Reagan Defends Use of 5th, Says Cabinet Can Invoke It : ‘Not New’ in a Dual Inquiry

President Reagan today defended two of his former aides for invoking the Fifth Amendment before the Senate Intelligence Committee and said he will allow his Cabinet officers to decide for themselves whether they will do the same if called to testify.

Reagan added that he has not “given any thought” to claiming executive privilege to prevent Cabinet members from testifying.

Speaking to reporters during a photo session with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, Reagan cited constitutional privilege in defending the fact that former National Security Adviser John M. Poindexter and his fired aide, Lt. Col Oliver L. North, refused to answer any questions on the Iranian arms-and-money scandal.

North took the Fifth more than 50 times in an appearance before the committee on Monday. On Wednesday, Poindexter also refused to answer questions.

“It is not new or unusual--it’s happened many times before--that when there is going to be an independent counsel starting an investigation, that individuals that have no access to files or papers or time for preparation for questions, have done just exactly the same thing, so that they then can be witnesses for the investigation,” Reagan said.

Asked whether he would advise his own Cabinet officers not to invoke the Fifth, Reagan replied: “The individuals will have to make that decision for themselves, just as these two have.”

Asked whether he had considered claiming executive privilege, under which advice given to the President is confidential, Reagan said: “I haven’t given any thought to that.”

Meanwhile, the Senate Intelligence Committee continued its investigation into the controversy. Deputy CIA Director Robert M. Gates arrived to appear before the committee in its closed-door session today.

Earlier, Sen. David Durenberger (R-Minn.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said members of Reagan’s Cabinet will eventually be called to testify and fill in gaps left by the failure of Poindexter and North to talk about the Iran- contra connection.

Secretary of State George P. Shultz will testify before an open session of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday morning before flying to London and Brussels for talks with British and NATO foreign ministers. The committee is expected to ask the secretary about the impact of the Iran- contra controversy on U.S. foreign policy.

“He’s prepared to be totally cooperative,” Charles E. Redman, the State Department spokesman, said.

Vice President George Bush, admitting that “clearly, mistakes were made” in the deal that sent U.S. arms to Iran and money to Nicaragua’s contra rebels, said Wednesday that the Administration was determined to bring the truth of the scandal to light and to “let the chips fall where they may.”

White House spokesman Larry Speakes said today that Reagan considered Bush’s address “a very good speech, very favorable” and added that “the President agrees with what Bush said.”