired Air Force Maj. Gen.Richard V. Secord. And although Casey tried to insulate himself and the CIA from any illegal activities relating to the two secret operations ... there is evidence that he was involved in at least some of those activities and may have attempted to keep them concealed from Congress.[4]
However, Walsh also wrote: "Independent Counsel obtained no documentary evidence showing Casey knew about or approved the diversion. The only direct testimony linking Casey to early knowledge of the diversion came from[Oliver] North."[4] Posthumously, theHouse October Surprise Task Force eventually exonerated Casey after first holding hearings to establish a need for investigation,[40] theoutcome of the investigation,[41] the response of Casey's family to thetask force's closure of the investigation,[42] and Walsh'sfinal Independent Counsel report.[43]
Casey was a member of theKnights of Malta.[44] He also attended the secretiveLe Cercle meetings.[45]
In 1948, he purchased Locust Knoll, an 8.2 acres (3.3 ha)North Shore estate centered around a main 1854Jacobethan house inRoslyn Harbor, New York, for $50,000. After renaming the estate Mayknoll, it remained his principal residence until his death.[46][47]
His daughter Bernadette was married to Casey's business partner, the late Owen Smith. Smith was the chairman of the Board of Trustees of theInstitute of World Politics and a professor atLong Island University.[48]
Casey died of abrain tumor on May 6, 1987, at the age of 74. HisRequiem Mass was said by Fr. Daniel Fagan, then pastor of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church inRoslyn, New York, and his funeral was led by BishopJohn R. McGann, who used his pulpit to castigate Casey for his ethics and actions in Nicaragua.[49] It was attended by President Reagan and the First Lady. Casey is buried in theCemetery of the Holy Rood inWestbury, New York.
He was survived by his wife, the former Sophia Kurz (d. 2000), and his daughter, Bernadette Casey Smith.[50]
Mr. Casey, after serving as chief of secret intelligence in Europe for the Office of Strategic Services in World War II,
This picture is from the article Самый-самый порт Пивденный: от Хаммера до наших дней (The most-most port of Pivdenny: from Hammer to the present day) in the Ukrainian Shipping Magazine (USM).
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Chair of theSecurities and Exchange Commission 1971–1973 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Director of Central Intelligence 1981–1987 On leave: 1986–1987 | Succeeded by Robert Gates Acting |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment 1973–1974 | Succeeded by |
Chairmen of theUnited States Securities and Exchange Commission | ||
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