“I cannot subscribe to the majority report because in my judgment it has political overtones and accepts the self-serving declarations of officials in the new administration rather than actual performance as indicating an improvement in the attitude of the executive branch toward providing information to the Congress and the public.
“The majority condemns the Eisenhower administration record on secrecy in government while praising that of the Kennedy administration. Such a distinction in my opinion, is not justified.”
Meader well remembered the fine words spoken in 1952 and 1953 on same subject by officials of the Eisenhower administration. He knew that the true test of the Kennedy administration lay not with words but with the administration’s continued willingness to support the power of inquiry of the Congress.
A few days after the release of the House report and Meader’s dissent, Attorney General Kennedy upheld the importance of investigations by Congress.
On the “Meet the Press” television show on September 24, James Reston, Bureau Chief for The New York Times, said to Attorney General Kennedy:
“In the field of ‘executive privilege’ ... you seem more willing than previous Presidents and administrations to give information sought by Congress.”
“As far as ‘executive privilege’ is concerned,” the Attorney General answered, “I was associated with a congressional committee for five or six years and had battles with the executive branch of the government regarding obtaining information.
“I think it is terribly important to insure that the executive branch of the government is not corrupt and that they are efficient, that the legislative branch of the government has the ability to check on what we are doing in the executive branch of the government.
“So, in every instance that has been brought to our attention in the Department of Justice so far by various departments of the executive branch where this question has been raised we have suggested and recommended that they make the information available to Congress. We will continue to do that. I don’t say that there might not be an instance where ‘executive privilege’ might be used, but I think it is terribly important that the executive branch of the government, as powerful and strong as it is, that there be some check and balance on it, and in the last analysis the group that can best check and insure that it is handling its affairs properly is the Congress of the United States, so we will lean over backwards to make sure that they get the information they request.”
There was no reason to doubt the sincerity of the youthful Attorney General, and in fact there was every reason to believe he meant what he said. He was speaking from personal experience, he seemed to speak with conviction, and it was not yet time to be posturing for the 1964 political campaign.