REVISED 7/15/03(TEAM 3)

Commission Interviews
Key Questions and Policy Guidance
(F/O)- Requires "Front Office" guidance

(S/O)- Requires Security Officer guidance

Letters Requesting Interviews

• How should Commission staff initiate contact (i.e. agency p.o.c. or directly with
the interviewee) and should this initially be done with a phone call? Who gets
copied on the letter (i.e. agency counsel, p.o.c., others)? (F/O)
• What about protocol for contacting foreign officials? Do we need to copy the
State Department? (F/O)
• Content of the letter (F/O):
o Description of the Commission's mandate
o Scope of interview/topics of interest
o Statement of possible follow-up interviews
o Specify which Team will be conducting the interview
o Restrictions on contacting others before the interview

Uniform Policy on Initial Interaction with Interviewees

• Need for common introductory script (F/O)

• Introductions:
o Discuss clearances of all Commission staffers present, including special
compartments and how compartmentalized information will be
approached and noted during the interview (S/O)
o Scope of the interview (F/O)
o Recording Policy (F/O)
• What can and cannot be disclosed to the press by the interviewee (i.e. "I met with
the Commission" vs. "I discussed x, y, and z with the Commission.") (F/O)
• Description of the Commission's mandate: "In the words of Gov. Kean and Rep.
Hamilton..."

Policy and Tips on Conducting Interviews

• How long?
• How should Commission staff request additional time/subsequent interviews?
(F/O)
• Can the Commission schedule two people at once to testify on a certain issue?
(F/O)
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COMMISSION SENSITIVE

Questions that Interviewees may ask; Problems that Could Arise

• What will be "on the record"? (F/O)

• What if the interviewee requests to "go off the record" (also need to define what
"going off the record" means and how will "off the record" information be
presented)? Will there be a time after which "off the record" conversations are
disclosed (i.e. 30 years)? (F/O)
• What about requests for a written statement describing the Commission's
interview policy? (F/O)
• How should Commission staff handle a refusal to answer a question? (F/O)
• Can they bring a lawyer or an assistant? (F/O)
• Will agency "minders" be present? If so, what role will they play? (F/O)
• What should interviewees be encouraged to bring—i.e. notes, old calendars, etc?
(F/O)
• Can they review the transcript for accuracy at a later date? (F/O)
• When can they review the final report? (F/O)
• Will the interview be subject to disclosure to other parties (i.e. other government
agencies or civil plaintiffs)? (F/O)
• How will the interview be archived? When will it be available to historians?
When will it be declassified in part and in full? (F/O)

Administrative/Security

• Where will the interviews take place? At agencies? (S/O)

• What about issues that could arise with interviewees not currently in government?
Are secure sites available for these individuals? (S/O)
• What should Commission staff be mindful of when phrasing questions and
moving between classified topics during the interview? (S/O)
• What information must be given to the Commission's Security Officer
before/after an interview takes place? (S/O)
• Administrative needs such as bottled water, note pads, maps etc.

Staff Preparations for Interviews

• Cover areas of interest with other teams and coordinate questions with them
• Procedure for Commission staff note taking, including the use of computers
and/or a designated note taker (F/O)
 UNCLASSIFIED
COMMISSION SENSITIVE
Record-Keeping

Will all interviews be transcribed or just interviews with high-level officials?

(F/0)
Memorandum required for each interview; what should they contain? (F/O)
List of questions asked

Participation of Commissioners

• Which interviews will Commissioners want to attend? (F/O)

• Will Commissioners take the lead in questioning? (F/O)
• What needs to be done to prepare the Commissioners? (F/O)
• In setting up appointments, whose schedule has primacy? (F/O)

Participation of PZ/CK/DM/SD

• Which interviews will PZ, CK, DM and SD attend? (F/O)

Other

Do we send a thank you letter from the Commission? (F/O)

Compilation of an interview policy binder
Interview workshop presented by the Commission's Security Officer and 3-4 staff
members with interview/deposition experience