DAVID LISSY FILES, 1974-77

Lissy joined the Domestic Council in September 1975 as Associate Director where he assumed Roger Semerad's responsibilities for labor, veterans and education issues, along with his active files. In this capacity, he monitored legislation in the Congress, drafted presidential statements, and prepared briefing papers and memoranda for the President and Domestic Council staff. Lissy worked closely with the Departments of Labor and HEW as well as the Veterans Administration, and frequently met with labor representatives and groups of educators or veterans. In January 1976, when F. Lynn May's duties changed, Lissy assumed his responsibilities for Civil Service Commission issues and May's active files.

In June 1976, Lissy transferred to the White House Office payroll under presidential domestic policy adviser and Domestic Council executive director James Cannon. Freed from Hatch Act limitations on federal employees' political activity, he concentrated on the Jewish vote for President Ford's reelection campaign. Tapping his extensive contacts within the Jewish community, he arranged meetings between Jewish groups and the President or administration officials, prepared position papers, statements and status reports, and carried out such routine tasks as photo requests and mass mailings. Throughout this period, he continued to oversee education, labor, veterans and civil service for the Domestic Council. At the end of the Ford administration he accepted a position with United Brands Corporation and then with Gulf and Western Corporation.

The Lissy files consist largely of material produced or accumulated by Roger Semerad and David Lissy on labor, education and veterans issues; by F. Lynn May and Lissy on civil service issues; and by Lissy in his position as special assistant to the President handling Jewish issues. Lissy and Semerad's review of legislation before the Congress on labor, education and veterans issues is well documented, including veto and signing statements of administration policy. However, evidence of close interaction with congressional committee staff is not strong. More than many Domestic Council staff files, the Lissy files document Semerad and Lissy's contacts with business and government officials, union representatives and educators. This interest group contact is a strong part of Lissy and May's files of civil service issues and especially of Lissy's files of Jewish concerns.

Although Lissy served in the White House until the end of the Ford administration, the files do not fully document his activities after the November election. Both Lissy and Semerad referred much correspondence from individuals and groups to appropriate departments for direct response. There is little evidence of personal follow-up. Most materials produced by Lissy's assistant William Diefenderfer were forwarded to other Domestic Council staff or integrated into the appropriate Lissy subject files. The Diefenderfer subject files are essentially miscellaneous items not integrated into the filing system.

Related Materials (March 1982)
Materials related to Semerad's and Lissy's responsibilities are located in other Domestic Council staff files, especially those of James Cannon, and in the White House Central Files subject file. F. Lynn May's Domestic Council files contain no information on civil service issues, as he passed those materials to Lissy. A separate collection (ca. 1 linear foot) of Roger Semerad's papers, consisting largely of correspondence and speeches, was donated to the Ford Library in 1980.