Memorandum of conversation (abbrev.: MEMCON) and also memorandum of a conversation and memo to the file refers to a method of contemporaneous documentation of a conversation in the form of a

memorandum A memorandum ( : memoranda; abbr: memo; from the Latin ''memorandum'', "(that) which is to be remembered") is a written message that is typically used in a professional setting. Commonly abbreviated "memo," these messages are usually brief and ...

used by the

United States federal government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fed ...

. ''

The Weekly Standard ''The Weekly Standard'' was an American neoconservative political magazine of news, analysis and commentary, published 48 times per year. Originally edited by founders Bill Kristol and Fred Barnes, the ''Standard'' had been described as a "re ...

'' characterized the use of the tactic in the U.S. government as among "the most basic ways of Washington".

Method

Typically an individual will document the events of the conversation as soon as possible after the occurrence. All material statements and discussed items are quoted and described as accurately as possible soon after the discussion and filed for future reference. Memcons function as documentation of historical events, such as conversations between heads of state and law enforcement officials. Specific developments discussed, the time of the meeting, location, and individuals in attendance are all documented in-depth within the memo.

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United Stat ...

attorneys and

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice ...

special agents commonly make use of memoranda of conversation. A majority of intermediate-rank managerial staff and bureaucrats within the U.S. federal government consistently make use of the method. The creation of a memorandum of understanding allows federal employees to memorialize and keep a record of their conversations and transactions. Memoranda to file are used in investigations in the private sector. For example, the

fraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain, or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compen ...

unit of a large corporation may use memoranda to file, to report individual interviews and significant telephone conversations. Generally, "the memorandum will show the name of the author, date of preparation, the case name or number, and the specific subject covered. It will also contain the detailed narrative of the event, interview, or other investigative activity described and should be written as close in time as circumstances permit to those events."

History

Former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and subsequently Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs,

Brent Scowcroft Brent Scowcroft (; March 19, 1925August 6, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer who was a two-time United States National Security Advisor, first under U.S. President Gerald Ford and then under George H. W. Bush. He served as Military A ...

, who served as such in the U.S. presidential administration of Gerald R. Ford, kept copious documentation of his meetings in the form of memorandum of conversation. He would take handwritten notes, and immediately have them transcribed in typewritten format with the assistance of his staff from the

United States National Security Council The United States National Security Council (NSC) is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for consideration of national security, military, and foreign policy matters. Based in the White House, it is part of the Ex ...

. The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum contains over 1,000 such memorandum of conversation documents relating to the

Presidency of Richard Nixon Richard Nixon's tenure as the 37th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 1969, and ended when he resigned on August 9, 1974, in the face of almost certain impeachment because of the Watergate Scanda ...

and Presidency of Gerald Ford, mainly related to national security of the United States.

References

External links

{{wikisource, Memoranda of conversations Legal documents

conversation Conversation is interactive communication between two or more people. The development of conversational skills and etiquette is an important part of socialization. The development of conversational skills in a new language is a frequent focus ...

Business terms Business documents

Method

History

See also

References

External links