# Church Committee *A 1975 U.S. Senate select committee that investigated abuses by U.S. intelligence agencies.* The Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities was named the Church Committee after its chairman, Senator Frank Church (D-ID). A [[United States Senate]] resolution passed on January 27, 1975, authorized it, and it issued its final report on April 29, 1976.[^1] Its investigators identified abuses by the Central Intelligence Agency, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], the Internal Revenue Service and the National Security Agency, including programs the public had never known of.[^2] [[Walter Mondale]], then a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] senator from [[Minnesota]], sat on the committee and chaired its domestic task force, which investigated and held hearings on intelligence abuses by the IRS and the FBI.[^3] The final report found that the problem ran across administrations. From Franklin Roosevelt's administration through the early 1970s, "intelligence excesses, at home and abroad," were not the "product of any single party, administration, or man."[^4] The report concluded that "Intelligence agencies have undermined the constitutional rights of citizens," and it gave the reason as "primarily because checks and balances designed by the framers of the Constitution to assure accountability have not been applied." It made 96 recommendations.[^4] Reforms followed in sequence. In 1976 the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 400, which established the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. In 1978 Congress passed, and President Jimmy Carter signed, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which required the executive branch to request surveillance warrants from a newly formed FISA Court.[^5] On the executive side, President Gerald Ford's Executive Order 11905 barred government employees from engaging or conspiring in political assassination. Church objected that any later president could set such an order aside with another order.[^6] Carter's Executive Order 12036 of 1978 was revoked in 1981.[^5] That same year, President Ronald Reagan's Executive Order 12333 replaced Executive Order 11905.[^7] ## Who The committee had eleven members, six Democrats and five Republicans. Church chaired it, and Senator John Tower (R-TX) was vice chairman. The other members were Howard Baker (R-TN), Barry Goldwater (R-AZ), Gary Hart (D-CO), Philip Hart (D-MI), Walter Huddleston (D-KY), Charles Mathias (R-MD), Walter Mondale (D-MN), Robert Morgan (D-NC) and Richard Schweiker (R-PA).[^1] Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and Republican Leader Hugh Scott chose the members. They balanced experienced lawmakers with junior ones and represented a range of political viewpoints. Philip Hart declined the chairmanship for health reasons. Mansfield then chose Church, a 16-year member of the Committee on Foreign Relations who had lobbied to lead the inquiry. Tower, a member of the Armed Services Committee, became vice chairman.[^8] At its peak the committee's staff numbered 150.[^9] ## What Senator John Pastore introduced the resolution creating the committee. It charged the committee with determining "the extent, if any, to which illegal, improper, or unethical activities were engaged in by any agency of the Federal Government."[^8] Among the programs the committee identified were the NSA's Projects SHAMROCK and MINARET. These programs monitored wire communications to and from the United States and passed some of that data to other intelligence agencies.[^2] Committee staff also researched COINTELPRO, the FBI's long-running program of "covert action designed to disrupt and discredit the activities of groups and individuals deemed a threat to the social order." Its targets included the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the anti-Vietnam War movement, Martin Luther King Jr., and local, state and federal elected officials.[^2] The CIA's internal "Family Jewels" report listed agency misdeeds going back to the [[Dwight Eisenhower]] administration, and staff used it as a road map.[^9] Other disclosures included Operation MKULTRA, in which U.S. citizens were drugged in mind-control experiments.[^10] At home, the committee found that the CIA and FBI ran a mail program called HTLINGUAL from the 1950s until 1973. Under it they intercepted, opened and photographed more than 215,000 items of mail.[^11] Abroad, an interim report, *Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders*, examined alleged attempts against Patrice Lumumba, Rafael Trujillo, Ngo Dinh Diem, Gen. René Schneider and Fidel Castro. Ford urged the Senate to keep that report from the public and did not succeed.[^7] The committee wrote seven case studies of covert operations. Only *Covert Action in Chile: 1963–1973* was released, and the CIA asked that the other six stay secret.[^12] The committee also reviewed the investigation of the November 22, 1963, assassination of John F. Kennedy. It examined the conduct of the FBI and CIA and their support for the Warren Commission, and it judged that investigation deficient. Its work fed into the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which sat from 1976 to 1979.[^13] The final report stated that "there is no inherent constitutional authority for the President or any intelligence agency to violate the law," and it recommended stronger oversight. In a separate view, Tower acknowledged "intelligence excesses" but cautioned that Congress should not "unnecessarily" restrain the president in national security.[^4] Some agencies also changed their own rules, including through new guidelines issued by Attorney General Edward Levi.[^5] ## When - January 1970: Army intelligence officer Christopher Pyle disclosed Army surveillance of civilians.[^14] - 1973: the Senate Watergate Committee found that the executive branch had directed intelligence agencies to run constitutionally questionable domestic security operations.[^15] - December 22, 1974: Seymour Hersh's front-page *[[New York Times]]* article on CIA domestic spying was published.[^14][^15] - January 21, 1975: Pastore introduced the resolution. January 27, 1975: the Senate passed it, 82–4.[^8][^1] - May 9, 1975: the committee decided to call CIA director William Colby to testify.[^16] - September–October 1975: the committee held televised public hearings.[^17] - April 29, 1976: the final report was issued.[^1] - 1976: Senate Resolution 400 was adopted. 1978: FISA and Executive Order 12036 took effect. 1981: Executive Order 12036 was revoked.[^5] ## Why The press had reported on U.S. intelligence activities through the early 1970s. Senator Sam Ervin's inquiry into military surveillance added further disclosures.[^14] After the Watergate findings and the 1974 Hersh article, which reported that the CIA had spied on anti-war activists for more than a decade in violation of its charter, former CIA officials and some lawmakers called for a congressional inquiry. Those lawmakers included Senators William Proxmire and Stuart Symington.[^15] ## How The committee held most of its hearings in closed executive session to protect sources and methods. Its public hearings covered a CIA biological agents program, a White House domestic surveillance program, IRS intelligence activities and COINTELPRO.[^17] Church and Tower obtained a pledge from Ford that the White House would cooperate. Staff did not always receive documents on time but had access to material never before made public. The committee's original one-year term was extended to 16 months.[^9] The executive branch tried to limit testimony. Ford's advisers, Henry Kissinger, Donald Rumsfeld, Philip W. Buchen and John Marsh, recommended that Colby only brief the committee rather than testify. The committee had full authority to require his testimony, and Colby testified.[^16] The inquiry drew criticism. Some critics called it a vehicle for Church's presidential bid; he declared his candidacy in March 1976. Others said congressional inquiries undermined U.S. intelligence. Church held to "the right of the public to know what the instrumentalities of their Government have done."[^17] In 1977 Carl Bernstein wrote that the CIA's ties to the media were broader than the committee had disclosed. Later, CIA director George H. W. Bush confirmed that the committee had received no agents' names and so could have released none. Senator Jim McClure nonetheless used the opposite allegation in 1980, when Church lost his seat.[^18] ## How many - Senate vote creating the committee: 82–4.[^8] - 126 full committee meetings, 40 subcommittee hearings, about 800 witnesses, 110,000 documents and 96 recommendations.[^4] - Peak staff: 150.[^9] - Final report: six books, plus seven volumes of hearings.[^19] - Kennedy assassination review: 50 witnesses questioned and 3,000 documents examined.[^13] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Walter Mondale (D) held Minnesota's Class 2 Senate seat from December 30, 1964, to December 30, 1976. He was appointed, then elected, and resigned after being elected Vice President.[^20] - Governor [[Karl Rolvaag]] appointed Mondale after [[Hubert Humphrey]] was elected [[Vice President of the United States]] in 1964. Mondale had been [[Attorney General of Minnesota]] from 1960 to 1964.[^21] ### What - The [[Minnesota Historical Society]] biography credits Mondale with helping direct the committee as chair of its domestic task force. Under his direction the task force investigated IRS and FBI abuses. It brought to light the FBI's extensive surveillance of King and what appeared to be efforts to undermine King's marriage and suggest that he commit suicide.[^3] - In a 2002 Senate address, Mondale said: "The key result of our work was to call for the establishment of House and Senate Intelligence Committees, based on our finding that the secret agencies must be held accountable to the Congress."[^22] ### When - March 7, 1975: while the committee was at work, the Senate passed Senate Resolution 4, as amended. Mondale and Senator James Pearson (R-KS) had cosponsored it.[^23] The change lowered the number of votes needed for cloture from two-thirds of senators voting to three-fifths of all senators, or 60.[^24] - December 3, 2025: the [[House Oversight]] Committee announced a formal investigation into fraud in Minnesota's social services system.[^25] Its record of the investigation includes a letter to the Minnesota Attorney General.[^26] - January 14, 2026: the [[United States Department of Justice]] issued release No. 26-21, *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*. The title uses the United States' own term, "Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime." The release states that Attorney General Pamela Bondi certified the case as a matter of general public importance.[^27] - Before its report, the House committee subpoenaed Attorney General [[Keith Ellison]].[^28] - March 4, 2026: the House committee published *[[The Cost of Doing Nothing]]: How Tim Walz and Keith Ellison Fueled Minnesota's Fraud Explosion*. Its conclusion states: "Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison clearly did not protect taxpayer dollars, but it is still an open question as to whether this was incompetence, willful blindness, or worse." It asks the Department of Justice and other agencies to review Minnesota's social services reimbursement and enrollment verification from 2019 to the present.[^29] The committee's release states that the Attorney General produced eleven documents on subpoena.[^30] ## Notes [^1]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities* (portal page) — resolution passed Jan. 27, 1975; final report issued Apr. 29, 1976; chairman, vice chairman and members with party and state. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^2]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities*, "Investigation" (portal page) — abuses by CIA, FBI, IRS and NSA; Projects SHAMROCK and MINARET; COINTELPRO description and targets. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^3]: Minnesota Historical Society, *Walter F. Mondale Biography* — Mondale chaired the committee's domestic task force; IRS and FBI investigations; FBI surveillance of King. https://www.mnhs.org/mondale/biography [^4]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities*, "Outcome" (portal page) — meetings, hearings, witnesses, documents; the final report's findings and quotations; Tower's separate view; 96 recommendations. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^5]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities*, "Outcome" (portal page) — S. Res. 400 (1976); FISA (1978) signed by Carter; Levi guidelines; EO 12036 (1978, revoked 1981). https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Aftermath" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — Ford's EO 11905 assassination ban and Church's objection that a later order could change it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Overview" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — interim report on assassination plots; Ford's attempt to withhold it; EO 11905 replaced in 1981 by Reagan's EO 12333. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^8]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities*, "Process" (portal page) — Pastore resolution of Jan. 21, 1975, and its mandate; 82–4 vote; selection of members, chairman and vice chairman. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^9]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities*, "Investigation" (portal page) — Ford's cooperation pledge; term extended to 16 months; "Family Jewels"; peak staff of 150. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, lead (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — Operation MKULTRA among the committee's revelations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^11]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Opening mail" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — HTLINGUAL; more than 215,000 pieces of mail; shut down 1973. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^12]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Overview" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — seven covert-action case studies; only the Chile study released; the rest kept secret at CIA's request. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^13]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — 50 witnesses, 3,000 documents; finding of a deficient investigation; role in creating the HSCA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^14]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Background" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — Pyle disclosures (Jan. 1970); Ervin inquiry; Hersh article of Dec. 22, 1974. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^15]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities*, "Origins" (portal page) — Watergate Committee findings (1973); Hersh article (1974); calls for an inquiry by Proxmire and Symington. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^16]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "The Ford administration and the Church Committee" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — decision of May 9, 1975, to call Colby; Ford advisers' recommendation; Colby's testimony. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^17]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities*, "Public Relations" (portal page) — closed sessions; public hearings of Sept.–Oct. 1975; critics; Church's candidacy (Mar. 1976); Church quotation. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/investigations/church-committee.htm [^18]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Aftermath" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — Bernstein (1977); Bush confirmation that no names were received; McClure and the 1980 election. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^19]: Wikipedia contributors, *Church Committee*, "Overview" (rev. 1375158167, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — final report in six books; seven volumes of hearings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee [^20]: U.S. Senate, *States in the Senate: Minnesota Senators* — Walter F. Mondale (D), Dec. 30, 1964 – Dec. 30, 1976; appointed, then elected; resigned. https://www.senate.gov/states/MN/senators.htm [^21]: Minnesota Historical Society, *Walter F. Mondale Biography* — attorney general 1960–1964; appointed to the Senate by Gov. Rolvaag after Humphrey's election as Vice President. https://www.mnhs.org/mondale/biography [^22]: U.S. Senate Historical Office, *Address by Vice President Walter Mondale* (Sept. 4, 2002) — Mondale on his Church Committee service and its key result. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/Leaders_Lecture_Series_Mondale.htm [^23]: University of Minnesota Law Library, *Filibuster / Cloture* (Mondale digital exhibit) — S. Res. 4, cosponsored by Mondale and Pearson, passed as amended Mar. 7, 1975. https://mondale-librarycollections.law.umn.edu/filibuster-cloture [^24]: U.S. Senate, *About Filibusters and Cloture* — 1975 change from two-thirds of senators voting to three-fifths of all senators, or 60. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/filibusters-cloture.htm [^25]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight, *Release: launch of investigation into fraud in Minnesota's social services system* (Dec. 3, 2025) — formal investigation announced. https://oversight.house.gov/release/chairman-comer-launches-investigation-into-massive-fraud-in-minnesotas-social-services-system/ [^26]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight, *Letter to the Minnesota Attorney General* (posted Dec. 2025) — committee correspondence in the investigation. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Letter-to-MN-AG-120325-.pdf [^27]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, *United States Department of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Minnesota's 'Affirmative Action' Regime*, release No. 26-21 (Jan. 14, 2026) — lawsuit announced; certification by Attorney General Bondi. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-department-justice-files-lawsuit-against-minnesotas-affirmative-action-regime [^28]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight, *Ellison Subpoena* (posted Jan. 2026) — subpoena to the Minnesota Attorney General. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Ellison-Subpoena.pdf [^29]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight, *The Cost of Doing Nothing: How Tim Walz and Keith Ellison Fueled Minnesota's Fraud Explosion* (Mar. 4, 2026) — full report, including the Conclusion's quoted language and its request for review. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/The-Cost-of-Doing-Nothing_How-Tim-Walz-and-Keith-Ellison-Fueled-Minnesotas-Fraud-Explosion_3.4.26_FINAL.pdf [^30]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight, *Release accompanying The Cost of Doing Nothing* (Mar. 4, 2026) — the Attorney General produced eleven documents on subpoena. https://oversight.house.gov/release/oversight-committee-releases-explosive-testimony-revealing-minnesota-fraud-cover-up-by-governor-walz-and-attorney-general-ellison/