Home/ Resources / Projects / CIA Cryptonyms / bigram: MH / cryptonym: MHCHILD

Cryptonym: MHCHILD

Return to Main Crypts Page

Definition:
A program encompassing a variety of so-called "babysitting" chores, focusing on the HSCA.
Status:
Probable
Sources:

104-10079-10016: HSCA CHRONO FOR 1977 - 1978 OF REPORTS AND REQUESTS.

1976-1978: Pages 1-12 - CIA-created chronology of all of the CIA file requests made by the HSCA. Pages 13-72 - Alphabetical listing of all HSCA requests to key witnesses and CIA responses. Pages 73-78 - chronological analysis of the contents of Lee Oswald's 201 biographical file.

1993.08.05.09:05:21:500005: PAGES FROM THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD - HOUSE RE HSCA SECURITY INCIDENT

Summer 1978: The most sensitive HSCA files were rifled during the summer of 1978 and fingerprints on them were traced to a CIA liaison officer assigned to the committee. The House Intelligence Committee discovered in 1979 that the assignment was made pursuant to Project MHCHILD, described as a program encompassing a variety of so-called "babysitting" chores. 6/28/79, George Lardner, Washington Post.

180-10125-10172: [No Title]

7/17/78 memo to CIA chief Stansfield Turner from HSCA counsel Gary Cornwell: "Blahut has been assigned to a CIA operation code named MHCHILD since April 1977...(handwritten notes add: Polygraph showed no deception in 1) didn't copy; 2) entered nothing else; 3) didn't talk to media; 4) not 'sent on mission'."

http://jfk.hood.edu/Collection/Weisberg-HSCA/Blahut%20Regis%20T/Blahut%2013.pdf

George Lardner, "Dismissed CIA Officer is Linked to Rifling of House Panel Files", Washington Post, 6/17/79: "The CIA acknowledged that it has dismissed the individual in question, but indicated that it plans no further action...we're satisfied that it was just a matter of curiosity (on the individual CIA officer's part) said CIA spokesman Herbert Hetu. Asked whether it might have been a matter of conscious CIA spying on a Congressional committee, Hetu replied, 'Good God, no.'...Blahut denied any wrongdoing. He acknowledged that his fingerprints had been found on the documents in question, but insisted there was an innocent explanation. He refused, however, to say what that was. 'There's other things that are involved that are detrimental to other things,' he said. Asked what he meant by that, he refused to elaborate...(Blahut) said he worked for the CIA Office of Security..."

Philip Coppens, Killing Kennedy: Uncovering the Truth Behind the Kennedy Assassination https://books.google.com/books?id=0ixYDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT151&lpg=PT151&dq=mhchild+blahut&source=bl&ots=ISIvySxVCj&sig=EJ3znTygMyqm8OTpIvDADMzlDFM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6vZz9q4jVAhVl0FQKHcUvCE8Q6AEIKDAB#v=onepage&q=mhchild%20blahut&f=false

"Blahut underwent three lie detector tests. At first, Blahut denied that he had done it, which was labeled a lie and the evidence against him was overwhelming anyway. He told a reporter that there was an innocent explanation, even though he declined to disclose it...Asked during the test whether he had acted upon orders, he said no, and flunked again. One of his bosses, Scott Breckenridge of the Inspector General's office, was scheduled to take a lie detector test as well, but didn't and retired soon afterwards..." Why did Blahut break into the safe? Researchers found it strange that the break-in took place only one week after Robert J. Groden had said, in a memo to Blakey, that the autopsy photos could be fake. Blahut was part of a CIA operation codenamed MH/CHILD. Interestingly, the Watergate burglars Howard Hunt-James McCord-Frank Sturgis were part of a CIA-operation codenamed MH/BABY. Blahut's former boss was, in fact, James McCord. Whatever Blahut tried to do is still a mystery, but it is safe to assume curiosity had nothing to do with it.

Jim DiEugenio, "The Sins of Robert Blakey, Part 2", CTKA newsletter, 12/15/99: https://kennedysandking.com/john-f-kennedy-articles/the-sins-of-robert-blakey-part-2

"Lardner's story generated some other activity at CIA HQ in Langley. As did the House inquiry and other press stories. It turns out that Blahut actually left the room with at least one photo and then returned. (Washington Post 6/28/79) A CIA memo in response to these stories at the time admits that the Inspector General did not do the internal investigation of Blahut. It was done by Gambino's Office of Security, the man who refused to give Blakey Blahut's OS file."

Contributors:
Bill Simpich

© Mary Ferrell Foundation. All Rights Reserved. |Site Map |MFF Policies |Contact Us