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Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 19:11:40 -0400
From: "" <dmarcus@9-11 commission.gov>^t
To: "" <frontoffice @ 9-11 commission .gov> 9
Subject: Fwd: Fwd: family letter
Part(s>: (H 2 winmail.dat application/ms-tnef 8.81 KB ||J

as you can see, the same UPI rep9rter called Al, and that's how we got the
letter from the families! Here it is, below.
Forwarded message from "" <afelzenberg@9-llCommission.gov>
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 19:01:21 -0400
From: "" <afelzenberg@9-llCommission.gov>
Reply-To: "" <afelzenberg@9-llCommission.gov>
Subject: Fwd: family letter
To: "" <dmarcus@9-llCommission.gov>

Forwarded message from shaun waterman <swaterman@upi.com>

Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 18:41:39 -0400
From: Shaun waterman <swaterman@upi.com>
Reply-To: Shaun waterman <swaterman@upi.com>
Subject: family letter
To: "Al Felzenburg (E-mail)" <afelzenberg@9-llcommission.gov>
AS promised
Shaun waterman
UPI Homeland and National Security Editor
1510 H Street, NW #600
Washington, DC 20005.
E-mai1: swatermanSupi.com
Direct Line: 202 898 8081
Cell Phone: 202 841 9017
Capitol Hill: 202 898 8077
Fax No.: 240 266 2345
FAMILY STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE
9/11 INDEPENDENT COMMISSION
www.911i ndependentcommi ssi on.org
The 9/11 independent Commission's status report/press conference last
Tuesday, September 23, 2003, has left the Family steering Committee (FSC)
deeply concerned about the ability of this commission to access crucial
documents, without these, the Commission will be unable to fully assess the
failures that led to the events of 9/11.
Specifically, we are concerned about document requests from the National
Security council (NSC), the President's Foreign intelligence Advisory Board
(PFIAB), and any and all other communications made by Administration
officials leading up to, and including, the morning of 9/11. The FSC has
been assured that access to these documents is a part of a continuing series
of
"negotiations" between the chairman, vice Chairman, and Staff Director of
the Commission and the white House.
At the outset of the Independent Commission's work, the FSC was aware that
Philip zelikow was a co-author and close friend of Condoleezza Rice, we also
knew that Mr. zelikow was hired as a member of the President's Foreign
intelligence Advisory Board in early October 2001. we had concerns about

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 :: INBOX: Fwd: Fwd: family letter Page 2 of 2

these possible conflicts of interest but we were assured that Staff Director
zelikow's relationship with the white House would facilitate the access to
Administration documentation and information.
we accepted this because we were aware of Professor zelikow's role in the
release of certain Diplomatic Documentation for the National Archives and
his testimony before the State Department's Advisory C9mmittee on Historical
Diplomatic Documentation that "the CIA's decision to withhold the entire PDB.
series from release (w)as pernicious." (U.S. Department of State, Advisory
committee on Historical Diplomatic Documentation, April 10-11, 2000, page
8). we were aware that he also testified that "a blanket denial of all PDB'S
would set a dangerous precedent."(Ibid, page 9). Thus, the FSC had an
expectation that Mr. zelikow's postion on the release of PDB'S (President's
Daily Brief) would also apply to the situation facing the 9/11 Commission.
Access to the
Administration's documentation, transcripts, and decision-making procedures
is crucial, especially the August 6, 2001, PDB, which contained information
regarding attacks against the us by Al Qaeda.
On Tuesday, October 7, 2003, the 9/11 Independent commission will inform the
FSC and the American people whether or not the white House has allowed
access to all of the documents requested by the 9/11 independent commission,
in order to be accepted as a full and truthful accounting of September llth,
all aspects of the Commission's investigation must be free of suspicion.
This naturally leads to our second area of concern, which arises from recent
research indicating that Philip zelikow served as a member of the Bush
A Administration's transition team, in fact, according to a Washington Post
article from February 2001, " Last September, condoleezza Rice asked Philip
zelikow, a fellow staffer on the scowcroft N S C . . . to draft memos on
organizing the NSC along scowcroft's lines. Edited by Rice and others, the
memos were further refined when Rice's deputy Stephen Hadley came on board,
and zelikow became part of the transition, free to roam the halls of the
Clinton NSC operation."
The investigation will naturally encompass the role of many individuals
involved wth the Bush Administration's NSC and PFIAB. Due to this conflict
of interest, we believe Staff Director zelikow should remove himself from
any and portions of the investigation addressing the NSC in keeping with
established Commission protocols. For example, commissioner Gorelick has
removed herself from all Justice Department investigations, Commissioner
Roemer and vice Chair Hamilton have removed themselves from all
Congressional oversight investigations, and Commissioners Gorton and
Thompson have removed themselves from all airline investigations in response
to previously vetted conflicts of interest. Should Staff Director zelikow
refuse to do so, the FSC respectfully requests his resignation as Staff
Director from the 9/11 independent Commission.
Due to the magnitude and urgency of this matter, we anticipate your immediate
response.

The Family Steering Committee

End forwarded message

End forwarded message

http://kinesis.swishmail.com./webmail/imp/message.php?Horde=46087877587af273e40ba73... 10/7/03
 UNCLASSIFIED BUT COMMISSION SENSITIVE f

Additional questions:

How much time did the transition team spend on CT?

Were you involved in the writing of the National Security Strategy?

Did the post-Florida atmosphere affect the transition team's national security deliberations
in any way?

Did you hear incoming Bush administration officials downplaying warnings about AQ they
were receiving from Berger, Clarke, or other Clinton staffers?

UNCLASSIFIED BUT COMMISSION SENSITIVE

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