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- 10/1977 House vote gave the HSCA unrestricted subpoena power (New York Times 10/17/1977.)
- 10/3/1977 Jack Anderson column; he revealed that William Colby had made false statements in an effort to cover up crimes and prevent prosecution.
- 10/20/1977 Carl Bernstein's "The CIA and the Media" is published in Rolling Stone: "There is ample evidence that America's leading publishers allowed themselves and their news organizations to become handmaidens to the intelligence services...In 1953, Joseph Alsop, then one of America's leading syndicated columnists, went to the Philippines to cover an election...He went at the request of the CIA...Alsop is one of more than 400 American journalists who in the past 25 years have secretly carried out assignments for the Central Intelligence Agency according to documents on file at CIA headquarters. Some of these journalists' relationships with the Agency were tacit; some were explicit. There was cooperation, accommodation and overlap. Journalists provided a full range of clandestine services -- from simple intelligence-gathering to serving as go-betweens with spies in Communist countries. Reporters shared their notebooks with the CIA. Editors shared their staffs...In many instances, CIA documents show, journalists were engaged to perform tasks for the CIA with the consent of the managements of America's leading news organizations...Although the agency has cut back sharply on the use of reporters since 1973 (primarily as a result of pressure from the media), some journalists are still posted abroad...Further investigation into the matter, CIA officials say, would inevitably reveal a series of embarrassing relationships in the 1950's and 1960's with some of the most powerful organizations and individuals in American journalism. Among the executives who lent their cooperation to the Agency were William Paley of the Columbia Broadcasting System, Henry Luce of Time Inc., Arthur Hays Sulzberger of the New York Times, Barry Bingham Sr. of the Louisville Courier-Journal, and James Copley of the Copley News Services. Other organizations which cooperated with the CIA include the American Broadcasting Company, the National Broadcasting Company, the Associated Press, United Press International, Reuters, Hearst Newspapers, Scripps-Howard, Newsweek magazine, the Mutual Broadcasting System, the Miami Herald and the old Saturday Evening Post and New York Herald-Tribune. By far the most valuable of these associations, according to CIA officials, have been with the New York Times, CBS and Time Inc...the journalists tended to see themselves as trusted friends of the Agency who performed occasional favors -- usually without pay -- in the national interest...Two of the Agency's most valuable relationships in the 1960's, according to CIA officials, were with reporters who covered Latin America -- Jerry O'Leary of the Washington Star and Hal Hendrix of Miami News, a Pulitzer Prize winner who became a high official of the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. Hendrix was extremely helpful to the Agency in providing information about individuals in Miami's Cuban exile community." The CIA frequently used journalists to get into areas that would be difficult for agents to gain access to. Bernstein estimated that at least 400 journalists had maintained relationships with the CIA. William Colby was quoted as saying, "Let's not pick on some poor reporters. Let's go to the managements. They were witting."
- 10/31/1977 Richard Helms pleads "no contest" to charges that he failed to testify "fully, completely and accurately" before a Senate committee.
- 11/4/1977 Helms was sentenced to two years in jail (suspended) and fined $2000 after pleading nolo contendre to two misdemeanor counts. His plea was part of a bargain arranged by his attorney, Edward Bennett Williams. Had Helms not agreed to the plea, the Justice Dept was prepared to indict him on at least 8 counts of perjury.
- 11/9/1977 Former Asst FBI Director William Sullivan died in the early morning hours when he was mistaken for a deer in an open field in New Hampshire; a state policeman's son was the gunman. The 18-year-old claimed that he though he was shooting at a deer, even though his rifle had a telescopic sight; he was given a $500 fine and a ten-year suspension of his hunting license.
- 11/10/1977 It was announced that Pope Paul VI had ended the automatic excommunication imposed on divorced American Catholics who remarried. (The excommunication was first imposed by the Plenary Council of American Bishops in 1884.)
- 11/11/1977 a Royal decree has abolished film censorship in Spain.
- 11/16/1977 This UFO incident allegedly occurred at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. About 7 miles south-west of Nisland, Dakota. The following is from a FOIA request. At 2059hrs., 16 Nov. 1977, Airmen 1C Phillips, Lt. A.Lims Security Control, telephone WSC. and reported an O2 alarm activation at L-9 and that Lims SAT #1, A-1C Jenkins & A-1C Raeke were dispatched, (Trip #62, ETA 2135hrs.) At 2147hrs., A-1C Phillips telephones WSC and reported that the situation at L-9 had been upgraded to a COVERED WAGON PER REQUEST OF Capt. Stokes, Larry D., FSO. Security Option 11 was initiated by WSC and Base CSC. BAF(Backup Security Force) #1&&2, were formed. At 2340hrs., 16 Nov. 77, the following information was learned: Upon arrival (2132hrs.) at Site #L-9. LSAT. Jenkins & Raeke, dismounted the SAT vehicle to make a check of the site fence line. At this time Raeke observed a bright light shinning vertically upwards from the rear of the fence line of L-9. ( There is a small hill approximately 50 yards behind L-9 ) Jenkins stayed with the SAT vehicle and Raeke proceeded to the source of the light to investigate. As Raeke approached the crest of the hill, he observed an individual dressed in a glowing green metallic uniform and wearing a helmet with visor. Raeke immediately challenged the individual, however the individual refused to stop and kept walking towards the rear fence line of L-9. Raeke aimed his M-16 rifle at the intruder and ordered him to stop. The intruder turned towards Raeke and aimed a object at Raeke which emitted a bright flash of intense light. The flash of light struck Raeke's M-16 rifle, disintegrating the weapon and causing second and third degree burns to Raeke's hands. Raeke immediately took cover and concealment and radioed the situation to Jenkins, who in turn radioed a 10-13 distress to Line Control. Jenkins responded to Raeke's position and carried Raeke back to the SAT vehicle. Jenkins then returned to the rear fence line to stand guard. Jenkins observed two intruders dressed in the same uniforms, walk through the rear fence line of L-9. Jenkins challenged the two individuals but they refused to stop. Jenkins aimed and fired two rounds from his M-16 rifle. One bullet struck one intruder in the back and one bullet struck one intruder in the helmet. Both intruders fell to the ground, however, approximately 15 seconds later Jenkins had to take cover from a bolt of light that missed him narrowly. The two intruders returned to the east side of the hill and disappeared. Jenkins followed the two and observed them go inside a saucer shaped object approximately 20' in diameter and 20'thick. The object emitted a glowing greenish light. Once the intruders were inside, the object climbed vertically upwards and disappeared over the Eastern horizon. BAF> #1 arrived at the site at 2230hrs., and set up a security perimeter. Site Survey Team arrived at the site (0120hrs.) and took radiation readings, which measured from 1.7 to 2.9 roentgens. Missile Maintenance examined the missiles and warheads and found the nuclear components missing from the warhead. Col. Speaker, Wing Cmdr. arrived at the site and set up an investigations. A completed follow-up report of this incident will be submitted by order of Col. Speaker. Raeke was later treated at the base hospital for second and third degree radiation burns to each hand. Raeke's M-16 rifle could not be located at the site.
- 11/16/1977 The film Close Encounters of the Third Kind was released.
- 11/18/1977 Cuban exile leader Manuel Artime dies, at forty-five, of "inoperable cancer."
- 11/20/1977 Egypt's president Sadat addressed the Israeli Knesset and proposed peace.
- USA FY 1977 deficit was $53.6 billion ($409.2 billion total spending). Defense spending was 25% of the budget. Inflation rate was 6.5%. National debt was $698 billion (interest paid: $42 billion).
- 12/1977 some parts of FBI agent Flynn's file on Jack Ruby were released; it showed Ruby as a PCI (potential criminal informant) who was contacted on matters concerning the interstate transportation of gambling devices, lottery tickets and pornography. (Ruby Cover-up 247-8)
- 12/1977 Los Angeles District Attorney's office conducts further reinvestigation of RFK assassination; results remained mostly secret until 1986.
- 12/1977 Infant formula manufacturers (Nestle and Bristol-Myers in the forefront; also Abbot and American Home Products) are pushing their products on the Third World in order to ensure their continued profit, since the birthrate in the United States is declining. They rely on exploitive and deceptive tactics to sell their products. Some of these include: giving free samples to mothers so their own milk will dry up, leaving them dependent upon the expensive formulas; enticement toward "modernization and heightened status" through use of the formulas, as encouraged by their well-financed media campaigns (which include radio and television spots, calendars, billboards, and baby contests); telling new mothers that their own milk is "inappropriate" or may be "unsuccessfully" given to their baby, etc. The majority of the Third World mothers wind up watering down the formulas, using contaminated water (in Chile, an investigation in 1973 revealed a bottle contamination rate of 80 percent), and otherwise malnourishing and infecting their children because they cannot afford to administer the formulas in the prescribed way. Parents would have to (and sometimes do) spend 30-40 percent of their average daily wage to feed their babies on this (almost always) unnecessary mother's milk substitute. Malnutrition and denial of natural immunities (which would have been provided had the mother breast-fed) caused by infant formula feeding account for 35,000 deaths and untold brain damage in babies of predominantly Third World countries. Meanwhile, the profit margins on infant formulas have been documented at as high as 72 percent. A billion dollars a year are taken from the Third World countries from the import of these formulas. Teaching, by U.S. and Swiss corporations, of the "repugnance and backwardness" of breast feeding is accounting for what has been termed "commerciogenic malnutrition" on a massive scale in Third World countries. The unethical and shocking impact of this practice makes this story a nominee for one of the "Ten Best Censored Stories of 1977." SOURCES: "The Bottle Baby Scandal -- Milking the Third World for All It's Worth," by Barbara Garson, Mother Jones magazine, December 1977, pp. 33-44+. "Into the Mouths of Babes," by Leah Margulies, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, Seven Days magazine, April 19, 1976, pp. 23-24.
- 12/1977 For years the satellite-spy-industry has flourished as a result of the "cold-war-fever" that plagued the United States and the Soviet Union: Extremely sensitive American and Soviet satellites have been orbiting the Earth with military objectives for years. Today a complex "civilian" spy network has nurtured with roots in the U.S. government structure and scientific community. The use of satellites, government bureaus and their corporate counterparts, are a far more efficient tool for resource exploitation and social control. The use of aerial photography and satellite imagery in the decision-making processes of local, state, and federal government is widespread. A spin-off from years of military development and space-age computerization, it is now apparent that individual collective privacy is being threatened from sources unseen. State governments usually use aerial photography and satellite imagery for road and highway planning as well as floodplain mapping. The infamous U-2 is being used in California for a variety of purposes. Local governments have used remote-sensing technology for tax assessment purposes and land ownership. Photos and images of the major cities have, and will, be used for such functions as allocation of police patrols, civil defense planning, and identification of housing conditions. Police use of satellites has been in practice for some time. Marijuana and opium fields have been located from space. Most popular with police agencies is the infrared sensing device, found commonly aboard American and Soviet satellites. These can be used to observe individuals through solid objects, like walls. Because we cannot see satellites passing overhead and aerial activity is not connected with government and corporate decisions, we, the citizenry, are unaware of the near-constant monitoring of our persons and property. There are no legal safeguards protecting us from possible abuses. Users of remote sensing technology satellite devices are protected from action taken against them by legal statutes; that is, there is no body of law which specifically defines courtroom statutes of remote sensing. Due to the lack of publicity and apparent public unawareness of this activity, this story is nominated as one of the "best censored stories of 1977." SOURCE: "Surveilling the Earth," by Don Jordan, Current, December, 1977, pp. 34-42.
- 12/7/1977 D. H. Byrd sells the Texas School Book Depository to the county for $40, 000.00.
- 12/20/1977 bombs are set off at two stores named Almacen El Espanol, one in Union City and the other in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Both had been sending medical supplies to Cuba. Omega 7 assumes responsibility.
- 12/25-27/1977 NYT, in response to embarrassing disclosures, ran a three-part series on the CIA and the media. It disclosed that at various times the Agency has "owned or subsidized" more than 50 newspapers, news services, radio stations, periodicals, book publishers, etc., mostly overseas. These included the Rome Daily American, Bangkok Post, and Manila Times. "We had at least one newspaper in every foreign capital at any given time," a CIA official told the Times.
- 12/25/1977 Begin visited Egypt. Begin refused to withdraw from the West Bank territories or give Palestinians self-rule; proposed a demilitarization of the Sinai.