Trying to Learn about Dad's Work as a CIA Officer During the Cold War from His Congressional Testimony

When I read that former CIA Director R. James Woolsey, Jr., died Tuesday I tried to try to remember if he was a director dad had liked or had talked about one way or another. Nothing specific came to mind, so I googled both their names and found that on September 21, 1999, they both testified about Russian money laundering in front of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services at the U.S. House of Representatives.

I’d read dad’s testimony in the past, but yesterday I read Woolsey’s testimony and then dad’s testimony, again (Woolsey spoke earlier in the day than dad). I could hear dad’s voice as I read his testimony, which brought tears to my eyes, so I pushed that thought away. I concentrated, instead, on trying to discern how much Woolsey might have known about dad’s work from both their testimonies.

When Woolsey said he’d tried to get the administration to heed the CIA’s intelligence about Russian organized crime in 1993-1994, I instinctively (and rationally) knew that a good part the intel had to have come from dad since he was the Moscow Chief of Station from 1992 to 1994.

My heart filled with pride as I reread his testimony and thought about his devotion to his country, his intelligence, and his strength to continue to speak up even when no one wanted to hear what he had to say. I also realized that in three days he’d be gone for two years. There had been so many questions I wish I could’ve asked him in the past two years, especially since I started Red Purse of Justice and working on my memoir.

I’m lucky we knew it was the last conversation we’d have when dad called and we were both able to say the important things one last time (some things were the first and last time). Not everyone gets to have that.

I do wish he’d been more willing to talk about his work in the weeks leading up to the last call, but to learn more I’ll need to put in a FOIA request.