Transcript of 124-10186-10041.pdf
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Released under tne JohnF. Kennedy
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38614 Date; 03-18-2025
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Vol 14
Cpys
Ilutited Statrs Settate
Report of Proceedings
Hearing held before
Selece Committee 88 S*udy Governmenta] Operaelons
Wixh Respzct 80 Intelligence Aceivities
ZMTELGEECE IESTIGATZON
HS
WednesdaYa November 19L 1975
Washington, D.C
WARD & PAUL
410 FIRST STREET, ,. ES
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20003
(202) 544-6000
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2 STATEMENT OF : PAGE 1
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5 Testimony of James B _ Adams Deputy Associate Director
FBI Intelligence Division 1738
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KELLYGSH 1727
1 INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION 8
1
2
1 3
Wednesday , November 1975
6
United States Senate ,
6
Select Committee to Study Governmental
7
Operations with Respect to
8
ALLINFORMATIONCCFEAINED
hereinis
"422 57o2k
Intelligence Activities ,
DATE
9 Washington
0
D.C .
10- The Committee met , pursuant to notice , at 10 :05 0 ' clock
11 a.m . , in Room 318_
1
Russell Senate Office Building, the
1
12 Honorable Frank Church (Chairman) presiding _
8
0
13 Present: Senators Church (presiding)
1
Hart (Michigan)
14 Mondale , Huddleston, Hart (Colo) Baker , Tower Cold, Mathias and Schweiker_
15 Alzo present: Frederick A.0 _ Sckwarz
7
Jr., Chief Counsel
16 and Curtis R_ Smothers , Minority Counsel -
17
18 The Chairman The hearing will please come to order.
8
19 Our witnesses today
are Mr _ James B _ Adams , the Deputy
9
20 Associatz Director of the FBI, and Mr Raymond Wannall, who L
21 is the Assistant Director in charge of the Intelligence
5 22 Division of the FBI
1
23 Before I swear the Witnesses, Senator Monda le hae asked
2
8 24 if he might make an cpening statemert And for that puxpose
25 the Chair recognizes the distinguished Senator from Minnesota
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Senator Mondale Thank you very much , Mr Chairman 8
1 2 I have always supported the FBI _ It is clearly the finest,
1
3
most professional law enforcement agency in the nation and
4 probably in the worla_ In apprehending robbers; foilirg
5 kidnappers , catching fugitives , the FBI has an
outstanding
6 record_
7 This is based Or my Own experience with the FBI in my
8
Own state where I servea as Attorney General The vast bulk
9 of its Work is devoted to law enforcement and legitimate
10 counter-espionage
11 In these fields the FBI deserves fully the admiration
1
12 and respect which Americans traditionally held for the Bureau
8
1
13 and its personnel- But in one erea , domestic intelligence ,
14 the FBI , in my opinion , has clearly gone astray: It row
15 appears that there was an underworld within the FBI which
16 took the tools
1
techniques and zeal which was So effective
17 against the real foreign threats and turned them in upon some
18 of the American people
8
19 Yesterday this Committee heard some of the most disturbing
i
20 testimory that can be imagiued in a free society- We heard 6
21 evidence that for decades the institutions designed to enforce
5
22 the laws and constitutions of our country itself has been
1
23 engaging in conduct that violates the law and the Constitution
2
8 24 We heard that the FBI , which is a part of the Department of
25 Justice , took justice into its own hands by seeking to punish
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those with unpopular ideas _ We learned that the chief law 8
1 2
enforcement agency in the Federal government decided that it
0
3 did not need laws to investigate and suppress the peaceful
4 and constitutional activities of those whom it disapproved _
5
We heard testimony that the FBI, to protect the country
6 against those it believed had totalitarian political views
1
7 employed the tactics Of totalitarian societies against
8
American citizens , We heard that the FBI attempted to destroy
9
One 0f our greatest leaders in the field of civil rights, and
10 then replace hin with SOmeone of the FBI' s choosing.
11 From the evidence the Committee has obtained it is
{
12
clear that the FBI for decades has conducted surveillance over
0
1
13 the personal and political activities of millions of
14 Americans Evidently, no meeting was too small, no group
15 too insigrificant to escape their attention It did not
16 Seem to matter whether the politics of these Americans were
17 legal or radical or wnether the participants were well known
18 or obscure: It did not matter whether the information Was
1
19 intimate ana personal The FBI created indexes
7 more
d
20 commonly called enemy lists
1
of thousands of Americans and 6
21 targeted many of the Americans on these iists for special
9
22 harassment _ Hundreds of thousands of Americans were victims
1
23 of' this surveillance program Most Of this was done in Secret_
2
8 24 Much Of it was kept from Congress and the Justice Department
25 and all Of it from the American people _ Mo one outside the
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1 FBI has ever had an opportunity to know and appreciate the 8
1 2
full extent of Ehe domestic surveillance program that was
1
3 then being_ conducted _
4 Thus We See that just as in the case of the CIA the
5 key issue was accountability: How we can assure that the
secret instruments of government are accountable to the
7 people , the Congress ana the law
8 It is clear that the FBI's authority for these programs
9 is essentially non-existent. I am not persuaded that the
10
secret Presidential orders Of. President Roosevelt support the
11 Domestic Intelligence program , and even if it did, I do
{
12 not believe that ary President has the authority to order the
3
0
13 FBI or anyone else to spy on Americans to burgle their homes ,
14 to wiretap them , to open their mail or to blackmail then _
15 One of the most disturbing aspects of this affair is
16 that the FBI never paid .very much attention to whether their
17 activities Were authorized Or not or whether they Were legal
18 and corstitutional_ One former senior intelligence officer
1
19 has testified that he never once heard a discussion about
9
20 legality or constitutionality. Most governments in bistory 6
21 have relied On some form of police power to determine what
4 22 views would prevail in their society: However America was
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23 based on the. revolutionary concept that the people shoula
2
8 24 decide what is right and what is Wrong , what is acceptable
25 and what is not _
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1 That is What We maant by a free government, and our 8
1 2
forefathers were convinced that it can exist only through the
3 greatest tolerance of speech and opinion They placed their
4 faith in the people to remain alert to encroachments On their
5 liberty.
6
The founders of our country knew that the greatest
danger to freedom comes from the efforts of government to
8
suppress the opinions of its opponents _ They set up a
9 system which limited the. powers of government ,. bound it in
10 the constraints of the law , and prohibited it from infringing`
11
On the rights: Of people to free expression And through
{
12 the. Separation of power, the system of checks and balances ,
8
1
13 they tried to assure that the Executive woula be accountable
14 to the people through tbe Congress _
15 For the 200 years of Our existence as a nation the
16 preservation of liberty has_ been a constant struggle _ Whether
17 it has: been the Alien and Sedition Acts during the Frerch
18 Revolution, ths Red Scare and the Palmer Raids 0f Worla War
1
19 I, or McCarthyism after World War.II' or
Army spying during
8
20 the Vietnan War, the government has let 2 fear of unorthodox L
21 opinion lead it into the trap of infringing upon the
5 22 Constitution in the name of internal Security.
1
23 The issues We confront today are a part of a
continuing
0
8 24 drama of American democracy . It is proof , if We ever needed
25 it, that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance _
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1 Revelations of abuse of power. do not threaten domestic 8
1 2 security. These hearings do not weaken the FBI _ Wha t weakens
1
3
it is itg failure to adhere to the proper role of law
4 enforcement _ Somehow it forgot that this was its job _ It
5 began to us2 its energy to spY on Americans whose only
offense was an
expressing opinions that some in the FBI dia not
like. It confused talk of violence with acts of violence,
8 and all too often more attention to the talk than to
the "act_
10 The answer, of course, is that violence justifies
1l prosecution_
1. not surveillance Our security is not improved
12 by watching those who comit crimes Security from violence
6
0
13 lies in active and vigorous law enforcement Of those who
14 are committing crimes _ Security fram dargerous ideas, if
15 we need any security, should comz not from the FBI but
16 from the merit Of better ideas , in the good sense of the
17 Americar: people _
18 Our liberty is best protected' bY- scrupulous adherence
2
19 to the law and the Constitution by the agencies of government.
i
20 No government agency likes to be. the subject of public 6
21 scrutiny. I know these have been difficult times for the
9
22 present leadership Of the FBI many of whom were not involved
1
23 in these programs at all: But if had been .Spending a lot
2
8 24 Of time responding to Congressional investigations, they
25 could not forget that this is the first cime ir 50 years that
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8 the FBI had been subjected to public scrutiny.
1 2 As painful as this process. is , I hope the FBI itself-
1
3 would welcome the opportunity to let in some fresh air and
4
come to grips with the problems in candor and not retreatinto
5 past patterns of stirring up public fears to distract our
6 attention from the necessity of reform_
7
Mr_ Chairman , may I say that" yesterday I am told that
8 following our hearing the FBI responded exactly in the spirit
9 that I had hoped it would. If they can take this constructive
10 approach , I have no dcubt that the FBI will benefit from
11 this attention_ I want to See a ' strong FBI an FBI strong
1
12 in law enforcement, in the detection of crime, and in the
6
1
13 gathering of legal evidence for prosecution and conviction_
14 but an FBI Without abuses _
15 As We proceed, with these_hearings today+ we_ should also
16 bear in mind the responsibility for the abuses We have
17 uncovered does not rest on the FBI alone We in the
18 Congress have been derelict. It should not have taken until
I
19 this date for us to discharge our responsibility for
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20 investigating FBI and other domestic intelligence _ 6
21 We should also realize that the FBI has: been performing
y 22
a function which many Americans and at times the vast
1
23 majority of Americans have Wanted to See undertaken _ When
2
8 24 popular opinion brands a group unAmerican and subversive
25 merely because of its political views , 2l1 too often the FBI
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8 has reponded to public expectations and from pressure from
1 2
a higher authority in government _
1
3 While this does not excuse what happened , we should
4 temper our criticism of the FBI 's excesses
by understanding that
5 in large part it was only the instrunent of Our Own intolerance
6 Indeed , I believe that is our laws and the charter of the
FBI must be carefully redrawn to protect the FBI 's integrity
8 from political pressures and hysteria _
9 Finally, it would be a mistake to regard the abuses
10 of the FBI as those of evil Men _ The FBI has always been
11 composed of dedicated and hard-working public servants tho
{
12 seek to do their jobs as best they can The lesson we learn
0
1
13 from this history is that We cannot keep our liberty secure_
14 by relying alone on the good faith of Men with great power:
15 As Mr Justice Brandeis once wrote:
16 "Experience should teach us to be most On guara to
17 protect liberty When government s purposes are beneficient.
18 The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in the insidious
1
19 encroachment Of Men of zeal, well-meaning but without
i
20 understanding. "I L
21 It is Iy that the FBI witnesses we- will hear today
4
22 can enlighten us as to how it can conduct .internal security
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23 surveillarce programs which do not infringe
on our
2
8 24 constitutional liberties_ I hope they can suggest iron-clad
25 assurances that the abuses of the past will not be repeated _
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1 We need more protection than promises of Self-restraint 8
1 2 by men of gooa will
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3 Thank you , Mr _ Chairman
4 The Chairman Thank you , Senator Mondale That is
5
an excellent statement with which I would like to be fully
6 'associated ,
7 Senator Hart of Michigan_ I would, Mr Chairman , also
}
8
except that I want to make clear my
family certainly did not
9 support, encourage, or by its vocal position give any
10 indication to the Bureau that coula do what did,
11 I don 't want to too far in suggesting that what We heard
{
12 yesterday was simply responding by the Burezu to the mood
8
1
13 of those Years _
14 In those Years if we had known what you were doing,
15 I lay dough
1
most families would have said stop it.
16 Senator Mondale 'That is true I think one of the
17 points that we might aver to is the Houston Plan.and the
18 tremendous pressure the FBI was 'placed under to again resue
1
19 techniques that it had abandoned in' 1966 _ There is no
9
20 question that they were getting private pressure from higher L
21 authority to do things _ In that instance didn t want
9
22 it=
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23 The Chairman Well, I was struck with the fact that
2
8 24 the Houston Plan , as illegal as it was , was limited to techniques
25 far more restrictive than the far-reaching methods that were
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employed by the FBI during the years that we have reviewed in 8
1 2 yesterday S hearings _ They led beyond anything that was
1
3
ever contained in any official document requesting from
4 the President additional authority-
5
Now I think_
2
Mr . Adams
1
Mr Wannall, in addition to
6 swearing you both, if you are going to have occasion to
ask others who are with you to testify in response to certain
questions , that it woula be well at this time to swear them
also .
10 So' if that is the caser anyone Who anticipates that he
11
may be testifying in this morning hearing in response to
1
12 questions , if you will all stand and take the oath at this
0
1
13 time .
14 Do you ana each of you solemnly Swear that all of the
15 testimony that you will give in these proceedings will be
16 the truth,
1
the Ihole truth, and nothing but the truth, So
17 help You God?
18 Mr.~Adams Izdo::
1
19 Mr: Wannall: I" d0 _
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20 ThefChairman:: wAfter: yesterday S hearing I asked the staf L
21 to furnish me with the statutory authority that presently exist}
9
22 that.could be said to relate to the: FBELS_intelligence activities ,
1
23 Which was of course:the subject of yesterday'9 hearings _
2
8 24 And I am furnished in response to that request
25 Title XVIII, Section 533 of the United States Code, wich
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1 reads 2s follows: "The 'Attorney General may appoint officials
: 8
1 2
one , to detect and prosecute crimes against the United States;
1
3 two , to assisti in the protection of the person of the
4 President; and three, to conduct such other investigations
5 regarding- official matters under the control of the Department
6 of Justice and the Department of State as maybe directed by
the Attorney General_
8 Now yesterday, Mr _ Wannall, we Were told about a series
9 of activities that Were undertaken by the FBI, and indeed ,
10 initiated within the FBI , the purpose of which was to harass
11 ana' discredit Dr Martin Luther King.
0
12 Now I am not referring to the results of any FBI
0
1
13 investigative activity, but rather, I am referring to these
14 kinds of initiatives that were undertaken for the purpose Of
15 either harassing or
embarrassing or otherwise discrediting
16 Mr . himgelf_
17 My first question is was Dr in his advocacy of
18 equal rights for black citizens, advocating a course of
1
19 action that in the opinion of the FBI constituted a crime?
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12 1 TESTIMONY OF JAMES B ADAMS DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
1 2 OE THE FBI ;, AND. RAYMOND WANNALL , ASSISTANT' DIRECTOR
r
1
3 EBI INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
4
5
Mr ~Adams No , sir.
6
The Chairman So he was not ther thought to be engaged
in any criminal activity- In fact, he was preaching, as I
8 remember those days , non-violence, was he not, as a method
9 of achieving equal rights for black citizens?
10 Mr Adams That' s right, his advocacy for civil rights
11 The Chairman His advocacy of.civil rights was non-
1
12 viblent and therefore legal in character
8
1
13 Mr _ Adams That was not the basis Of our investigation
14 of him
15 The Chairman _ But 2s you have said
7
he was not
16 engaging in any unlawful activity in connection with his
17 advocacy Of equal rights for black citizens
18 Is that correct?
!
19 Mr Adams Yes , sir.
i
20 The Chairman Well, is it true that at one time the 6
21 FBI undertook to discourage an American college from conferring
1 22 an honorary degree On Dr King?
1
23 Mr _ Adans . Yes_
1
sir
2
8 24 The Chairman On what legal basis does the FBI have
25 a right t0 interfere,in an effort to discourage a college from
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1 conferring an honorary degree upon a man like Dr Martin 8
1 2 Luther King, who Was not engaging in or suspected of engaging
1
3 in criminal activity?
4
Mr Adams I Know of no basis
5
The Chairman dia the FBI do it?
6
Mr Adams _ Well, We have to approach two parts, in
my estimation, Senator Church One , the basis for' our'
8 investigation Of Martin Luther which was to deternine
9 communist influence_ on him, my hands are tied in discussing
10 that somewhat on the basis that there is certain information
11 which today, from an ongoing operation is sensitive and
{
12 which, of course; we have made known to you and cartain
0
1
13 staff members _
14 I woula like to say on the basis that from our review
15
we feel that We
initially had
3 basis for investigating Martin
16 Luther King .
17 Now as far as the activities which you are
asking about ,
18 the discrediting, I know of no basis for that and I will
!
19 not attempt to justify it.
9
20 The Chairman You never made a
finding , did you , that L
21 Martin Luther King was a communist?
i 22 Mr Adams No , sir, we aid not We Were investigating
1
23 communist influence and the possible effect Oh him. We
2
8 24 never made such a determination
25 The Chairman Very well: Then there was no
justificatidn
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for the FBI to interfere? 8
{ 2
Mr _ Adams To discredit him_
1 3
The Chairman In conferring an honorary degree upor
4 him
5
Mr Adams . I cannot find any justification for that.
6
The Chaixman . Is it true that the FBI on another occasion
7
intervened in an attenpt to prevent Dr _ Martin Luther King
8 from seeing the Pope?
9
Mr Adans _ I believe that is correct, sir. There Were
10 approximately 25 incidents
1
I believe, of actions taken in
11 this regard_ I think Mr Schwarz has those available, that
1
12 I would lump basically &ll of then into the same situation
o
0
13 0f I See no statutory basis or no basis of justificatior for
14 the activity-
15 The Chairman But what was the: motive , there being no
16 statutory basis or other valid basis? What was the motive
17 for attempting to prevent Dr Martin Luther from visiting
18- with the Pope?
8
19 Mr Adams In lookirg at absolute motive , 1 don 'z think
i
20 tha files Which We have reviewed and made available to the L
21 Committee , give me a clear picture of what_the motive was
4 22 I think that there Were, the motive was certainly known to
1
23 Mr Hoover It was known to One top official who 18, no longer
2
8 24 with the Bureau and maybe known to others
1
all of whom have
25 been interviewed by the Committee: Matters bearing on what
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1 might have been the real motive or the possible motive , I 8
1 2 again feel, because of reasons of privacy and delicacy, ara
1
3
not a proper subject of discusgion at a
public hearing-
4 I think w2 know what could have_ influenced this , but
5
one, the primary individual, Mr Hoover , is not with uS
Individuals who were closest to nim in this effort are not
7 with us And the Committez itself has interviewed him _
8
So I really am not in a position to discuss this motive
9 issue
10 The Chairman Nevertheless, you would agree that
11 whatever the motive , it was a very improper thing to do
End 12 Mr Adams I cannot find any justification, no , sir_
3
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16
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The Chairman . Is it true that after Dr . Martin Luther
8
2
lKing had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, that an !
1
3 anonymous letter was sent to Dr_ Martin Luther King and to
4 Mrs _ King , Coretta his wife, which was sent 34 days before
5 he was to receive the Nobel Peace Prize?
6 Mr Adams _ I do not think those dates are correct:
7
The Chairman _ Well, it was sent
8 Mr Adams _ It was before: he was to receive it. I think
34 days L upon reconstruction by one of the members of my
10 staff, 34 days woula have been Christmas and whether that
11
34 days
1
12 The Chairman. It is hard to believe that such a letter
8
1
13
woula be written on Christmas Day.
14 Mr Adams _ It was not written on Christmas Day , but 34
15
days the Nobel Peace Prize I think was on December 10 , the
16
letter 34 .days_ from the date-of the. mailing' of:the letter
17 as has been reconstructed , as best as possible, would have been
18 Christmas
1
19 The Chairman . Was the letter written and sent by the
i
FBI? 20 L
21
Mr _ Adams _ We have no information: to that effect. All
1 22
we Know is that the draft, or original, Of what may have been
1
23
the letter was found in papers::of the FBI left after a former
27
official departed the FBI _ We know that based upon .inguiries
8 24
that we have conducted and you have conducted , we know that the 25
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1 letter was not Ltt I mean it was in connection with other
8
1 2 material_ So I think we can assume
1
3 The Chairman. Other materials which were sent.
4 Mr Adams _ That' s right. So I can assume that the letter
5 was sent: I have determined nothing from my review 0f the
6 files , and neither has your staff, to my knowledge , or has been
reported back to me which would indicate that this action was
8 duly recorded in any file or was a-part of any authorized
9 program or anything else _ This is a void that I dor not think
10 any of us has been Satisfactorily able to resolve .
11 The Chairman _ We know the letter appeared in the files_ W
1
12 know that the letter was received. We know it was associated
8
1
13 with other matters that were sent by the FBI to Dr . Martin
14 Luther King.
15, Mr _ Adams _ The letter was never in our files in the sense
16 that it was enterea into the official files of the FBI . It was
17 among papers
18 The Chairman . It was; among. papers_
1
19 Mr Adams _ Left-by_ an_ individual- who. had departed.
i
20 The _ Chaixman. That individual being Mr - Sullivan?
|
21 Mr - Adams _ Yes-, sir.
5 22 The Chairman _ The letter read, "King, there is only one
1
23 thing left_ for you to. do . You know what it is. You have just
2
24 34 days in which to do; *it; this exactznumber hasrbeen selected 8
25 for a
specific reason - It has definite practical significance
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1 You are done. There is but one way Oit for you _ If
8
2 Now if You had received such a letter
7
how would you have 1
1
3 interpreted it? What would you have thought:it meant?
4 Mr. Adams _ I have read that statement . I have heard the
5 conclusions of your staff that it was a suicide urging. I can't
find any basis upon which they drew that conclusion I think
7 that, approaching it from an objective standpoint , as I read it,
8 I don t know-what-it; means .
9 I think rather than a conclusion it should be a speculation
10 in a realm of .possibilities as to what was intended _ but I
11 cannot Lad I don't understand the basis for. it. It is a
1
12
possibility, but I certainly would not reach such a conclusion
0
1
13
from my. reading. of that statement.
14 The Chairman _ NOw if.you had received . & letter.0f.this
15
kind.and it.had been directed to you , if.you. were in Dr . King' s
16
pogition and you read, there is only one thing left
17 for you to do. 'You" know.What;it is: You have just 34 days in
which to do it. M Now , that happened to. correspond to_ the time
18
2
19 before which he was to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. What
i
would you think that meant? _ 20 L
21 Mx Adams _ I would have to consider what I was being
4
22
accused of_ I woula have to consider what the facts were. I
1
23
would have to consider what the intent of the person was writing
2
such a note, coming just before Christmas I don 't know if it
8 24
25
means , it is an urging to repent from something this person ,
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"King,
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smn 4
1745
1 whoever he was , that had sent it, I have no idea: what it meant .
8
2 The Chairman_ It is certainly no Christmas card, is it? 1
1
3 Mr Adams _ It is certainly
no Christmas card_
4 The Chairman It reads , "You are done. There is but one
#I 5 way out for you
6 What does that mean?
7
Mr _ Adams _ I don t know. I don't know if it means
confession I don't know if it means suicide, as has been raised
I have no idea . You have the statement. I am not in a position
10 to say . I haven 't interviewed anyone that was with him at the
11 time he received it.
1
12 The Chairman Would you disown this statement and say that
6
0
13 any connection the FBI had with it was utterly improper and
14
grotesque?
15 Mr _ Adans _ I certainly woula say it was improper , and I
16 can't justify its being prepared-or sent , yes , sir.
17 Senator Mondale _ Mr . Chairman , if I might just interrupt.
18 The Chairman _ Senator Mondale _
2
19 Senator Mondale _ What I askea yesterday of the staff was
i
20 what Dr . King took it to mean. I have no
knowledge Sf what:thos
6
21
who framed this letter intended , and those who were with him at
9
22 the time he reaa it, including Congressman Young who was one 0f
1
23
his assistants at the time_
1
saia that they took it to mean a
2
suggestion that he take his own life.
8 24
25 Mr . Adams _ I an not in possession of that information. I
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 22 Page
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Page 23
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Smn 5
1746
L
1 am being in a position, I don t know what the staff determined _
8
1 2 They did not report back to me on
their findings
1
3 The Chairman _ The letter will speak for itself. You
personally have disowned it. 6
Mr. Adams _ Absolutely.
6 The Chairman_ As a
highly improper thing for the FBI
7 to be connected with in any way , do you agree with that?
8 Mr Adams _ Yes , sir, yes , sir.
9 The Chairman Now without going through the many
10 different an specific undertakings that were intended to public
l1
ly discredit Dr. King , because my time will not permit that and
1
12 others will want to question.you on . other specific matters , I
6
0
13 have just one further question to.put to you:
14
Yesterday there was a document of the FBI which suggestea
15 that in the opinion of the Bureau , Dr _ King was an unsuitable
16 leader for the civil rights movement, ana that another man
17 should be looked for and , indeed , another candidate was actuallyl
18
suggestea to .Mr. Hoover as one who should: be-promoted in
1
-19 various ways sO that he might assume the leadership of this
8
20 movement -
|
21 Now can you teil me of 'anything in the law
1 or any other
5 22
justification, given the mission of the FBI, that would entitle
1
23
it to decide-who should lead political movements in this country
2
24 or to undertake to degrade a man who had fought' and won such
8
25
leadership and had the support Of a great many black people in'
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 23
put
Page
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Page 24
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smn 6
{1747
1
1 this country
1
and white' people as well, and to substitute in his
8
1 2 place someone 0f the FBI S selection or someone who stooa in
1
3 the FBI S favor?
4 Can you think of any justification for such activity
on
5 the part of a law enforcement agency?
6 Mr _ Adams _ I can't think of any offhand , no , sir.
7
The Chairman. Neither can I_
8
Senator Tower?
9 Senator Tower _ Thank you , Mr; Chaiiman 18
10 What is your. understanding, if you have any
understanding
11 of the underlying causes of the feud between Mr - Hoover and
1
12 Dr . King?
0
1
13 Mr - Adams _ Senator Tower , I feel if we got into any
14 discussion of that, I think we woula have: to take into consider-
15 ation certain .material which I feel should. not be disclosed
16 publicly, and I would respectfully ask that a question of motive
17 of Mr - Hoover-and the spat with Mr. King should be discussed
18 in executive session, _ if at &ll_
19 Senator Tower. All right-
i
20 In 1965 .Attorney.General Katzenbach 'was informed by Mr _ L
21 Hoover of the Bureau S surveillance 'of:Dr: King:
4 22 What was the Attorney General 1 s reaction? What was his
1
23 position once he was .informed Mr . Hoover of' this surveillance?
2
24 Mr - Adans _ I don-'t recall having seen it: 8
25 Senator Tower _ In other words , dia the Attorney General
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 24
by'
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Page 25
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smn 7 1748
L
give any direction to the Bureau in the matter that you know 0f?
8
1 2 Mr _ Adams _ Yes
1
sir. I know that , of course, on the
1
3 wiretapping on Martin Luther it was approved by the
4 Attorney General - I know that the President 0f the United States
5 and the Attorney General specifically discussed their concern
with Dr . King over: Communist influence on him. I do know there
was concern , but I don 't tie in this date, 1965 _
8 Senator Tower Do you know whether or not Mr _ Hoover
9 ever sought direct authorization from Mr. Katzenbach for this
10 very sensitive surveillance. 0f Dr. King?
11 Mr _ Adams _ I don 't know_ Attorney General Kennedy approve}
1
12 the actual surveillance that was instituted on Dr. I
6
1
13 don t know 0f any correspondence between Attorney General
14 Katzenbach
15 Senator Tower _ Or any . personal communication between them
16 that would have indicated the level Of the Attorney General's
17 involvement?
18 Mr _ Adams . No _
1
19 If my recollection serves me .correct, as far as Attorney
i
20 General Kennedy was concerned , he requestea coverage on Dr .
|
21 King. The Bureau responded.with a request in writing, which
5
22 is our normal procedure: He declined to approve that request,
1
23 and then we came back later, a few months later and requested
2
24 it again , at which time he dia approve _ That is my recollection
8
25 of that.
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 25
King ,
King.
Page
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Page 26
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Smn 8 1749
L
1 Senator Tower _ Why dia the Attorney General change his
8
2 mind? Do you have any idea
1
or is that again a matter of 1
1
3
sensitivity?
4 Mr Adams . I don t know he actually changea his mind
5 from originally requesting, then declining when it was subnitted
6 and then approving it on the second go round _
7 It may be in the files. If it is , I would be glad to see
8 what I could determine.
9 Senator Tower _ If you could, we would like to have that.
10 Mr Adams _ Yes , sir.
11 Senator Tower_ Mr Adams you have been familiar with the
1
12 Bureau s domestic intelligence work for many Years _ How dia
0
1
13 the Bureau come to launch the COINTEL program ana what in essence
14
did COINTELPRO accomplish?
15 Mr _ Adams _ Well, the program as such , as I can reconstruct
16 from the files, was.indicated as concern over conspiratorial
17
efforts of certain .groups , and a .decision made that perhaps
18 more affirmative action should.be taken to neutralize violence
3
19
which was becoming of more concern to the FBI in that regard.
i
I believe these are some of the basic considerations that went 20 L
21
into the launching of the COINTELPRO
4
22
Now , as far as the first one , which was; the Communist
1
23
Party, of course, there was the concern here to neutralize the
2
effectiveness of the Communist Party in the United States . In
8 24
25
fact , out of ali of the COINTELPRO operations that were approvea
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 26
why
Page
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Page 27
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smn 9
1750
7
59 percent of them were directed at the Communist Party. The
8
2 bulk of the concern
initially was with the Communist Party and 3
1
3 it was a desire to create factionalism within the Communist
4
Party and to neutralize its efforts _
5 The Communist Party, Congress itself, still has a determina-
tion on the record as to the threat of the Communist Party in a
statute The Supreme Court has held that the Communist Party is
8 an instruent of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union certainly
has not relinquished its interest in the United States as a
10 target. All of these considerations went into should we do
11
something not only to_ follow the. activities of the Communist
1
12 Party, but should we destroy its effectiveness in the United
6
13 States
14 That was the first program , I believe, that Was initiated_
15 Senator Tower. Now , did the Bureau ever seek direction and;
16 counsel from the Attorney General on any of its COINTELPRO
17
efforts or
specific programs?
18 Mr Adams _ As best as I can reconstruct; Senator, there
1
19 was no direct authority requested from any Attorney General for
a
20 the initiation of these programs , and it is only
a question , as
6
21
your staff presented yesterday, that the Attorney Generals ,
4 22 Presidents
P
Congress , had been made available of certain aspects
1
23 of programs after the fact and those were primarily concerned
2
24
with the Communist Party and , oh , one other organization but
8
25 not the New Left ana these other types _ So I cannot find any
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 27
try
Page
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Page 28
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smn 10
1751
evidence , and I have no reason to believe that there would be
8
2 any evidence that the Bureau initiated these programs other than 1
1
3 as an internal decision-
4 Senator Tower. Well, were reports on these programs made
5 to the Attorney General? Was he informed of them? Was he kept
6 informed on a
continuing basis?
Mr Adams _ He was kept informed by letters
1
which again
the staff has alluded to, letters reporting certain developments
For instance , one 0f then that went to one Attorney General ,
10
reading of that letter outlined almost in complete detail Klan
11
activities; activities taken to disrupt the Klan . It used
1
12 terms 0f neutralize, disrupt. There was a clear explanation of
4
1
13
what we were doing against the Klan in that regard_
14 Senator Tower HOw is it that you came to believe that you
15
had the authority to neutralize or disrupt these organizations
16 rather than proceed against them frontally througn prosecuting
then for law violations?
17
18 Mr - Adans _ I guess you would have to say , in a position
1
19 like this , that it is just like the Smith Act of 1940 , which is
i
20
designed to prevent revolutionary groups from advocating the
L
21
overthrow of the Government, and then subsequent -interpretations
4
22 as to the constitutionality 0f .it leaves uS with a statute
1
23
still on the books that proscribes certain actions , but the
2
24
degree of proof necessary to operate under the few remaining
8
areas is such that there was no satisfactory way to proceed,
25
NW 88614 Docld: 32989543 Page 28
yet
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Page 29
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7 .,1752
s 11
]
1 and it was an area where
8
2 The Chairman_ Will the Senator-yield at that point; please 1
1
3 What ' you are saying , Mr _ Wannall T S Mx Adams excuse
4 me , is that you did not operate within the law because the
5 law didn 't give you sufficient latitude? Therefore you under-
took direct action to disrupt and otherwise undermine these
7
organizations _
8 Senator Tower: Did you proceed on the assumption that
these organizations would eventually break the law , ana therefor
10
you sought to neutralize and disrupt_ them before they did?
Mr _ Adams_ I can't say that, sir. I think that the investhi-
11
{
12
gations of them were based on this belief , that they might
8
13
break the law or they were breaking the law_ The disruptive 1
activities , I can't find where we were able to relate to that.
14
What it boils down to is what we have gotten into a question
15
before on: in our review .of the situation we see men Of the
16
FBI recognizing or having .a good faith belief that there was 17
immediate danger to the United States
18
I
Senator Tower . Al1.right, but to_ repair to Senator Church
19
9
question, you don t say that you really had specific legal
20 6
21
authority.
4 Mr . ? Adams _ No . And this is the hangup with the whole
22
1
program and which we are not trying to justify, that there is
23
2
some statutory basis. I would not make that effort whatsoever _
8 24
All I'm trying to do is say that at the time it was initiated,
25
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 29 Page
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Page 30
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1753
12 T
we had men who felt-that: there was an immediate danger to the
8
2
country. They felt they had a responsibility to act and having
1
1
3
felt this responsibility, did act. And lthis is the whole problem
we have?at the-presentstime, because we do have , one, we can 4
5
see good evidence Of their belief there was a threat. We had
cities being burned , we had educational institutions being
bombed _ We had deaths .occurring from all of these activities .
We had a situation that we didn t know what the ena was going
8
to be _ We never can look arouna the corner in intelligence
9
operations _ We don 't know if ultimately this might bring the
10
destruction of the country_ All we know is we had an extremely
11
1
violent time :So I don '& find any basis in my mina to argue 12
0
with their good faith belief.they:were: faced with a danger _ 1
13
NOw , when they move over to the second area of responsi-
14
bility, here is where we have the . problem, and I think it is
15
the whole purpose of this Committee, the .Attorney General ,
16
Mr - Kelley, all of uS
realizing
we' can 't operate in these areas
17
where we feel.responsibility but. we. don 't-have a mandate by
18
2 Congress. So in that area; this: feeling-Of. responsibility
19
i
I.feel_ came from. the fact_that Presidents , as .your staff said
20 L
yesterday , Presidentst Congressmen , the Attorney General no
21
one really provided direction and guidance or instructions
4 22
1
don t do this . Do this , don't do that, or what are you doing
23
2
and how are you doing it.
8 24
For instance, there is some
feeling
on the part of some
25
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 30 Page
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Page 31
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1754
M'
1 that our whole domestic intelligence operations
were secret.
8
2 The COINTELPRO operation was, I mean , I think we all agree that 1
1
3 this was , to be effective_ they felt it should be secret_ But
4
back in our Ge
this is nted appropriation testimony which
5 went to the members of the Committee. It was mailed out to
newspapers , friends , anyone that was interested in it, back
in 1967~talking about Internal Security 8 operations , the New
8
Left movement , Young Socialist Alliance, Chicago trial, nationwide
demonstrations , student agitation, anti-war activities the
10 Committee of Returned Volunteers , Communist Party;; U.S.A.
11
Progressive Party, Socialist Party, extremist organizations ,
{
12 Black Panther Party- All of these items ana statements about
0
1
13 extremists , white extremists ana hate type groups , the Republic
14
of New Africa , Minutemen , our coverage of subversive organiza-
tions
U there are several groups , organizations ana movements 15
16
which I discussed showed the wide coverage we must_maintain
17 to follow on. their activities.and changing tactics , and in spitel
of the proliferation of these-organizations , our informant 18
1
coverage at-all levels bas been of great- value ana assistance ,
19
i
enabling us to keep abreast of. our investigative responsibilitiel
20 L
21
This is the same way through all of our
public appropriatioh
4 testimony. We have: told: the worla we are investigating black
22
1
23
hate groups , New Left groups.
2
So , I merely mention this to try to .put in the frame 0f
8 24
reference of these men feeling , know we are investigating
25
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 31
pri
they
Page
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Page 32
==================================================
smn 14
1755
L
1 them . They didn't tell them_ though
1
in sufficient detail other
8
2 than scantily before the Appropriations Committee what we were {
1
5 doing to disrupt these activities , and my
feeling is that the
4 men recognized the danger , they pointed out the danger to the
5 world. They said, we are investigating these organizations and
they felt then that the comfortable climate of leave it-up to
the FBI , we should do something more And that is what we are
looking for guidelines on , the Attorney General , Mr _ Kelley ,
9 you , that give_ uS the guidelines under whichiwershould:operate _
10 Now , there are certain guidelines that we don 't need to
11 be given , we shouldn t do this. We don 't have such activities
1
12
today , programs designed to disrupt and neutralize in the
0
1
13 domestic intelligence field. But beyond that , we need guidelineb
14 on what does the whole of Congress, representative of the peoplel
15 by passing of legislation say this is the FBI' s role in
end 2 16
domestic intelligence.
begin 3
17 Senator Tower _ Mr _ Chairman , my time has long since
18
expired.
3
19
I would like to note that I saw Mr. Kelley
on the Today
9
20 Show this morning indicating strong support for a response to
6
21
Congressional oversight , and that is a
healthy attitude
3
22 The Chairman Well, I think it must come because , as
1
23 you have really conceded , you shouldn't have ever had to have
2
24
had the ~guidelines that the Federal Government' s chief law
8
25 enforcement agency ought not to disobey the law , and really , 1"
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 32 Page
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Page 33
==================================================
Smn 14 1756
L
you don ' t, need explicit guidelines to tell you that, or you
8
2 shouldn t Ahave _ 1
1
3 Wouldn t you agree?
4 Mx . Adams _ I would say that looking at it today, we should
5
have looked at it that way yesterday, but I do feel, I don 't
have any doubt about the good faith of people recognizing the
danger
1
feeling they had
a responsibility, no matter
whose fault
8 it was , ours internally or because we weren t given he.super-
9 vision we should have been given, and taking what considere
10 to be appropriate action.
11 The Chairman. Senator Hart.
{
12 Senator Hart of Michigan _ I should apologize both to
0
1
13 witnesses and my colleagues on the Committee for scrambling
14
around loosely, but in explanation to the witnesses , I have not
15 been able to give attention to the evolution of the files that
16 are now at hand until the last couple of days , ana I am not
17 sure what is in the files for the public record , and what of
18 the materials I have been shown in the last couple of days since
2
19
I got back are still under seal - So just out of memory I am
i
20
going to summarize certain activities which have been acknowledged
L
21
that the Bureau undertook, but without being specific with- respect
4 82 to location ana names , and I do it for this reason, It is
1
23
right that the Committee and the press be worried about the
2
treatment of a Nobel Prize winner, Dr _ Kirg .
8 24
25 There are an awful lot of people who never close to a
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 33
they
got
Page
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Page 34
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smn 15
1757
L
1 Nobel Prize whose names are Jones and Smith , that my review
2
L 2 of the files show had violence done to their First Amendment
1
3 rights_ And Nobel Prize Winners will always get protection ,
but Joe Potatoes doesn't, and this Committee should focus on
5 him , too.
6 Now , included in this COINTEL were activities like this,
7 anonymous letters , drafted by Bureau offices in the field, sent
8 to headquarters in Washington , approved , ana then put in the
9 mail, intended to break up marriages , not of Dr _ King but of
10 Mary ana John Jones because one or the other was thought to be
11 a dissenter, might have dressed strangely or showed up at
1
12 meetings in company of others who dressed strangely; anonymous
6
1
13 letters to university officials and to the several newspapers
14 in that city to prevent university facilities from being made
15
available to a speaker .of whom the Bureau disapproved , and it
16 was not a :top flight, big name speaker _
4
In that case , an
17 anonymous letter was sent to me
making protest_ Being an
18 anonymous letter, it never occurred to me that it came Erom the
2
19 Federal Bureau of Investigation.
i
20 The series Of anonymous letters , one with the spelling
6
21 very poor the grammar sloppy , and another more sophisticated,
5 22 protesting the employment by_ a city of
a man alleging that he
1
23 was a Communist Or came from a Communist family, and there are
2
24 loyal Americans out of work, what are you doing, Mayor _ And
8
25 to the press , isn't this an outrage. And again: the letter, the
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 34
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Page 35
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smn 16 1758
anonymous letter sent to me saying what are you going to do about
8
2 this _ There are loyal Democrats in this town who neea work And 1
3 in that case I happened to have known the man about whom the
4
protest was made, and the Bureau facts were wrong as hell on
5 that man S loyalty. He was a loyal as you or I.
6 Now , yes or no , are those actions regarded now by the
Bureau as within bounds?
8 M = Adams _ No , sir.
9 Senator Hart of Michigan . were they regarded as within
10 bounds when they were approved by the Bureau??
11 Mr _ Adams _ Well, I think even under the guidelines of
1
12 COINTELPRO , as established , the programs were not designed for
0
1
13 the purpose of harrassment of an individual. The memoranda
14
indicaterthey: were designed to disrupt the organizations _ Some
15 of the turn downs were turned down on this specific wording.
This is mere harrassment. 16
The rationale woula have been O Ia and of course, here , I
17
say some 0f these you mentionea wouldn t even appear to me to 18
2
19 meet the criteria of the program and shoula have been disavowed _
8
even under the existence of the program . However, in the total
20 L
21
context of the program activities were to be directed towards
9
22
the organization itself; but we do not do that at the present
1
23
time.
2
Senator Hart of Michigan. Yes
8
but everything I have
8 24
25
summarized, rather poorly , was approved by the Bureau at the
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 35
1L
's
Why
==================================================
Page 36
==================================================
1759
smn 17
time by headquarters , not by the field office agents _
8
Mr Adams _ I do think that there were improper actions 1
1
3 taken under the program , even under the program as it existed.
4
Mr . Kelley has So stated his recognition of that fact- The
5
Attorney General certainly has. Yet the majority of the actions
6
taken , even the Department concluded were lawful and legal _
7
proper investigative activities , but the
8 Senator Hart of Michigan_ You see , my feeling is it isn't
9 a question of techniques that are bad _ The concept of the
program seems to do violence to the First Amendment because
10
everything you did sought to silence someone or threaten
11
{
12
somebody to silence, or deny somebody a platform, or create an
0
atmosphere in which people were in fact afraid to assemble_ 1
13
Now _ sometimes law enforcement , legitimate law enforcement
14
has what we call this chiliing effect, when ' it is legitimate
15
law enforcement. Oftentimes that chilling effect is a necessary
16
though regretable side effect. But what I am talking about ,
17
and what these files are full of are actions the_only purpose
18
8
Of which is to chill
0
It isn in pursuit of any crime at all_
19
i
Indeed , when a court of
general jurisdiction approved the use
20 L
of that university premise for the use .Of the speaker the
21
9 Bureau had .stirred:-sO .much controversy with .its anonymous
22
1
letters, when that .judge wrote an .order, .after the sponsoring
23
E
group went to court, what was the Bureau reaction from
8 24
headquarters? Investigate the judge _
25
NWV 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 36
2
't
's
==================================================
Page 37
==================================================
smn 18 1760
L
1 NOw , that , you know , if
Ln 8
!
2
Mr . Adams: I'm not familiar with that fact.
0
3 Senator Hart of Michigan. Well, neither was I until last
4 night.
5 Mr _ Adams _ The instruction was to investigate the judge?
6 Senator Hart of Michigan _ This is the kind of stuff that
7 I came out of the hospital to find, and it is the sort of thing ,
8 as I said yesterday, that my children have been telling me for
9 years you were busy doing, and I simply didn t believe them _
10 And they were right and I am wrong .
11 Mr . Adams _ Well, there were about 3200 activities, and
{
12 about 2300 I believe or .So were approved under the COINTELPRO ,
0
1
13 and over 59 percent were addressed to the Communist Barty. That
14 leaves 1000 . And out of 1000 , -perhaps , I don t' know what the
15 actual figure was 0f ones_that-just clearly stana out as
16
improprietous under the -program , even as it_existed at the
17 time, but I do feel_that "-~well, it is_a very difficult area _
18 Senator Hart Of. Michigan- My.time-is .up , too, .I ani sure,
8
19 but on this_business .of the Communist.Party , if-your theory
8
20 continues to be that any-socially .active group of citizens
L
21 who organize/ whether Women ' s.libbers or fight the bomb or
22 anything else ; might be a target for infiitration by the
1
23
Communist Party and therefore you can move your agents in , that
2
24 means, almost not as .an overstatement,that any and every citizen
8
25
activity coula be made the target 0f the kind of businese that
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 37
9
Page
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Page 38
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Smn 19
1761
1
I have just described, because every individual is apt, during
8
1 2 his lifetime, to engage in' violence. If that is justification,
0
3 then you are justified in running tails on everybody .
4 Mr - Adams _ Well, that was not C
5 Senator Hart-0f Michigan. Everybody has got-that'privilege
6 ana that clearly is a police state concept_
7 Mx . Adams _ That is not our criteria
Senator Hart of Michigan _ All right, but if the criteria
9 is three or four of uS get together and we have a sort of
10 nutty idea , just the kin of thing the Communists would like to
11 exploit, and therefore you seek to justify shutting off the
1
12 foru for that group or to surveille it, the potential for
8
0
13 Communist intrusion , then , if that continues to be your theory,
14 then I. say .you are, you are going to pursue the same 'wretched
15 road that these files show you have been pursuing before. If
16 that is the predicate, the fact.that a Soviet or Marxist or
17 Maoist Hottentot .is liable to think there is an idea that we
18 can exploit, then you .people_ are going-to_be spending how many
1
19 man hours, how many -tax dollars doing the kind of things that
i
20 I summarized SO
~briefly here .
L
21 That in my book is the 2oth_century version of what the
9
22 Founding Fathers intended to prevent when wrote the First
11
23 Amendment _
2
24 What is the position 0f the Bureau when a , Communist 8
25 may participate, associate with and promote an idea, this
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 38
8
they
==================================================
Page 39
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smn 20
1762
L
justifies you trying to figure out' if you can bust up a marriagel
8
1 2 if two 0f the people are in the group?'
1
3 Mr _ Adams _ It '.does- not, and it is not our criteria , no
4 sir.
5 Senator Hart of Michigan_ What does it justify?
6 Mr _ Adams _ It justifies our doing nothing in the way of
COINTELPRO activities. I still feel it has a justification,
that you agree with,to investigate the Communist Party. It is
when you get into the disruptive areas where the program goes
10 beyond investigation that we have no statutory authority.
11 Senator Hart of Michigan _ Well we have been emphasizing
1
12 COINTEL - Woula it justify putting tails on the people?
6
0
13 Mr . Adams _ What , just a L eee
14 Senator Hart of Michigan. Or putting an informant into
15 the group =
16 Mr - Adams _ If it is a Communist group?
17 Senator Hart of Michigan _ No,.if it's me and somebody
18 else' that thinks we oughtn '+ to have_something that a majority
1
19 of people think we should: We organize and ,you-people say ,
9
20 well, there .is something the Communists can take and run with. 6
21 Mr Adams . No,.sir.
4
22 Senator Hart of Michigan _ Does that justify putting a
1
23 tail on them?
2
24 Mr _ Adams _ It does not, and we woula not: Before we 8
25 woula even open for 2 preliminary inquiry, we should have an
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 39 Page
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1763
1
1 indication that the Communist Farty has attempted to infiltrate
8
1 2 or is infiltrating,_ in other words
1
where you have some evidence
1
3 of' a subversive group , participating in the functions of that
4 organization, and there are grey areas here, in the spectrum
5 of anything where I am sure we have , opened investigations where
6 we should not because there has been scant evidence of such
infiltration. And this is a supervisory problem. It is a
8 criteria problem _ And it is also an
oversight problem which
9 we are responding to
10 Senator Hart of Michigan_ My time is up and I haven '+ gottkn
11 into some of the other material_
{
12 The Chairman. Well , Senator, .you.have not been with uS A
6
0
13 Senator Hart .of Michigan. No , no , I.just
14 The Chairman. If you want more time
8
you have a lot of tine
15 stored up . If you want to use it now , you , go right ahead.
16 Senator Hart.of Michigan. Well let me ask the justification
17 for this sort of business_
18 I have been talking about the things I have seen in the files
I
19 that bear on direct, First Amendment denial and again_
1
this
a
20 does not deal with the treatment vf a distinguished American.
L
21 Indeed , it involves groups that are generally viewed with very
49
22 sharp disapproval The ground rules for the treatment shoula
0
23 be precisely the same , whether it is a good guy , a popular
2
8 24 guy , or a dirty and smelly guy .
25 What was the purpose of the Bureau in trying to stir up
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smn 22 1764
L
strife perhaps I shoulan t say what was the purpose Rn Fe=
what
8
2
possible justification for the Bureau trying to sick the Black 1
1
3
Panthers on that outfit call the US out in California
1 or betweem
4
the Black Panthers ana the Blackstone Rangers in Chicago? Was
5
it with the hope that by fomenting it they would kill each other
off?
Mr. Adams _ Absolutely not, ana I think the Comittee
staff can inform you that during their review of all of these
matters they haven t come up with one instance of violence
10
resulting from any of these actions, and in that particular
case there was a communication in the same file which I believe
11
1 the staff had access to which showed that we did get information
12
0
that one of these groups was going to put out a contract on one 0
13
Of the, others , and we notified the police and the individuals
14
of the fact that their life was in dangerv
15
None of our programs have contemplated violence ana
16
the instructions prohibited it, and the record f turndowns of
17
recommended actions in some instances specifically say that
18
I
we do not approve . this action because if we take it it coula
19
8
result-in harm to the individual.
20 L
So I think this is one . charge 77 and the staff did not
21
9 make such a charge / I might add, when they presented the picture
22
1
but I think any inference that we were trying to result in
23
2
violence is wrong .
8 24
Senator Hart of Michigan_ Let-me explain for the recora
25
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Smn 23 1765
1
why I reached the conclusion I did_
8
{ 2 Mr - Adams _ The wording of that memorandum
1
3 Senator Hart of Michigan _ And why I continue to hola to
4 that conclusion_
5 On January 30th , 1969 , the Bureau headquarters in Washingtop
approved sending an anonymous letter to the leader of the
Blackstone Rangers , Jeff Forky , which indicated that the Black
8 Panthers had put a contract out on his life as a result of
conflicts between the two organizations_
0.
Now you . say that was
10 to warn him_
11 I ask, wasn 't the principal purpose of the letter to
{
12 encourage the Rangers to shoot some or all of the leadership
0
1
13 of the Panthers? Otherwise , what does this quote mean , ana I
14 will read it, It is from a memorandum from the Chicago office
15 of the Bureau asking approval to undertake this . Here is the
16 way it reads : "It is believed that the above" this anonymous
17 tip that a contract is.out on you , "It is .believed that the
18
above may.intensify the degree .Of animosity between the two
1
19 groups .and occasion. Forky to. take retaliatory actions which
i
20 could disrupt-the_BPP , the Black Panthers , or lead to
|
21
reprisals against its leadership. Consideration has been
4 22
given to 2 similar letter to the. Panthers alleging a Ranger
1
23 against Panther leadership _ However , it is not felt that
2
24
this will be productive, principally because the Panthers at 8
25 present is not believed as violence prone as the Rangers
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 42
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smn 24
1766
to whom violent .type activity, shooting and the like, is second
8
2 nature _ M1 1
1
3 Now how , can you reach -any conclusion other than a purpose
4 was to generate the kind of friction that would induce the
5 killing
6 Mr Adams _ Well , if that purpose was for that rather than
generating factionalism, disagreements , disrupting it, it woula
8 be contrary to the communication I referred to in the other
9 file, the Black Panthers versus Ellis, where we
notified the
10 police of the contract, we notified the individuals of the
ll contract and took every action at our comana to prevent
1
12 direct violence , and also the fact that the files showed 'that
6
}
3 13 we turned down these situations where violence was involved _
14
15
16
17
18
1
19
9
20 L
21
4 22
1
23
2
8 24
25
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KELLYGSH
11/19475
Tape 1767 #
Senator Hart of Michigan_ Well, We have differing:
8
{ 2
views with respect to motives and the purpose of the Panther
1
3 situation in Chicago." I `still do not understard why the
4 Panthers and this US group in California We sought to be set
5
as they Were
but finally, and again , I don 't know whether it
is in the record_ open or not , for what purpose other than to
7 occasion violence moved the Bureau to approve of forged
8 signatures of Communist Party persornel to letters addressed
9 to Mafia-owned businesses attacking the . employment ' practices
10 of the Mafia-owned business?
Ll Why woula a Bureau, woula the Bureau think there was
{
12
any value to be served in concocting 2 forged letter?
8
0
13 Let uS assume Phil Hart is 2 local communist in this
14 city. The Bureau forges Phil Hart's name to a racket-owned
15 business , notorious for using muscle, protesting that fellow' s
16 business practices _
17 Now certainly it was rot intended to improve the
18 employment practices _
{
19 Mr Adams I think if the full communication Were
i
20 available , it did show 2 purpose unrelated to violence _ I 6
21 don t' recall the exact wording now , but I think it Was to
9
22 create 8 lack of support or something like that.
1
23 This was part of that Hoodwink program, I believe, that
2
8 24 was One of four actions that Were involved ir Hoodwink, and
25 I think there have been sone public descriptions of that
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 44
why
Page
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1768
S
1
2
1
program that indicate that it was not the greatest thing
L 2 coming dowvn the pike _
1
3
Senator Hart of' Michigan _ Well, that is the sort Of
4 thing I found that persuaded me to say very openly that I do
5 not the idea that the American people ultimately
are
6 responsible for that kind Of nonsense because I am Certain
that virtually every family in the coun woula have screamed
in protest no much how much they disliked Dr _ King or tha
9 Panthers or the Comnunists _
10
Mr Adams _ Sir ~
11 Senator Hart of Michigan _ If they had known that tax
1
12
money and Federal personnel were busy, busy, busy around
8
1
13 the country, notwithstanding bank robberies that Were goirg
14 On at the same time pounding out that kind of correspondence
15 and inciting that kind of conflict and curbing speech _
16 Thank you , Mr : Chairman _
17 The Chairman Thank You very much , Senator Hart.
18 Senator Mondale is next
2
19 Senator Mondale Mr _ Adans I realize that you Were
9
20 not a part of this particular event, but being
an old , |
21 experienced FBI hand , I wonder if you could help uS understand
4
22 the psychology that led to this kind of Memorandui _
1
23 Mr Adans I feel it coming, but go ahead _
2
8 24 Senator Mondale : This is a memorandum to the Director
25 It has been referred to before, which calls for removing
NWN 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 45
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try
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1769 }
1 King fron his pedestal and replacing hin by someone else,
1 2 dated January 8th , 1964, which Memo was written a week
1
3 following the tine that King was named man of the Year by
4 Time magazine
5 This memo , as you know , received the following comment
from Mr Hoover "I_ am glad to See that light, though it
has been delayed, has come to. the Domestic Intelligence
8 Division_ Ti and S0 on.
9 I would just quote part Of the language and maybe you
10 can help us understand the psychology that led to it.
11 The first part -Of the memo says : "We have' got to remove
1
12 King froia his pedestal_ M Then it says , "the negroes will b 2
8
0
13 left without a national leader Of sufficiently compelling
14 personality to steer it in a proper direction. This is
15 what could happen but need not happen if the right kind of
16 national negro leader coula at this time be gradually developed
17
So as to overthrow Dr King and be in the position to assue
18 the role of leadership of the negro people when King has
1
19 been completely discredited _
i
20 "For SOme months I have been thinking about this: matter |
21 One I had an opportunity to explore this from a philosophical
i 22 and sociological standpoint with X" E the riame of the
1
23 leader Att "whoma I have known for some Years _ As I previously
2
8 24 reported _ he is a Very able fellow ard One On whon I can
25 rely. I asked him to give the matter some attention , and if
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 46.
day
Page
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1770
g
4
4 he knew any negro of outstanding intelligence
or
ability, let
1 2
me know and We
would have 3 discussion
1
3 "He" has subiitted to Me the name of the above-named
4 person Enclosed with this memorandum is an outline of
5 x's biography , which is truly remarkable _ In scanning, this
6 biography , it.will be seen that X does have all of the
qualifications of the kind Of a negro I have in mind to
8 advance to positions of national leadership_ M
9 And skipping: want to make it clear at once that
10 I don t propose that the FBI in any way 'become involved
11 openly as the sponsor of a negro leader to overshadow Martin
1
12 Luther King. If this thing can be set up properly without
6
1
13 the Bureau in any Way becoming directly involved, I-think
14 it woula be not only 2 great help to the FBI but would be
15
a fine thing for the country at large.
16 "While.I m not specifying: &t this moment , there are
17 various ways in which the FBI could give this entire iatter
18 the proper direction and development _ There are highly placed
I
19 contacts at the FBI who it might be very helpful to further
i
20 such a step. This can be discussed at a later date when |
21 I have probed more fully into the possibilities and this
9
22 recommendation is that approval be given for Me to explore
1
23 the whole matter as Set forth above , W and to that Mr foover
2
8 24 says , "I m glad to See the light has finally
come I have
25 struggled for months to over the fact that the communists
NW 88614 Docld: 32989543 Page 47
7I
get'
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1771
1
5 were
taking
Over the racial movemerts but our experts here
! 2
couldn t or Wouldn t see it."
1
3
Now I think you testified earlier that you do not accept
4 this as_proper FBI activity, but can you help us understand
5
how a* ~one point in American history someone thought it Was
6
proper
1
apparently including the Director?
7 Mr _ Adams I would have to say for one thing that this
8 gets into the real motive 0f the discrediting Of Martin Luther
King, which I dor't fzel can be fully explored _ I think that
10 the people most directly involved in that are not available
11 because I don 't know from mY experience what they had in
1
12 mird in this regard
6
0
13 I have no doubt from this memorandum and other memorandum
14 that the two individuals involved felt very strongly that
15 Martin Iuther King was a threat to the success of the negro
16 movement and that steps shoula be taken to get him out Of
17 that La Mn what the reason for it was or the motivation , I am
18 just not in a position to say .
I
19 I- do say it is improper to inject yourself into that
i
20 type of activity,: but I don 't knOw what the real motive was _ L
21 Senator Mondale_ NOw Dr King Was. investigated , as I
4
22 think you earlier testified, because of fears of communist
1
23 influence upon him?
2
8 24 Mr Adams Yes:
25 Senator Mondele Is that 2 proper basis for investigating
NWN 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 48
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1772
s
1
6 Dr - King or aiyone else?
1 2
Mr Adams . It is where you have information indicating
0
3 that the Communist Party is and has made efforts to try
4 to influence an individual _
5 I woula say that that would normally b= considered
6 wizhin the current criteria _
7 Senator Mondale - You would consider that to be 2
8
valid purpose for investigating today?
9 Mr Adams Excuse what?
10 Senator Mondale . You would consider that to be a
11 valid basis for investigating today?
{
12 Mr Adans The movement itself, but not the individual
8
1
13 Senator Mondale How do you;investigate a movement
14 without investigating individuals?
15 Mr Adams You: do get into a gray area The main thing
16 would be if we had an
organization today that we saw the
17 Communist Party gravitating to, trying to work in.positions
18 Of leadership
1. We; would be interested_in opening an investigatipr
2
19 on Communist infiltration of that organization to See if
i
20 it was affecting it. |
21 Senator Mondale _ All right, now let's go back
3 22 specifically.
1
23 I gather there never was any question raised about
2
8 24 whether Dr King waS a Communist _ That was never charged .
25 Mr Adams Not a3 a Communist Party member, no , sir.
NW 88614 Docld: 32989543 Page 49
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1773
1
1
S Senator Mondale_ That's right_ Or that he was about to 13
{
2
or had committed acts of violence?
1
3.
Mr Adams No_
4
Senator Mondale_ But the reason for investigating him
5
apparently was that he was subject to Communisz influence _
6
Now what makes that a justified reason for investigating
him? Is it a crime to be approached by someone Who is a
8 Communist?
9
Mr . Adams No _
10
Senator Mondale_ What is the legal basis for that
11 investigation?
1
12
Mr Adams _ The basis would be the Communist influence
8
1
13
on him :ard the effect it would have on the organization. It
14 would be in connection with our basic investigation of the
15 Communist Barty.
16 Senator Mondala Well, as I understand: the law to
17 read , it is not a crime to be a member of a Communist Party .
18 Mr Adams _ That is correct.
1
19 Senator 'Mondale How can it be a crime to know someone
8
20 who is a member of the Communist Party? |
21 Mr _ Adams It is not
0
5 22 Senator Mondale How do you- investigate something
as
1
23
tenuous as that? What is the basis for it legally?
2
8 24 Mr Adams Well, it falls into the area of, one, the
25 intelligence jurisdiction of the activities of the Communist
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 50 Page
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1774 1
h Party to have a situation Where an individual in an organizatior
1
8
{ 2
a leader of an organization , efforts are being made to
0
3
influence him and to achieve control over the organization,
4 and it is part of the overall investigation of the
5 trying to exert this influence as to are they successful_
2
6
are they taking over the black movement or the civil rights
movement.
8
It is just like we tried to make clear in investigations
9 that were more prevalent Years ago but still occur on the
10 Comunist influence in labor unions We tried to tell every-
11 body we interview We are not interested in labor matters _ Wz
1
12 are not trying to inguire into that . We are interested in
0
1
13 the effect Of the Communist Party on this union
14 Senatpr Mondale _ Mr _ Adans I am trying to get at the
15 legal basis in this particular
case in investigating Dr
16 King
on the grounds that he might be subject to Communist
17 influence
18 Can_ you cite any legal basis for that or is it based
1
19 entirely upon a
generalized authority thought to exist in
9
20 the FBI to investigate "internal security matters"? L
21 Mr _ Adans It would fzll also in the Presidential
4 22 directives of investigating subversive activities _
1
23 Senator Mondale- And then the question would return
2
8 24 to what authority the President had _
25 Mr _ Adans _ That S right _
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 51
Party
Page
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177
gs_
1
9 Senator Mondale Now Dr was investigated among
2 1 other things for matters of, I think you call it delicacy _
1
3 Would that be a basis for investigating an American
4 citizen by the FBI?
5
Mr _ Adans No.
6 Senator Mondale . Would you say then that shose
7 investigations Were improper?
8
Mr Adans I don 't believe that there is an allegation
9 that we investigated him for that. I think there Were
10 certain by-products of information that developed and I think
11 at a point you had a situation where the tail was wagging
1
12 the perhaps , but I don '€ see any basis for such investi-
8
1
13 gation_ And I find it very difficult to get into a discussion
14 of this' in view of the prohibitions that I think
15 Senator Mondale You answered my ,question That for
16 itself would not be a basis for investigation
17 Mr_ Adams _ sir
18_ Senator Mondale Would you agree with me , Mr Adams ,
2
19 that this Whole- vague , generalized area of the assignment
i
20 that the FBI has been tasked, which they thought they possessed L
21 pr could use to investigate Americans
1
not where there were
9
22 allegations of crine or suspicion. that crimes were about to
11
23 be committed , or that violence was about to be committed ,
2
8 24 but rather this whole . generalized area , to investigate
25 Americans in terms Of ideas that they have or might be persuade
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 52
King
dog ,
NO ,
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1776
1
S 10 to have that might hold potential for danger to this country 13
1 2
is ar
exceedingly
vague _
1
difficult, if not impossible to
1
3 define area and an area ' which has got the FBI into an awful
4 lot of trouble, including today' 8 hearings _
5
Mr Adams _ Yes , sir.
6 Senator Mondale And because of that there is a very
important need to sit down and redefine it,. have the guidelines
8 known specificelly all sq that the FBI can knon precisely
9 what it can do and wha t it cannot do _
10
Mr Adams _ I think this is thel country is fortunate
11 in this particular time to have an Attorney General who is
1
12
a legal scholar ana a lawyer of unquestioned repute who
0
0
13 has indicated a
willingness to address these problems , whick
14 as the staff has; determined , was not always tha case over
15 the years. But we have an Attorney Gereral, we have a
16 Director, ho has offered his complete cooperation , just as
17 he has to the Committee in this inquiry, that we are not
18 trying to avoid embarrassment . The only thing we .are trying
1
19 to hold back are identities of informants and sensitive,
i
20 ongoing operationg that We have
1 3 concern on the part of L
21 Congress that not only recognizes there have been abuses ,
3 22 but recognizes that there still always has to be some degree
1
23 of flexibility.
2
8 24 We are going to have situations where you have 8
25 Weatherman Working for the water works , in college ha was
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 53
by
why
ana
==================================================
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==================================================
1777
9
L
11
1
a
scientific student, ard he makes a coment to a fellow
1 2 employee that there i9 going to be some spectacular event
3 that is' going to bring the. attention of the worla on this
4 city.
5 Senator Mondale- Wouldn t you have probable cause then
Ena Tape
6
to investigate the commission of a erime?
2
8
9
10
11
1
12
6
1
13
14
15
16"
17
18
2
19
9
20
|
21
3 22
1
23
2
8 24
25
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 54
L
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AKELLY_ smnl
5
1778
7
Mr Adams _ We might have to investigate, but to disrupt,
8
! 2 we have the authority. to tell the supervisor of the waterworks_
1
1
3 you had better get him out of: there before the city water is
4
poisoned and 100,000 people die, and I think the Committee is
5 going to find the same problems we do in coping with that
situation and even the Attorney General in his speech in Ottawal
pointed out that there is still possibly a necessity for some
8 flexibility to take appropriate action under extreme conditions
9 But it should be controlled_ It is like Mr Kelley says , go
10 to the Attorney General
1
explore the legal issues, the
11 problem up there_ It shoula not be handled internally in the
{
12 FBI _
6
1
13 Senator Mondale _ But do you also agree that the Congress
14
ought to redefine the rules legislatively?
15 Mr Adams _ Yes_
1
because the problem I have with it is
16 we talk about oversight, and Mr Kelley and the Attorney General
17 and I believe this Committee_ agree_ that we shoula have joint
18 oversight which would avoid the_proliferation 0f hearings
2
19 and the sensitive knowledge among ~many people which always
i
20- poses that inadvertent leak Of .information. But .yet even with
L
21 oversight , under the plan :you discussed .yesterday, or some of
5 22 the .observations that were discused yesterday; having people,
1
23 conservative;- liberal, black , and the other qualifications you
2
24 in, can a Committee speak for the will Of Congress? At 8
25 one time we had Congressmen making speeches all over the
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 55
lay
put
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smn 2
1779 L
country, if we don t stop these bombings , if somebody doesn't
8
2
do something about it this country is in trouble. Is that the {
1
3 will of Congress?
4 Until it is embodied in legislation where the whole will
5 Of Congress is expressed , we are going to have problems _
6 Senator Mondale. I am glad to hear that , because there is
a way Congress speaks _ It is not through the buddy system
or
8 a person . It speaks through the law.
9 Mr _ Adams _ That's right.
10 Senator Mondale _ And now we have for the first time this
11 whole issue, it-ig not denied by the FBI The elements are
1
12 known _ What I hear you saying is you would like the Congress
0
1
13 now to define and redefine specifically and carefully what it
14 is we expect the FBI to ana what it is we wish the FBI and
15
will prohibit the FBI from doing.
16 Mr - Adams _ Right. What is our role in society?
17 After Worla War II, if you' 1l .remember , a Congressional
18 Committee met .and raised -all sorts 6f storm. over the fact that
1
19 there was not enough .in_ the way of intelligence. investigations _
i
20 Never again .shoula -it happen in the United States that we be
|
21
caught with ouur pants down .
#
4 22 After the Kennedy assassination , if you recall, the FBI
1
23 was properly criticized for having too restrictive dissemination
2
24
policies in connection with Secret Service because they depena
8
25 upon uS for the intelligence necessary to provide protection
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 56
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1780
Smn 3
7
1
for the President against extremist groups . We did. that but
8
2
just before the recent incidents in California there was going 1
1
3 to be Committee concern, not this Committee, over has there. _
4 been too much dissemination.
5 So the FBI is in the position Of at different times in our
history being damned for doing too much and damned for doing
7 too little_ And it is because of reacting to what we to
judge is what they want us to do, and this is what we are not
in a position to do _ We neea the will Of Congress expressea in
10 some definitive measure , yet providing the latitude, because as
11 you have seen from these problems_ there are many that there is
{
12 no black and white answer to. There have to be occasions
6
13
where when you are confronted with an extreme emergency , someone 1
can act, and I don t think you or anyone else wants to tie the
14
hands of law enforcement when today we have over 10- million
15
serious crimes in.the United States_ Wei have .1_million crizes
16
a year involving violence , and there has to ,be a capability to
17
react. But we need to know in better terms what is our role
18
8
19
in this
0
especially .in domestic intelligence-
8
Senator Mondale _ Thank you , Mr - Chairman _
20 L
21
Senator Tower (presiding) Senator Schweiker.
9
22
Senator Schweiker_ Thank you , Mr . Chairman.
1
Mr . Adans
1
in 1966 a letter written the Bureau to
23
2
Marvin Watson, Special Assistant to the President at the White
8 24
House , and the gist of this letter was , in reference to his
25
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smn 4
1781 1
request , and I want to make it clear it was his request, not
8
2 the Bureau authors Of-books that were critical of the Warren 1
1
3 Commission Report, the assassination Of President Kennedy , were
4
requested to file any pertinent personal data information,
dossiers , etc., on seven individuals whose names I will not
discuss _
7 Do you have any knowledge
as to the White House requestea
8 this kind 0f material on the Warren Commission critics?
9 Mr. Adams _ I t recall I am familiar with the materidl_
10 I did review it some time ago when we were testifying before
11 the House Committee in February , but I don 't recall that I saw
{
12 in there any specific motivation on the part of the White House
8
1
13
group requesting this information_
14 Senator Schweiker. Now , in the same letter it also says
15 a copy of this communication has not been sent to the Acting
16 Attorney General
17 Mr _ Adams _ Yes _
18
Senator: Schweiker_ Number one , is that a normal procedure
1
19
when you get requests of this kina that the Acting Attorney
i
20 General is bypassed _ and was the Attorney General bypassed
L
21
in this instance?
3 22 Mr
6"
Adans _ This is not a normal procedure It is not
1
23
the procedure followed today. There was a period of time where_
1
2
24 at the President s directions
1
Mr Hoover ' reported more
8
25
directly to him in certain areas , ana ic was: apparently a
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 58
's /
why
don
why
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1782 1
1 feeling that he did not want the Aetorney General to know certain
8
1 2_ things _
1
3 Senator Schweiker. One of the dossiers specifically in-
4 cluded photographs of sexual activities
5 Mr . Adams _ Yes , sir.
6 Senator Schweiker_ And my question is, how is that relevan
7 to- being a critic 0f the Warren Commission?
8 What standard do we use when we just pass photographs of
9 sexual activities to the White House? Is this a normal again]
10 is this a normal proceeding when a
dossier is requested? Is thi
11 included, or did they specifically request photographs of this
1
12 kind, or what light can you shed on this?
0
1
13 Mr_ Adams _ I can't shed much. I know they requested
14 information on him. I think there was other material concerning
15 that individual of a security nature that was included. Why
16 the information in that respect was submitted I am unable to
17 answer.
18 I do know at the time there was a lot.of concern
following
19 the Warren Commission Report, had all the answers been explored
i
20 was the Soviet Union involved , was Cuba involved , Jand who were 6
21 the critics who now are attacking this _ But I have seen
4
22 nothing which would explain the rationale for requesting the
1
23 material
2
24 Senator Schweiker: I think what concerns us on the Committee
8
25 is that whenever you to the nitty gritty Of investigations
1
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 59
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1783 L
and it doesn t have to relate to the Warren Commission , I will
8
2 leave that alone, or to some activity
we are involved in, we 1
1
3 "get back to something like that, where a photograph or a tape
4
recording or some letier referring to some kind of human weaknes
5 or
failing that is really very irrelevant to the investigation
is sandwiched in here , ana it just seems to me that it was a
tactic
La O
this just happens to be the Warren Commission I
singled out G La but it was a tactic that was used rather
9
frequently as a lever or for some reason which I am trying to
10
find out as an instrument of investigative policy.
11
Would you differ with that or dispute that, or again ,
{
12 what rationale? Do We use sexual activities as a standara
8
0
13
criterion for investigations?
14 Mr _ Adams . We do not use sexual activities as a criterion,
15
but during the course of our investigation
Re Fna we did have an
16
investigation on that individual at one time and during
17
the course_ of the investigation, in checking the records Of a
18
local police department or: a district attorney 1 s office, they
I
19
had conducted an investigation for a. criminal act involving thede
i
photograbhs
8
and. they made that available to uS. 20
|
21 So it went into our files.
5 22 Now the request of the President , he is the Chief
1
23
Executive of the Unitea States _ He in effect has custody of
0
everything . There are problems involved: when the man who is
8 24
25
in charge of everything requests information - I woula like
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7
1784
r
to add , however, that following the cleansing effect of Watergat-
8
1 2 that I don t know of any such requests coming over to the FBI
1
5 anymore
4 There is a direct line between the Attorney General and
the Director, and the Director certainly recognizes that in a
6 case of extreme disagreement he woula have the alternative to
tell the Attorney General, I need to go directly to the President ,
8 or feel I should, but we do not have this line of communication
9' at the present time _
+0 Senator Schweiker. Well, it-seems to me if they had just
11 listed the other.investigation and listed what was alleged
1
12 in the other investigation , that certainly woula have sufficed
8
0
13 for whatever purpose it woula have But it seemsito me when
14 you in fact enclose living photographs_
1
you are really getting
15 very much to my way of thinking, towards attempting to
16 discredit their critics. What other purpose: woula a photograph
17 have of this nature. other than to discredit critics because
18
they will not quarrel with listing whatever
was charged in
3
19 another state. That may well have been included _ I cannot
i
20 argue that_
|
21 Mr- Adams _ I can'+ answer that.
5
22 Senator Schweiker One area that I think this gets to
1
23 which we really touched on in the assassination probe quite a
2
24 bit, Mr . Adams
1
is where the Bureau stops when get sone 8
25 0f these requests , in other words_
1
what kind of criteria, if
NWN 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 61
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1785 1
1 any . You touched on it a moment ago . The President askea for
8
1 2 something. I don't know in this case whether the President
L
3 asked to see photographs of this nature or didn t ask, but the
4 point is, nobody said no and he got them _
5 So the question is, where do you see the Bureau S responsi-|
6 bility here, and what can this Committee do to ensure that
7 there is some kina of a test that we either put in the law
8 or that the FBI invokes , or that we invoke on the White House
9 in using police
power in this way?
10 Mr = Adans _ I don 't think Congress can ever fill the
11 responsibility of_trying--o-draw up guidelines , even in conjunc-~
{
12 tion with the Executive Branch, to guarantee that all abuses
8
1
13 won t take place _ The organization_is nade up of huan beings_
14 and these things occur.
15 Certain corrective actions are self-initiated_
1
such as
16 this. The President , for instance you.know we had an incident
17 a few years ago about investigating_ a newsman , where we were
18 requested, and if I recall from our. information, we thought he
I
19 was
being considered for an appointed position which would have
i
20 been a logical basis_ As facts turned out, that was not the
L
21 purpose that tne information was requested.
9
22 To stem or stop abuses like that , the President , the
1
23 current Administration has issued instructions that any requests
2
24 for investigations under the 'special inquiry or White House 8
25 investigation such as for appointment must clear through the
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 62
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smn 9 1786
7
1 office of his counsel , in other words not let the lower line
8
2 people _ come over and say we need this information or we need 1
1
3 this request. come through the office of Phil Buchen
through an employee that is assigned to that office with
5 responsibility.
6 Now
1 we do still make certain name check:requests for the
White_ House, and those:, too , have to clear through his office.
So we do have that. Then we have the responsibility, if we
get something which on its face appears
political- or improper ,
10 then our responsibility under that woula be to go to the
11 Attorney General and ask -him- to intercede by finding out is
1
12
this a proper request on the Bureau _ Ana I can assure you that
6
1
13 as Mr . Kelley has testified and has made it perfectly clear
14 that he has not had any such improper requests ana he woula
15
go right to the Attorney General if it was necessary. Otherwise
16 he would reject the request.
17
Senator Schweiker. What steps are we
taking, under your
18
jurisdiction comes whatever internal investigation unit the
1
19 FBI has _ I.just wondered very briefly, because I know my
8
20
time is very limited, we have_ a vote on, what steps are you
|
21
taking to make sure that we catch some of these things in the
5 22
present that maybe we either overlooked or did not catch or
1
23
somehow got sidetracked in the past?
2
Mr Adams . We have been working with the Attorney General
8 24
and his staff_ It startea even when Attorney General Saxbe
25
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 63
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10 1787 F
1 was there , to look at all of our procedures , all of our 8
1 2 investigative operations: are they proper , do fit
3 criteria, do we have a legal basis for them , ana we have guide-
4 lines , committees which have been established in the Department
5 that meet every on questions of what is even an overwhelming
6. problem Of collection ana maintenance of information. What
do we get, why do we get it, what should we do with it.
8 I feel there is a very active program going on in that
9 regara , and I feel' certain that it will continue to make sure
10 that we are aware of everything and take appropriate action_
11 Senator Schweiker. I wonder if.you might share some of
1
12 these with the staff SO that we can have an advantage of taking
8
1
13 a look at those, too . I am
glad to see this being made .
14 Mr . Adams _ I woula have to secure the approval of the
15 Attorney General on the guidelines . He did tell the House
16 Committee which originally raised the question on maintenance O
17 information , that once we get something and they are nearing
18 completion in the Department , that he does intend to take it
1
19 up with Congress . So I am sure there woula be no problem at
i
20 that point in bringing it to this Committee .as well_ L
21 Senator Schweiker. Because it seems to me this is where
3 22 the problems in the past have arisen, in not having clearly
1
23 defined or maybe if You measure it In G you can measure it in
2
8 24 terms of today" s standards versus standards of before, but I
25 think this is the crux of it.
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 64
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day
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1788
L
1 Mr Adams _ That is true
8
1 2 Senator Schweiker. That' s all I have , Mx Chairman _
1 3 Senator Tower. Mr _ Adams , what use does the Bureau presently
make of its intelligence informants , and have they ever been
5 used as provocateurs or as magnets for action?
6 Mr - Adams _ No , sir.
Well , you asked two questions _ 8
Senator Tower Yes _
9 Mr Adams _ Let me take :the last one first, provocateurs_
10 Our policy has not M or our policy has been to discourage any
11 activities; which in any way-might involve an informant doing
1
12 something that an agent cannot do , which woula be in the area
6
1
13 of being a provocateur_ which basically is entrapment. And
14 we have had some allegations of entrapment come up We feel
15 we have satisfactorily answered then _ This is a very technical
16 legal field which boils down , Of course, to the fact that 1f a
17 person is willing to do something, and the government merely
18 provides the opportunity, that is not legally entrapment. So
I
19 if a person comes to uus and says I have been askea to participatk
i
20 in a breakin of a Federal building, I woula like to yoU ,
L
21 then the law basically would indicate we have the authority
5 22 to continue to let him operate_
1
23
The question comes up if he assumes the whole direction
2
24 and causes people to do something which would not otherwisel
8
25 have done That is the entrapment issue. So we are very alert
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 65
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they
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1789
1
to this. We have instructions clear guidelines ; instructions 8
1 2
to .our field offices that are not to use an informant for
3 anything that an agent cannot legally do _ I don't say there
4 haven t been some mistakes in that regard , but I don t know of
5
any at the present time _
6 Senator Tower _ Senator Huddleston?
7
Senator Huddleston. Thank yoU , Mr _ Chairman_
8
First I think to keep this activity in proper perspective
9 it might be well to remember that even though a great deal 0f
10 the testimony and the. questioning has been relating to the
11 question Of Dr . King, that this is" by no means an isolated
{
12 situation. Dr _ King' s case is indeed a classic example utilizidg
8
1
13 all of the various techniques 0f the Bureau:' in both intelligence-
14 gathering an action against an individual in order to dis-
15 credit him or embarrass him, or indeed destroy him_
16 But the recora is replete, ana indeed _
0
here is an entire
17 sheaf 0f similar targets who are certainly not as well known _
18 Some of them are high school students , some of them are
3
19 high school teachers , college students , college teachers
i
20 broadcasters ana journalists, people whose names woula be almos L
21 totally_ unfamiliar_ to. the. vast majority_ of. Americans , So the.
4
22 activity was not confined to those that are
immediately
1
23 recognizable who were indeed public-figures _
2
8 24 I want to just proceed along the question of informants
25 that Senator Tower just raised for just a moment or two.
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 66
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1790 L
1 You say that your informants are not expected to do anything
8
2 that an agent himself could not but in the gathering Of the !
1
3 information for which you are securing him in the first place,
4 do you have any safeguard at all, or any rule as to how he
5 proceeds in order to gather the information you are
looking
6 for?
7 Mr . Adams _ that he proceed through legal means _
8
Senator Huddleston _ Is that specifically stated to him
9
when he is employed?
10 Mr . Adams _ Yes , sir.
11
Senator Huadleston_ Are: most informers paid on the
{
12
basis of a reguiar fee or regular salary, or are they paid
0
0
13 on the basis of the information gather?
14
Mr . Adams _ Even those who are paid on what you could say
15 a salary, that salary is determined on a COD basis as to the
value 0f the information furnished_ In other words , in the 16
criminal case , for instance, you coula have a person come in and
17
give you the identity of three individuals who just robbed 2 18
8
19
bank - You might pay him a lump sum amount , and never go back
i
to him.
20 6
21
In the security field wnere informants do finally manage
3 22 to work into a
revolutionary type organization , their
1
continued activities in our behalf do set .up more Of a program
23
2
for payment _
8 24
Senator Huadleston. Do you check on occasion on the basis
25
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 67
do ,
Only
they
Page
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1791 1
of information that may be supplied to you if it happens to be
8
2 Of a sensational nature or of a surprising nature , do you ever !
1
3 question the informer on how he obtained it?
4 Mr - Adams _ I am sure this takes place_ In any handling
5 0f an informant over a sustained period of time you do have a
rapport which they don t just come in and say Joe Blow said
this , Joe Blow did that_ There is a conversation that goes
8
through which I feel certain would , if something looked like,
if it looked like he had something that came from some improper
ena 5 10 source, I think the agent would say where did you get this_
11
1
12
0
0
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
1
20 L
21
9
22
1
23
2
8 24
25
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KELLYGSH
11/1975
1792
Tape 6 1
Senator Huddleston If You found it had been taken
8
1 2 improperly or if some improper action had been taken , would
1
3 it be. put in the files?
4 Mr Adams If he Violated the law we would have an
5 open investigation if it Were within our jurisdication
6
Senator Huddleston . NOw the Bureau disseminates this
information On individuals that is collected in various
8 ways ini the various other agencies _
9 How many other agencies can request, for instance , an
10 individual check that would result in your supplying to him
11 information from these personal` intelligence files?
{
12 Mr Adams Every agent in the Federal Goverrment under
6
0
13 Ehe employee security program there is an obligation on the
14 part of every government agency to check with the FBI doing
15 name check Search Qf our files to See if there is any subversiv
16 derrogatory information Which might militate against appointing
17 that individual to a
Federal position_
18 Senator Huddleston Do You take ary precautions as to
2
19 how they will use that information Once it-is supplied to'
i
20 them by your agents? 6
21 Mr Adams All we do is indicate to them on the
5 22 report that it is the property of the FBI and is not to be
1
23 disgeminated outside their agercy .
2
8 24 Senator Huddleston You have no way of knowing whether
25 or not indeed it is?
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1793
g
4
2
1
Mr Adans _ No , sir, we do not _
1 2
Senator Huddleston What internal precautions do you
1
5 have against the Bureau itself misusing information that it
4 gains from other @gencies?
5
Mr _ Adans_ Strong prohibitions _ One , We don t allow
6
access to files except on 2 need-to-know basis employee
of the FBI knows that if he improperly divulges information
8
or leaks information out of the. files , he will be subject
9
to administrative action
10
We had a case where an agent obtained an identification
11 record and made it out improperly, and I think that agent
1
12 was separated from the roles _ But we had asked for, and of
6
1
13 course we share in CIA s request to this extent, is that there
14 be a criminal penalty attached to misuse of information and
15 leaking it or
making it available outside of an agency _
16 This is another issue before Congress
17
18
I
19
9
20 IRS [JFK Law 11 (a)] 6
21
5 22
1
23
2
8 24 Did this in fact happen to your knowledge?
25 Mr Adams I am not familiar with that case I can
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 70
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Page
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1794
1
3 easily say it would not ba proper 1
! 2
Senator Hyddleston _ But you don t know whether: it
1
3 happened or whether the act was carried out?
4 .
Mr Adams I do not know
5
Senator Huddleston . Mr Adams
1
getiing On to another
subject, One of the techniques used very frequently by' the
Bureau in its attempt to discredit individuals was to
8 utilize the press _ It was customary to send anonymous letters
9 on many occasions to editors, broadcasters , commentators and
10 columnists around the: country containing information or
11 suggesting information about an individual that the Bureau
{
12 wanted to discredit in sOme way .
8
0
13 There was also some evidence that the Bureau
ytilized
14 within the press itself on a regular contact basis certain
15 columnists or broadcasters for the purpose of disseminating
16 information that the FBI wanted to get out about individuals _
17 How extensive was this custom utilized?
18 Mx Adans _ I don t believe it was very extensive
2
19 In fact, I think there were probably very few incidents where
9
20 untrue information was put out. L
21 That is my recollection.
9
22 On
disgeminating public
source information there were
1
23 a number of instances 0f that which is still proper to date
2
8 24 under guidelines_ I just don 't know of many instances where
25 untrue information was used, and I do not know of too many
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 71
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L
1795
1
8 4 instances overall where that was done_
1 2
Senator Huddleston Do. you know of any instances or
1
3
how many actual journalists or practitioners or regular
4
disseminators of FBI information?
5
Mr _ Adams I don 't. know of any today that are in that
6
regard_ I know there have been situations where, and people
7 still do . They come to uS and say , We woula like to do an
8
article On organized crime Can you be '0f assistance?
9
And if We can be of assistance within the guidelines
10 established by the Attorney General , We do assist. We have
11
a pull and a tug over privacy acts and freedom of information
1
12
8
and also the need to know
1
but we try to satisfy.
0
13
Senator Huddleston: Do you know of any at the present
14
time or in the past who have been paid by the FBI for their
15
services?
16
Mr Adams . Not personally. I don 't knOw 0f ary .
17 Senator Huddleston Not personally. Do you krow of
18 any evidence that indicates that?
I
19
Mx _ Adams That' s what I mean
8.
I don 't have ary
i
20 evidence that indicates that . 6
21 Senator Huddleston _ I think it would be helpful to our
5 22 inquiry if we could review or you would review the files and
1
23 make a determination as to whether or not that might be the
8 24 case , that the FBI has paid journalists wo
are amenable to
25 disseminating information supplied by the FBI
NW 88614 Docld: 32989543 Page 72
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1796 1
1
94 5 Mr . Adams I am told we have- I don 't knom what files
! 2"
We kave reviewed , but W2 have reviewed them and we haven 't
1
5
found any
4
Senator Huddleston You haven 't found any .
5
What is the mass media program of the FBI?
6
Mr . Adams To try to get the truth out, to get 2 proper
7
1 picture of the FBI s jurisdiction, its activities.
8
Senator Huddleston Is it also to suppress other
publications or other commentators or journalists who might
10
be disseminating other views?
11
Mr _ Adams No _
1
12
8
Senator Huddleston _ Did the FBI not take some action
1
13 against a number of newspapers , most of them student newspapers
14 that they felt should be suppressed?
15
Mr _ Adams We may have in the past . I don 't recall
16
any
specific
case_
17
You are
talking about some of the Weatherman support
18
pepers or Black Panther paper I don 't know of any in that
1
19 regard, but I'm not saying tkat such action was rot taken_
i
20 Senator Huddleston _ Are you familiar with the special L
21 correspondence list?
4 22
Mr Adams _ Yes_
1
23 Senator Huddleston . What is tkis list?
2
8 24
Mr . Adans My recollection is that the special
25 correspondence list was a list of individuals that had requested
NW 88614 Docld: 32989543 Page 73
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1797 1
from time to time various Bureau publications and were kept
1 2
On a
continuing list and mailed such communications to them
1 3
Senator Huddleston_ It was a list that was considered
4
to be friendly towards the FBI view?
5
Adans Yes _ I woula say anyone on that list would
6 normally bz frierdly.
7
Serator Huddleston _ Do you have knowledge of a number
8 Of instances in which the Bureau carrying out its COINTEL
9 program utilized the existing press in order to attempt to
10 discredit some individual?
11
Mr _ Adams I don 't have an idea of the number , but I
1
12 don t think there were very
8
0
13 Senator Hudaleston Do you have a list of the. instances
14 in which the Bureau attempted to discredit other publications?
15 Mr _ Adams No , I don t know
16 Senator Huddleston Do you know that they did occur?
17 Mr - Adams _ I can ask_ I get a no as far as any
knowledge
18 in that regard.
1
19 Senator Huddleston As far as
knowledge .
i
20 Mr . Adams That means knowledge Of what we have come L
21
up with in Our current review, I woula assume
4
22 Senator Huddleston It seems to me that this is an
1
23
area in ;nich we are particularly troubled ana should be _ If
2
8 24 there is any right that is specifically called for in our
25 Constitution and has been upheld and reaffirmed in court decisio
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 74
gsh
Mr -
many .
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1798
1
8 7 after court decision , it is the right to publish in this
{ 2
country. The First Amendment speaks not only of freedom of
1
3.
speech , but also freedom of the press . And yet it seems that
4
We have a pattern here of the chief law enforcement agency
5
of the country attempting to suppress that very right_
6
Mr Adams I haven 't Seen Cad I think any effort to
7
manipulate the press of,this country, I just don 't see any
8
possibility in that regard and I don 't see the logic of
9
anyone even attempting such -
io
Senator Huddleston But it did happen _
11
Mr _ Adams It may have happered in ~ An 1
12
0
Senator Huddleston In a rather extensive field_
0
13
Mr Adams _ I disagree with that rather extensive field_
14
I just don 't know the extent that you are talking to here
15
Senator Huddleston Fe are talking about the cases where
16
Mr : Adams Are you lumping in cases where: We disseminate=
17 public source information? Are you lumping in a case where
18
we may have gone to a
1
19 Senator Huddleston _ I think disseminating public
source
i
20 information is somewhat different from furnishing
a TV 6
21 commentator with derrogatory information about a specific
5 22 individual who has been targeted as one that apparently the
1
23 Bureau thinks is dangerous or his ideas ought to be suppressed
2
8 24 Mr Adams _ Is that manipulating the press , though?
25
Here you have a situation where an individual i8 going around
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1799 1
1
gsk 8
the country advocating off-the-pig or kill-the-police or
2 1 something like tkat. And a newspaper man was furnished ; say
1
3
some backgrouna information on" him which woula have been in
4
the area of public source material which he could use in Jn
5
article_
6
Are We
really, if the information is.true, the final
7
decision , it would seem to me , woula be the newspaperman as
8
to whether he woula use any such information
9
I think if we concealed our motives from the newspaper
10
man , or furnished false information, which I think we dia in
11
one anonymous letter or some thing that I saw in all of this ,
0
12
0 I would say that was improper
1
13
Senator Huddleston Or
14
Mr _ Adans _ I think newsmen have sources I think
15
Senator Huddleston Or convincing
a cartoonist, for
16
instance , to draw a derrogatory cartoon about a college
17 professor who. certainly did not constitute a threat to the
18 violent overthrow of the government _
1
19
Mr _ Adans If anyone accuses us 0f having any great
i
20
sucCess in trying to influence the press , I think that their L
21 objectivity stands pretty high _
9
22
Senator Huddleston I think the point is whether there
1
23
was succ ss or not, there was an effort made I'm glad to 2
8 24 hear you acknowledge
now that it is almost an impossibility_
25
But more than that it Seens to me at the beginning when
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1800 1
9 these type of techniques were used , it seemed to indicate a 4
1 2
lack of confidence or faith in the American people to believe
1
3 that they could not hear ideas that might be contrary to their
4
own
without being serious damaged.
5
One of the great freedoms we have is the freedom Of
hearing other ideas whether we agree with them or not I
7 think this is an area that we are concerned with and One
8 technique which I hope is being discontinued and one that will
9 be by the time these hearings conclude and by the time proper
10 legislation is drawn
11 Mr . Adans Well, I think you can be assured that any
{
12 such techniques in that area died with COINTELPRO in 1971_
8
1
13 Senator Huddleston_ That is Comforting.
End 6 14
Mr _ Adans Yes _
Begin .7 15 The Chairman (presiding) Thank you , Senator
16 I have been forced in and out by virtue Of votes and othe_
17 Committee business _ I am not sure which Senators have had
18 their opportunity to question and which have not _
1
19 Senator Goldwater, were You next?
9
20 Senator Goldwater _ I will not take much time I |
21 apologize for not having been here in the last two days . It
5 22 is going good, I have heard _
1
23 We have heard testimony regarding the voluminous records ,
2
8 24 I believe 500 , 000 , maintained the Bureau
25 How in your view have these records come to be kept?
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1
1
g 8 10 For what purpose have they been kept and has the Bureau ever
1 2
undertaken to destroy or prune down any of these records?.
1
3
Mr _ Adams We have a number of records We are
4
2 business-like: organization _ We: record our activities
>
And
5
as the staff knows they had access to 2 lot of recorded
6 material that is the praduct of What the FBI has done over
7
the years _
8
When we conduct an investigation , we maintain the
9
results We do have destruction procedures where after the
10
passage of certain time limits approved by the Archives
11 authority, we are allowed to destroy Certain files_ Other
1
8
12 information we are required to put on microfilm There is
0
13
a regular standard procedure for the destruction of FBI
14 files. This has been. suspended , of course, during the
15 initiation of these hearings and our files probably have
16 increased considerably during this period because
We are not
17 allowed to destroy anything since the Committee commenced
18 its hearings _
1
19 But we do have procedures for destroying these that
i
20
are approved by the Archives , and 8 problem inherent in that L
21 is maintaining information , what should We keep, what should
9
22
We
obtain during
ar investigation
1
what should we recora?
1
23 In the past We have been pretty consistent in recording
2
8 24 everything
we thought was relevant to the investigation _ The
25 passage of the Privacy Act put certain restrictions in Fe
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1802
1
93 11 cannot collect or maintain anything unless it is relevant to
1 2
ar ongoing matter of which we have investigative jurisdiction_
1
3
But beyond even the Privacy Act , the Attorney General
4
instituted a
guidelines committee in this area that we have
5 been meeting diligently with every and hopefully have
6
tried to avoid this idea that we are for no good reason
7 maintaining
a gossip, scandal, and unncessary, irrelevant
8
material_
9
So Once
these guidelines
are in some sort of final
10
form , not to be adopted , then the Attorney. General has
1l indicated that he is going to take it up with the various
1
12
8
Congressional comittees to get their input into it, after
0
13 Which they will be published .
14
Senator Golawater Nell, now these dossiers , I think
15
you can call them that probably.
16
Mr _ Adans I prefer not to, but I accept the fact that
17
that is how they are referred to.
18
Senator Goldwater What do you call them?
1
19
Mr _ Adams I call them files_ To I guess We all
i
20 have Qur little hang-upS, but to me that is usually used in |
21
sOme sinister connotation . It is probably not to you _ But
3 22 I Will use whatever terminology you want to uSe On this _
1
23 Senator Goldwater. I what you have on me is not
2
8 24 called a dossier_
25 Mr _ Adams sir, it's a collection of material_
NW 88614 Docld: 32989543 Page 79.
day
me ,
hope
NO ,
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4803 1
1
0 12 (General laughter)
1 2
Mr Adans Of which you are aware
3
Senator Goldwater That 8 right.
4
Now let me ask you , the information you have woula
5
probably be On computer tape?
6
Mr _ Adams _ No , sir.
7
Senator Goldwater It's not. Information that IRS
8
would have , is that computerized?
9
Mr _ Adams It may be _ I'm not familiar with the extent
10
of theirs_ Fe do have certain computer ctivities , such as
11
the National Crime Information 'Center
8
or We have , I guess _
1 1
12
7 or 8 million records This is not the usual file material
0
0
13 This is, it consists of individuals concerning whom a
14
warrant is outstanding, stolen property, material such as
15
this . And also some documented criminal history information
16 in the nature of prior arrest history. But not what I think
17
you are referring to in the way of file material; reports_
18 intelligence, this type of information
1
19
i
20 L
21 IRS [JFK 11 (a)]
3
22
1
23
2
8 24
Mr Adams No , sir_
25 Senator Goldwater There 's no such list that you know
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1
Law
==================================================
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1804 1
1
2 3 0f?
1 2
Mr Adams I don t know what other agencies have
1
but
1
3
the FBI does not have such a list, does not have such a
4 capability to interface with Such .& list if such a list
5
exists
6
Senator Goldwater Do you feel rather safe in saying
7
then that no agency Of government has together such a
8
computerized total Of all the information On the people that
you have surveilled?
10
Mr _ Adams _ Oh , I think it is safe to say I don t know
11
Of any . Today I am not saying what does exist Or doesn 't
{
12
8
exist elsewhere.
1
13
Senator Goldwater_ In addition to the 500 , 000 records
14
that you have
1
would I be correct in saying that you have
15 50 million data cards and that there 's 882 million spent
On
16 intelligence in the Fiscal Year 1975 in maintaining this
17 library?
18 Mr Adams I don 't think that ;s correct_ I think
1
19 the figure of 882 million is what our budget people have
i
20 drawn up as being the total cost in a
given
year of our |
21 intelligence operations , security, criminal, organized crime ,
5 22
the whole intelligence field_ But I don 't relate it to the
1
23 maintenance of any data cards
2
8 24
Senator Goldwater: NOw One other area, and I think it
25 probably, according to the records , it does go back to '70 _
NW_88614 Docld:32989543 Pige 81
gsh
put
NO ,
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1805 1
1
98 14 How did the. Bureau come to place the so-called Women S
2 1
lib movement under surveillance , and I say so-called _ because
1
3
I think we discovered that there was no such organized movement
Mr' Adams There Were 2 lot of movements It is mY
6
recollection Gee
I have not reviewed the file in detail, but
6
it is my recollection that the Case was originally opened
7
because of indications that certain groups were attempting
8
to infiltrate or control the women 's liberation movement .
9
The investigation was conducted and was terminted several
10
years ago , as far as I know
11
Senator Goldwater Do you. know of any actions that were
1
12
taken by the Bureau as to the women ' s liberation movement
8
1
13
except to monitor it?
14
Mr - Adans No _ And the monitoring
was for the purpose
15
Of determining the infiltration, and I don 't know of any
16
actiors taken against them .
17 Senator Goldwater Tkat's all I have , Mr Chairman
18
Thank you
1
19 The Chairman_ Thank you,, Senator Goldwater
i
20
Senator Hart, have you had an opportunity to question? L
21
Senator Hart of Colorado _ No , I have not _
3 22
The Chairman Senator Hart
1
23 Senator Hart of Colorado Thank you, Mr Chairman
2
8 24 In the testimony yesterday developed by the staff concerning
25 the last few days of Martin Iuther King'9 life,
we learned
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1806 1
1
gsk 15 that the Bureau in March of 1968 developed information to
1 2
be given to thz press Criticizing Dr King for staying in
1
3
a white-owned and operated hotel, the Holiday Inn in Memphis ,
4
instead 'of the Lorraine
5
At some point during Dr King' s stay in Memphis_ he
6
moved from the Holiday Inn to Lorraine
7
To your knowledge , Mr Adams
1
was that information ever
8 given to the press?
9
Mr Adams I have been unable to determine that_ This
10
question was raised of Ie by the Civil Rights Division of the
11
Department. Apparently, they had had some inquiry along
1
0
12
the same lines several months ago'. But my recollection of it
1
13
at the time, we saw that this action had been proposed and
14
the memorandum bore the initials , I believe it was the
15 initials, statenent handled, and the initials of the agent
16 in the External Affairs Division who assumed the responsibility
17 of saying handle it and initiated it_
18 They contacted him ana he said that he had no recollection
1
19
of the matter but the fact that he did say handled didn t
i
20
mean that he was able to do anything with it. He was just L
21 clearirg that menorandum so it would show action was taken ,
4 22
and he doesn t know if he gave it to anyone or not_
1
23 Snrator: Hart of Colorado. Well, suffice it to say that
2
8 24
the facts are that subsequent to the time the Bureau developed
25 this information to pass on to the press , it did appear in the
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1807
1
gs} 16 local papers in Memphis
1 2
Mr _ Adans _ There was some statement in the local papers
0
3
not according to the terminology of the proposed statement that
4
was
to Je given to him_ There was some comment made, 1f.I
5
recall, that Martin Iuther King gave
a press conference
6
following the riots that followea One of his appeararces
and that he gave that press conference in a hotel, the Holiday
8
Inn Fotel_ But it didn t have any , at least the newspaper
9
article itself didn 't have any direct relation to acts taken _
10
Senator Hart of Colorado. Well, according to some
11
historians and people who have commented On the circumstances ,
1
12
8
they were fairly explicit in stating that the local press
1
13
was critical of him during that period for staying in the
14 white hotel, but I don 't want to make a issue out of
15
that.
16
What was the name Of the agent that you talked to?
17
Mr - Adams _ I didn t talk to him personally. People in
18
the Bureau that were working
On this did and I believe his
1
19_
name was Linbaugh , L-i-n-b-a-u-g-h.
i
20
Senator Hart of Colorado _ If you could provide that L
21
name to uS , I woula appreciate it.
9
22
Mr _ Adans _ I would be to
1
23
Senator Hart of Colcrado. Mr _ Adams _
1 was any effort
24 made during this entire COINTELPRO period to objectively
25
define what the New Left meant? What was
your understanding
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 84
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glad
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1808 1
1
gsk 17 of the New Left?
dape 7 2
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
1
12
8
1
13
14
15
16
17
18
1
19
i
20 L
21
4
22
1
23
2
8 24
25
NWN 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 85
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AKELLY / smnl
t 8
1809 L
1 Mr _ Adams _ They did have a definition Of the New Left
8
1 2 distinguishing it from the Old Left. It was primarily to dis-
1
3 tinguish it from the, in the area that the New Left was trying
4 to separate itself from the old hidebound policies of the
5 Communist Party or some of its links to the Communist Party-
6" Perhaps Mx Wannall has a better definition Of that.
7 Senator Hart Of Colorado It very definitely included those
8 who were opposed to the war , organized groups that opposed the
war ana felt strongly about racial injustice in this country,
10 leaving the Communist Party aside
11 MI . Adans People involved in the New Left movement were,
1
12 of course, also involved in the Vietnam , anti-Vietnam was
6
1
13 effort.
14 Senator Hart of Colorado What do you mean also?
15 That S what I'm trying to get out. What was the New
16 Left? If you didn t oppose the war and you weren 't involved in
17 civil rights groups
1
who else might you have been?
18 Mr - Adams _ Well , the New Left- was a L
di involve a
1
19 revolutionary philosophy. It wasn 't related solely to the
i
20 anti-Vietnam effort.
L
21 Senator Hart of Colorado Thomas Jefferson embodied a
1 22 revolutionary philosophy.
1
23 Mr Adams That's right. And the New Left activity
2
24 exceeded Thomas Jefferson s philosophy in that it did fit in
8
25 with the basic Communist philosophy .
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'Smn 2
1810
1 Senator Hart of Colorado. Every group that was placed undel
8
2 the efforts of the COINTELPRO supported the violent overthrow 1
1 3 of this country?
Mr . Adams _ The concept of COINTELPRO was directed toward 4
5 those organizations _ I woula have to refresh my memory on each
one Of the organizations that were targets of it, but were
basically New Left, Communist Party, Socialist Workers Party,
New Left, black extremists , white hate groups , those were the
9 five basics.
10 Senator Hart of Colorado. The Southern Christian Leader-
11 ship Conference?
1
12 Mr . Adans . The Southern Christian Leadership Conference ,
8
0
13 I don 't know if it was involved specifically in COINTELPRO _
14 Three minor actions were taken against the Southern
15
Christian Leadership Conference_
16 Senator Hart of Colorado Well , its. leader; Irthink you
17 coula say, for eight years was subject to a lot more than three
18 minor actions.
1
19 Mr _ Adams _ That' s right, and that' gets into the other
i
20 area that the activities taken against him were primarily
L
21 COINTELPRO type activities but weren t really under the control
3 22 of
1
23 Senator Hart of Colorado. You re saying that basically
2
24
every organization and individual that was swept into the
8
25 net of the five COINTELPRO nets supported the violent overthrow
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 87
they
Page
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Smn 3 1811
1 of this country?
8
2 Mr - Adams _ Well_
1
not just the violent overthrow Of the 1
1
3 government It woula have been organizations that were threaten
4 ing and fomenting violence_ I -don t believe it had to be;
5 related to the actual overthrow of the government.
6 Senator Hart of Colorado _ Is a street demonstration
7 violent?
8 Mr _ Adams _ It depends on where you are in relation to
9 what is taking place _ If there are a lot 0f activities in
10 connection With street demonstrations that are not violent ,
11 and there are a lot of street: demonstrations that have reported
1
12 in deaths , so it just depends on
activity taking place and
6
0
13 the circumstances
14
Our problem is we are given the responsibility by the
15 Attorney General to monitor demonstrations which have the
16
potential of violence. The question is, how do you find out,
17 at what point do you get in and monitor demonstrations to deter
18
mine if that has a potential violence?
!
19
Senator Hart of Colorado . Well ,.obviously what we re
i
20
told was here is, we have received testimony to the effect
L
21
that the FBI went out 0f its way to foment violence itself,
9
22 to encourage disruptions internally, to
encourage hostilities
1
23
and .conflict between and among these groups in the hope that
2
violence would occur, ana therefore you could, say, go back to
8 24
25 the Director or the press or whomever ana say look , this is
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 88
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smn 4
1812 1
1 a violent group.
8
2 Mr . Adams _ I accept the allegation but I don t accept the L
1
3 fact , the conclusion that, from what I have seen in reviewing
4
these files in connection with our investigations
1 we dont't
5 foment violence. We don t permit as a matter of policy our
informants to act as provocateurs to engage in violence. I am
not denying it may have happened but the FBI does not foment
8 violence , and the FBI , you know has n
9
Senator Hart of: Colorado. You re using 'present tense
10 verbs . I think
11 Mr _ Adams _ We didn t then. I don t agree that our actions
1
12 in any event were designed to foment violence.
8
0
13 Senator Hart Of Colorado I think there is plenty of
14
documentation of the attempt to set the Black Panthers against
15 the Blackstone Rangers in Chicago _
16 Mr Adams Well, I don t consider that-plenty of evidence
17 I think. the evidence to .the contrary is that one of the _
18
organizations when we got wora that the Black Panther versus
3
19 US we notified the local police that-this activity
was going
9
20 to take place , and the individual, so that wwe would prevent
|
21
the killing which had come to our attention was going to take
5 22 place, and then the turndowns of various COINTELPRO actions
1
1
23 there were
specific statements made , that will not be
2
approved because it might result in harm to an individual,
8 24
25
physical harm, and we have no indication from any of these
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 89
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Page 90
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smn 5
1813
actions under COINTELPRO that any violent act occurred and I
8
2 have not been presented with any by the staff from their far 1
1
3 more extensive inquiry.
4 Senator Hart of Colorado. June 3rd, 1968 , a memorandun
5 from the Special Agent in Charge of Cincinatti to the Director
6 of the FBI , the title 0f which is Counterintelligence Program ,
Disruption of the New Left, a five page memorandum having to
8 do with Antioch College in Ohio. It is 2 long description of
the college and background _ There is 2 recommendation on page
10 3 , Cincinatti recommends that counterintelligence action be
11 taken to expose the pseudo-intellectual image Qf Antioch, and it
1
12
gives specific
ways of doing that, ana then the next page ,
8
0
13 page 4 , the desired result of action , force Antioch to
14
defend itself as an educational institution_
15 Where in the laws of this country or the charter of the
16 Federal Bureau of Investigation does it. say that that Agency
17
should be forcing.any educational institution to defend itself?
Mr = Adans_ I know of none _ 18
1
19
Senator Hart .f Colorado- You woula say this is stepping
i
beyond the bounds .Of ,your authority?
20 L
Mr. Adams I would say R A I'm not familiar with the total
21
9
22
action of what was there, but just on the surface I don 't see
1
23 any basis for it.
2
Senator Hart of Colorado _ It is my understanding that
8 24
25
participating field officers of the counterintelligence, the
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 90
c !
Page
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Smn 6
1814 1
COINTELPRO activities were required to sena in status letters
8
I 2 and report in annual results.
1 3 Is that correct?
4
Mr . Adams Yes _
5
Senator Hart of Colorado _ What kind of results generally
6 were you looking for? What was considered success?
7
Mr - Adams Well, it would be considered success , like
8 in one instance where an action was taken to create factionalism
in the highest level of the Communist Party, and the results
10 were that we were advised that the Communisty Party influence
11 declined appreciably as a direct result of factionalism created
{
12 at that level That to us was a concrete result.
8
01
13 We had other results where , well, you in various
14 degrees _ That is an
extremely favorable degree . We had others
15 I think one was alluded to yesterday or today where: a letter
16 went on setting_ up. a marital. strife. on. the. part of. someone
17 I don 't see_ any basis. or. justification. for that. I think that
18 is the_ other. extreme. I think in the middle there were ones
1
19 that fell into a. different degree.
i
20 The thing that I feel is we had 3000 actions
6
21 recommended _ The Bureau Tt just like this Antioch one I
3 22 don t know if the document shows whether that was approved or
1
23 not. I doubt that it was approved .
2
24 Senator Hart of Colorado. I believe it was . We can 8
25 document that.
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 91
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only
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smn 7
1815
1 Mr - Adams _ Okay - Because there would be one_ I woula
8
2 say the judgment in approving that is in question _ But out 1
1
3 of 3000 recommended , the fact that 2000 approved shows that
4 there was sone concern to try to ,keep these to a proper level ,
5 and I think the actual number of grossly improper activities
6
fortunately is rather small _ I think there are a lot in there _
7 Well, 'the whole program _
1 we feel, should have been dis-
8 continued, and we don 't have a program like it now , and we
9
wouldn t institute a program like it now .
10 Senator Hart of Colorado _ It woula be helpful to uS if
11 now or in the future you coula recommend what steps we should
0
12 take, both as the Committee and this Congress , to make sure
8
0
13
that doesn t happen , aside from just the assurances we are being
14
given here _
15 Mr _ Adams Well , the main recommenda tion I make is that
16 we don ' t wind up on the point we have been: 6n in the past
17
years that one time in. our history: Congress. is saying we ought
18 to be doing: something to stop. violence in the streets , murders _
1
19
blowing up- of buildings _
1
and at another time they are saying
i
20 you shouldn t have done_ what you did, and that we make a
|
21
mistake when we react and try to identify
one area and say that
5 22 is the voice of the people _ What we need is a
legislative
11
23
mandate which is the will of Congress in order to tell us what
2
24 our role should be in this area I think that is the main
8
25
thing that would come out of all of these , I hope, some more
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 92 Page
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Smn 8
1816 1
definitive guideline where we all know what the will of the
8
1 2 people is as expressed Congress _
1
3 Senator Hart of Colorado _ I believe my time is up _
4 Senator Tower (presiding) Mr _ Adams , to return: to the
5 business of informants which I initiated and was interrupted
6 by a vote, who selects an informant?
7 Mr _ Adams _ The basic responsibility is on our special
8 agent personnel who develop informants, the agent on the street
9 Senator Tower. Does the Special Agent in Charge in a given
10 area' have control over the activities of an informant or a veto
11 on the use of a particular informant?
{
12 Mr Adams _ Not only the Special Agent in Charge , but FBI
6
0
13 headquarters . We maintain the tightest possible control of the
14 utilization of informants _ We require Bureau approval to utilize
15 a person as an informant.
16 Senator Tower _ The Special Agent in Charge has the power
17 to veto the use of an informant?
18 Mr = Adams _ Yes , sir.
I
19 Senator Tower. Does headquarters know who all the
9
20 informants are?
|
21 Mr. Adams _ Absolutely. We do not allow pocket
3 22
informants. We require
1
23 Senator Tower _ You don't have the agents informed by their
2
24 Own special informants?
8
25 Mr . Adams _ Absolutely not.
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 93
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hip
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smi
1817
Senator Tower. Are the criteria different for paid .and
8
1 2 for non-paid informers?
1
3 Mr . Adams _ We have some informants over the years that have
4 refused to accept payment , but generally the criteria for
5 both , I mean for ones 'that are paid is that it must be on a
6 COD basis, evaluated as to the value of the information.
7 Senator Tower _ What protections are afforded to
8 informants?
9 Mr - Adams _ Protections afforded them individually?
10 Senator Tower. Yes
11 Mr - Adams _ The greatest protection in the world we can
1
12 afford them is to maintain the confidential relationship which
8
0
13 they have adopted with the FBI , and the fact that those citizens
14 of the United States who , for whatever reason decide to
15 cooperate with the FBI and cooperate with their government
16 in criminal and the security field, have that confidentiality
17
maintained , and beyond that confidentiality
we are unable ta ;
18
afford them any protection,. any physical protection We have
1
19 had informants murdered through disclosure_ We have had them
9
20 subjected: to. other. violence: and_ criminal. activities , and the
L
21
only: protection beyond maintaining the confidentiality is once
5 ~22 we have_ used. them or: had to_ expose then for: some- purpose, we
1
23
do-have. procedures. for relocation. and: maintenance. 0f. them which
2
24
is. utilized quite-frequently in the top hoodlum and the Cosa
8
25 Nostra type investigations_
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 94 Page
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smn 10
1818
Senator Tower. It is. my understanding
now that 83 percent
8
2 Of all; cases involve_ some_ use_ Of informants
1 SO that means that 1
0
3 the use is pretty-widespread and, apparently very essential_
4
What kind: Of guidance does the FBI: give_ to these informants
5 to give them any special training? Coula you describe that kind
6
of.relationship in terns of guidelines , control, authority,
what have you?
8 Mr. Adams _ Well , when an individual is being developed
9 as an informant , our main concern is' whether he provides
10
reliable information and that the information he collects is
11
collected by legal means We don t permit an informant to
{
12 engage in any activity that an agent couldn t do legally
0
13
himself_ In other words , you can'€ have an extension of the 1
14
agent out here engaging in illegal acts , and the agent saying
15 I abide by the law _ This creates some problems
1
of course,
16
in the criminal field where you don 't recruit informants from
17
Sunday schools . You recruit informants- in areas where-
they do
have knowledge of criminal activities. But we' even' had to 18
1
open: investigations: and prosecute some: 0f our informants , be-
19
9
cause We: do not: bend: from this, that they: are: not going to
20 L
21
enjoy favorite: status. as. a- result of their relationship. with
4 uS- So. the agent covers all of this with an
informant during
22
1
23
the. discussions-
2
We: secure: background_ information on: the: informants- We
8 24
do this to ensure , as best as possible, we are dealing with a 25
NWN 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 95
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11
1819
f
reliable, stable individual even though he may be engaged in
8
1 2 an
unstable activity, and we go through this period and consider
1
3 them more or less , in different terminology _ probationary,
4 potential, verifying information that he furnishes uS , and
5 everytime when they report on the status of an informant ,
have to tell us what percentage of his information has been
verified by other means , by other informants or sources _
8 So we do have a
continuing indoctrination which is
9 supervised at FBI headquarters_
10 Senator Tower. You said you don t recruit your informants
11 from Sunday school class _ Being
an ex-Sunday school teacher , I
0
12 resent that , but Ma
8
1
13 Mr . Adans I am talking in the criminal field. Many of
14 our security informants come from a very fine background_
15 Senator Tower. But this leads me into this_ Sometimes ,
16 then; you might recruit people that you know have committed
17
criminal acts _
18 Mr Adams _ That' s true _
1
19 Senator Tower. Do you promise him immunity from future
9
20 prosecution in many instances to secure their. cooperation?
L
21 Mr . Adams No NOw , the only exception to that would be
1 22 we may have an ongoing , it is what you call an informant EI I
1
23 believe your question is addressed to someone that we are
2
24
actually considering in an informant status
8
25 Senator Tower . Yes _
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1820 1
Mr _ Adams We do have situations where during an-investi-
8
! 2 gation
we target on one individual, the lower rung , and the
1
3 United states Attorney and the Department offer immunity. We
don 't. And say , you cooperate, and we go up the ladder to the
5 next level , and in some of these cases we have gone up through
successive stages until we get the main honcho who we feel is
the proper target 0f our investigation _
8 Senator Tower . Getting
on another subject, does the
9 FBI still request bank audits?
10 Mr _ Adans _ Bank audits? Do you mean do we still have
11 access to bank records?
1
12 Senator Tower _ Yes
8
0
13 Mr _ Adams _ Yes , sir, we do_
14 Senator Tower . And do you obtain access with or without
15 warrants?
16 Mr . Adams We obtain access without warrants _
17 Senator Tower. Without warrants?
18 Mr . Adams . Yes , sir.
1
19 Senator Tower . Is the subject notified in advance by the
9
20 FBI when you obtain one without a warrant?
|
21 Mr- Adams _ No , sir.
5 22 Senator Tower. Are they notified by the bank , or is he
1
23 notified subsequently by the FBI?
2
24 Mr Adams _ No . We do get subpoenas in many cases , not
8
25 warrants
1
but we do get subpoenas in many cases , but in some
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 97 Page
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smn 13
1821
cases a bank will make available to us records without subpoena _
8
1 2 When it cones time for utilizing that information we do issue
1
3
2 subpoena for the information.
4 Senator Tower_ Do you have' legal authority to gain
5 access to these records?
6 Mr . Adams _ Yes , sir, we do _
7
Senator Tower. Without a subpoena without a court
8 document?
9 Mr Adams_ There is no law that I know of that forbids
10 us access, There have been several court decisions
7
including
11 some circuit courts that disagree with each other, but I think
1
12 the current finding is that the bank records are the records
0
0
13 of the bank and this does not violate any First Amendment or
14 other Amendments in connection with it.
15 Senator Tower_ Do make similar requests of S&Ls and
16 other, and credit unions and other financial institutions?
end 8 17 Mr Adams _ I would assume the same would provide there
begin 9 18 The Chairman (presiding) Thank you, Senator Tower
19 I just have a_ question or two . We are going to try to
i
20 conclude this morning because the Committee has a
hearing,
a 6
21 business meeting at 2:00 0 'clock this afternoon and for the
5 22 information of the members , that meeting will take place in
1
23 room 3110 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
2
8 24 And . while I am
making announcements , I think I should say
25 that tomorrow between the hours of 9 :00 0 'clock in the morning
NWN 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 98
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1822 1
and 1:00 0 'clock in the afternoon the Committee will report
8
2 its findings and make its recommendations to- the Senate in 1
1
3 connection with our investigation into alleged involvement of
4 the United States in certain assassination plots , and attempts
5 directed against leaders _
6 The Committee, as you know has made an exhaustive investi
gation of this issue It has taken some six months ; 75 witnessels
have been interrogated, over 8000 pages of testimony have been
9 taken, mountains of documents have been analyzed and digested
10 and the report will be a detailed accounting to the American
11
people of that evidence, together with the findings and
1
12 recommendations of the Committee.
0
1
13
Initially these disclosures will be made to the Senate in
14, secret session, after which the Committee has previously voted
15 to make the report public. Therefore , it i5 anticipated that
16 at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon in this room , the caucus room ,
17
following that secret session: of the Senate , the Committee will
18 meet with the press for the purpose of. answering such
1
19
questions as the press may wish to address to the Committee on
9
the assassination report_ 20 L
21
Now the last few questions I woula like to put to yoU ,
1 22 Mr _ Adans have to do with some confusion in my mind concerning
1
23 the purpose of the FBI in moni toring the Women S Liberation
2
24 movement, what was
that? What was that surveillance done for?
8
25 Why were you involved in monitoring that movement?
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 99
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1823
1 Mr _ Adans . It was basically, as I recall I have not
8
2 reviewed the files, but from the information that I have 1
1
3 acquired, it woula indicate there were groups that were believed
4 to be infiltrating and attempting to exert control over it. That
5 investigatlon was based or_initiated on this fact.
6 The Chairman . But you never
found, dia you , that the
Women S Liberation movement was
seriously infiltrated, influenceh
8 or controlled Communists _
9 Mr . Adams _ No , ana the case was closed. I would put then
10 in the position of comments we have made earlier about the
11 press , that I don 't think anyone is going to dominate or control
1
12 That is a very independent group _
8
0
13 The Chairman _ Well, we are trying to keep the country that
14 way .
15 Mr_ Adams _ That' s right.
16 The Chairman _ And the kind of thing that disturbs me
17 is what the documents reveal For example, if you will turn
18 you have the document book there with you . If you will turn
1
19 to Tab 5 , 5-4 , can you find that? Can you move your thumb
i
20 through the pages to 5-4?
L
21 Have you found that? It's in the upper right hand
9
22 corner , 5-4 , under Tab 5 _
1
23 Mr . Adans _ Yes _
2
24 The Chairman. Then , if will turn back beyond that
1 8
25 one , two , three , four pages where you find under the caption
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you
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0 1824
sm 16
1
Origin, Aims
1
and Purposes a description of the Women S
8
2 Liberation movement in Baltimore Maryland . 1
1
3 Now I call your attention to this because it seems to me
4 to typify the whole problem,of this generalized kind 0f
5 surveillance over activities of American citizens . Here is
the report, if you will read with me this paragraph _ the
report on the group reads as follows : "The Women S Liberation
8 movement in Baltimore , Maryland began during the summer of
1968 _ There was no structure or a' parent organization _ There
10 were no rules or plans to go It started out as a group
11
therapy session with young women who were either lonely or
{
12 confined to the home with small children , getting together to
8
0
13
talk out their problems _ Along with this they wanted a
14 purpose ana that was to be free women from the humdrum
15 existence of being only
a wife ana mother They wanted
16
equal opportunities that men have in work ana in socfety. They
17
wanted their husbands to share in the housework and in rearing
18
their children They also wanted to go out and work in whatevef
1
19
kina of jobs they wanted, and not to be discriminated against
9
JI 20 as women _
|
21 Now , can you. find anything in that report that in any way
3 22
suggests that these women were engaged in improper or unlawful
1
23
activity?
2
Mr . Adams _ Not in that one: I believe there was another
8 24
25 report , though , giving the origin of it, which went into a
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1825 L
little more description of what our basic interest was. 8
1 2
The Chairman Can you tell me, because this is the report
1
3
I have
Mx. Adams _ Well , I am given here 6
The Chairman _ What other, if there was some sinister
6 activity connected with this group that isn't laia out in the'
document
8
Mr _ Adams I was
given
a work paper here which reads
1
"Women 5 Liberation Movement. Investigation 0f captioned
10 movement was initiated our New York Office in April 1969
11 as the Women S Libber movement was described as a
loosely
{
12 structured women S movement comprised of individuals with
0
0
13 varying ideologies from liberal to New Left persuasion , some
14 of whon had exhibited an affiliation with and/or sympathy
15 for several organizations of investigative interest to this
16 Bureau namely , the Students for a
Democratic Society, Black
17 Panther Party, the Vietnam: Peace Parade. Committee, Venceremos
18 Brigade , the. Socialist Workers Party, with its youth group
1
19 the Young Socialist. Alliance- W}
9
20 The Chairman _ May I stop you at this point? |
21 Mr Adams Yes
9 22 The Chairman _ You are reading from a paper which has to
1
23 do with the origination of an investigation coming out "0f
2
8 24 New York, are you not?-
25 Mr _ Adams _ Yes _
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1826
L
1 The Chairman. I am reading from a document that relates
8
1 2 to the Women 5 Liberation Movement in Baltimore, and the finding}
1
3 concerning it in the summer of 1968 _ My question hasn't to do
4 with whatever original purpose the FBI sought by initiating
5 this kind of surveillance in New York, but with a
finding
made concerning the Women S Liberation movement in Baltimore
which I have just read to you, and I think you would agree with
8
me that women do have the right to together to talk about
9 hundrum existence and equal opportunities with men and equal
10 opportunities for work in our society, don't they? That is
11 not a subversive activity-
{
12 Mr_ Adams _ Well, but what you have here is the setup of
8
0
13 our investigative activity. We had New York , which was the
14 office of origin of the investigation_ You have other offices
15 that were checking to determine what influence there was _
16 In addition , in New York , to the New York office, the fact
17 that interwoven_ with the Women S Liberation movement goal for
18 equal rights for women , there was.an
advocacy certainly 0f
1
19 militancy and violence in achieving their goals.
i
20 Now Baltimore is one office, and I believe that even L
21 there in one of the reports M
9 22 The Chairman _ You keep taking me back to New York-
1
23 Mr - Adams_ Right.
2
8 24 The Chairman. And I keep taking you back to Baltimore_
25 Ana the reason I do that is because if you turn two pages
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 103
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lay
Page
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19 1827 f
back from this particular report, which has to do with the
8
1 2 Baltimore organization , the question is whether based upon that
1
3 finding the investigation should continue of the Baltimore
4 group , and the decision is that you will continue to follow
5 and report on the activities of the group .
6 And I just wondered why
7
Mr - Adams _ This is a problem that we have , that we do
have organizations where sometimes the the Women S Liberation
group is not a good example because that was washed out, but
10 we do have organizations where
11 The Chairman _ What was washed out? Not the Women S
0
12 Liberation movement?
8
1
13 Mr- Adams _ No the investigation indicated there was
14 no concern or no reason to be concernea about it.
15 But where you do have an organization that has branches
16 in many areas of the country, and you start with one place and
17 it looks like you have a subversive organization, you do have
18 to see , well, is this carried. out. throughout the organization
1
19 or is it just one chapter: or one group? In other words
1
not
i
20 even an organizational problem_
L
21 The Chairman _ But you see , in this
Rn the trouble with
5 22 that is in this Baltimore organization you say in your Own
11
23 report that it was independent , there was no structure or
2
8 24 a parent organization, no rules or plans , so it isn't a, part
25 f a national controlled and directed organization called by
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 104 Page
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SM ZO
1828
1 your own admission
8
2 Mr . Adans _ I believe this report had some subsequent L
1
3 pages that aren 't included in here that did show some additional
4 activity or influence_
5 The Chairman . I am tola by the staff that this summary is
6 accurate , and the only other thing contained was that these
women had affiliations with an organization that had protested
8 the war in Baltimore
9 Mr Adams I think there were sOme other items
10 The Chairman That is the only other association that
11 we have been able to determine _
1
12 Now
1
in a case of this kind, do you still carry you say
8
0
13
this has been closed _ Apparently the Women S Liberation move-
14 ment is no longer under suspicion by the FBI ana the case has
15 been closed_ What happens when the case is closed? Are those
16 wOmen s names still left in_ the files?
17 Are they forever more contained?
18 Mr - Adams Yes
2
19 The Chairman _ In the system? Yes There is no yes .
i
20 Mr . Adams _ Yes _
L
21 The Chairman . Pretty soon you Will have us all in the
3 22 system .
1
23 I mean , if there is no way , even after surveillance has
1
24 been terminatea to terminate the references of individuals
25 through the files of the system, you will one have us all,
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 105
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Page
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smn 21
1829 1
won t you?
8
2 Mr - Adans _ Well, I woula say as part of a normal business 1
1
3 record when we do make a judgment that an organization should
4
be investigated and we investigate it, and then we find activitiks
5 but we make a conclusion that there is no additional problem
here , this is a recora of our official action. NOw , if we
destroy it, at what point do we get into a situation of being
8 accusea of doing things ana then destroying things to from
9
showing what we do?
10
The critical thing on this is whether we are able, and we
11 do set up safeguards , where information in our files is not
1
12 misused at a later date , ana that is what these guideline
8
a 13 committees are all about_ 2
14
15
16
17
18
1
19
i
20 L
21
5 22
1
23
2
8 24
25
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 106
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kellyGSH
11/192/75 1830
Tape 1 0 1
The Chairman Do you have any idea of haw many names of
8
2 Americans you keep in your files all as a result Of the 1
1
3 cuulative effect of all Of these surveillances in all Of
4 these cases?
5 Mr Adams _ I don 't_
6
Tha Chairman It'S in the millions , isn't it?
7 Mr Adams We have 6 1/2 million files
8
The Chairman You have 6 1/2 million files?
9 Mr Adams Yes, sir.
10 The Chairman And there are surely names of more than
11 one person typically in a file, aren t they?
1
12 Mr Adams But it is a rather large country.
0
1
13 The Chairman That' s a large number of files to start
14
with, and if you have multiple names in them, you are quickly
15 up in to the , you know
1
30 , 40 million_
16 Mr Adams _ Right_ But many of these files are
17
applicant files_ They are not all subversive files_ They are
18 not all criminal files We have a million crimes 0f viclence
1
19 each Year_
9
20
There is a million people _
6
21 The Chairman Sure, ana I Wish You had more time to
9
22
spend On those crimes of violence
1
23 Mr _ Adams I do too.
2
24
The Chairman There we agree
8
25 Mr _ Adams Right.
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20 ,
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1831 L
1
gsk 2 The Chairman What I worry about is this _ You say there
1 2
no way to know when to close a file. These Were surveillance
1
3
files, or originally opened up to determine whether organizatios
4
might have subversive connections _
5
There are names in these- files , So some demagogue comes
6
along and says against some public figure that his name is
7 contained in a certain file to be found in the subversive
8
files of the FBI and there it is_ Ie has not made a misstatenelt
9
at all. But to the American people that man 5 name and
10
reputation has been scarred.
11
Mr . Adans Ana I hope this Committee recognizes that
1
12
8
ard recommends legislation that would enforce strong punitive
1
13 or criminal violations against misuse of information in the
14 files. We feel this way , CIA feels this way . We recognize
15
we have a lot of sensitive information in it. We fire our
16 employees if we find them misusing information. We feel
17
We need additional Sanctions in this area
18
I don 't think we can ever stop the accumulation of
1
19 information _ I don 't know an investigative agency in tha
i
20 world, a law enforcement agency , that does not have to |
21 accuulate information Ana we are
working
On guidelines
3 22
as to how to get rid of the irrelevant information , how to
1
23 eliminata material that really does not need to be kept,
2
8 24 that We hope we will be able to come to 'Congress with these
25 guidelines bafore too long , which will help address itself
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 108 Page
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1832
1 gsk 3 to just some of these problems
1 2
Thne Chairman . Well, you may be assured that the
1
3
Comnittee shares your objective in this regard and We will
4 be working with you ana the Departmert of Justice and others
5
to try and change the laws_ to give a greater measure 0f
6 protection to the First Amendment rights of the American people
7
I have no further ,questions_ Are there any other
8
questions _
9
Senator Mondale?
10
Senator Mondale _ Mr _ Adans earlier, in inquiring about
11 the basis for investigating Dr _ I thought I heara two
0
12 bagic justifications _ One, suspicion and fear of Communist
8
1
13 influence or infiltration, And secondly, "that he constituted
14
a threat to the success 0f the Negro movement . #}
15 Did I understand that second basis?
16 Mi Adams No The first I was talking about was not
17 suspicion but information indicating Communist influence _
18 The second was Or this question of motivation that you raised,
1
19 I don t know what their motive was to get to some Of thesa
i
20 other activities in order to discredit.and remove him, but it L
21 was 8 question
Ba apparently, must have felt that ne
4 22 was a threat to either as shown in the files the President
1
23 and Attorney General expressed concern about the civil rights
2
8 24 movenent and his continued affiliation with sone of these
25 people _
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 109
King,
they
==================================================
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1833
1
gsk 4 So
1 2
Senator Mondale Would you agree that it would not be
1 3
a proper basis for an investigation for the FBI or any other
4 government official to be cor Cerned about the success 0f the
5
negro movement?
6
In other words , that is not 8 valid
8
Mr Adams I have no problem _
Senator Mondale - All right. So let us take the One
9
ground that appears to have justified the investigation of
10
Dr King and the investigation of tke women ' s liberation
11
movement L the fear that "dangerous influences might
1
12
01 0
infiltrate these organizations
1
13
Suppose it is true Suppose that a Communist dia
14
haye influence over Dr King, or suppose an SDS member
15
infiltrated and became a dominant influence in a chapter of
16
the women s liberation movement and you established it as
17
a fact_ What would you do?
18 Assuming that we can 't get into this harassing and so
1
19
on , you agree that that no longer has any
validity. So Tvhat?
i
20 What do you have? L
21
Mr Adams _ We have potential violations which might
1
22 arise, which rarely come to fruition and haven t for many
1
23
years , but we do have an
intelligence
re sponsibility under
2
8 24 the directives from the Presidert and the Attorrey General-
25 That is , with a revolutionary group , like the' Communist Party
NWN 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 110
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1834 7
5 has taken over control of a domestic group and the Communist gsk
2 1
Party is operated by tke Soviet Union We woula furnish that
1
3
information as we do _ Every copy of our reports goes to the
4
Department of Justice
5
Senator Mondale Right . But I just want to get the
6
King case because as I understood , he was being investigated
for the reason that it was feared that a Communist or
8
Communists who were suspected of being Communists or
9
known to be Communists, were gaining: influence over him_
10
Suppose you established that_ What present use or
11 need is there for that information?
0
12
Mr . Adams _ I feel that the President, the Attorney
8
1 13
General, the Executive Branch , needs to know the extent of
14
a foreign-directed Communist organization, its influence and
15 effect On the United States of America
16
Senator Mondale _ All right_ So if such information
17 is valid and" an investigation to seek it are necessary, is
18 there any limit 011 the investigative authority of the FBI?
1
19
We have just heard about the wonen s liberation movement
i
20 where we were fearful that New Left, SDS types might have |
21
an influence_ That justified that investigation _ Vle now
5 22 have your statement that we were
fearful that
some Comrunists
1
23 might have influence over Dr King, and therefore, he was 2
8 24 thoroughly investigated
25
Are there any limits then on who can be investigated?
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 111 Page
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1835
1
Gsh 8 6 Mx Adams Well, the only limits are that we must
2 1
relate it to 2 statutory basis 0f One of the Presidential
1
3. guidelines
we have Or the criteria We have , which criteria
4
are
receiving scrutiny at the present time by Congress _ -They
5
have in the past by the- Department of Justice ana this is the
area
of guidelines. This whole area of domestic security is
7
what We need guidelines in_
8
Senator Mondale _ Right. And: you woula agree, We talked
9
about this earlier, that being
a Communist is not 2 crime
10
Mr Adams _ it has not been a crime
11
Senator Mondale _ So that the whole basis for this has
{
12
8
to apparertly stem from a Presidential directive , you think
1
13 has' tesked you: to do this
14
Mr . Adans _ Yes _
15
Senator Mondale _ Just a few other points __
16 In 1970 , 11/6/70 , a telegram from Newark to the Dlrector
17
Went forth proposing &hat the following telegram be" sent:
18 "Word received Food donated to party by anti-liberation
1
19 white pigs contained poison Symptoms : cramps , diarrhea,
i
20
Severe stomach pains _ Destroy all food donated for convention L
21 suspected of poisor _
4 22 "However
{
still required to meet your quota _ Signed,
1
23 Ministry of Information_ #
2
8 24 And this was a
telegram that was ito be sent from Oakland
25 California to the Jersey New Jersey headquarters_ The
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 Page 112
NO ,
City,
==================================================
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==================================================
1836 4
7 1 telegram Went On further It is suggested that the Bureau
1 2 then consider having the laboratory treat fruit, such as
1
3 oranges, . With mild laxative type drug by hypodermic needle
4
or other appropriate method and ship fruit as a donation from
5 6 fictitious person in Miani to the Jersey City headquarters _
6
The answer then from the Director of the FBI :
7
"The Bureau cannot authorize the treating of fruit to
8
be shipped to' Jersey City because of lack of control over the
9 treated fruit in transit. However , Newarks 9 proposea
10 telegram regarding food collected for the Revolutionary
11 People s Constitutional Convention has merit_ 0
0
12 How did you ever get to a point lik= that?
8
0
13 Mr _ Adams I don t know . What was the response from
14 Newark and then the final answer taken?
15 Serator Mondale - It was turned down because they
16 couldn t control transit, but they thought it was a idea_
17 Do you think that' s a good idea?
18 Mr _ Adans No , I don '+. I think that
1
19 Senator Mondale HOw did we ever to the point that
i
20 this kind of insane suggestion violating everyone S civil L
21 liberties based On government-sponsored fraud? How does
5
22 anyone ever consider something like that?
1
23 Mr _ Adans I dor t know _
2
8 24 Seaator Mondale One final point_
25 When Wve interviewed One of your former employees , he
NW 88614 Docld:32989543 113
gooa
get
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==================================================
1837
7
1
g= 8 8 referred to some thing I never heard 0f before called a *o-
1 2
contact list. He did it jokingly because he said wher the
0
3
Pope agreed to See Martin Luther_ he was sure he woula be
4
put on. &he no-contact list thereafter.
5'
Can you tell me What that list is?
6
Mr Adans Not in any specific detail: I know that at
7
One time there was there would be 2' list that if an agent
8
interviewed an individual and this individual created a storn
9
Or a ruckus and we didn t want some other agent stumbling
10
out there" and interviewing the same person , that we woula make
11
sure that they were aware of the fact that further contacts
1
12 Gf this individual would result in a problem _
0
0
13_ Senator Mondale _ All right_ Now on 6/24/71 , in a
14
memo to Clyde Tolson , it refers to a conference On 8 /26/71
15 with certain L ea
it looks like about 10 members of thz FBI _
16 And this is what it says :
17 "Pursuant to your instructionr members 0f the conference
18
were briefed concerning- recent attempts by various newspapers
1
19 and reporters to obtain information about or from FBI
i
20 personnel _ Members were specifically advised that there woula L
21 be absolutely
no conversations with or answers from any of
4
22
the representatives of the Nashington "} c
something . Oh here,
1
23 from the Mashington Post , New York Times, Los Angeles Times ,
2
8 24 CBS and ~IBC .
25 "The only acceptable answer to such inquiries is no
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{ 8 comment _
1 2
Now Senator Huddleston earlier askea about efforts to
1
3
influence newspapers and media autlet_
4
Does this trouble YOU , a decision not to answer questions
5
from certain selected media outlets?
6
Mr . Adams It is not the policy today. I think this
has been" aired in the past . There was a
period of time
8
wherein Mr Hoover , in reacting to criticism from some of these
9
newspaper men , where he felt he hadn 't been given a fair
10
shake , or for some other reason , that he felt that they should
11
be tola no comment , and he instructed they be told no comment -
1
8
12 The notivations I am not in a position to discuss , but
0
13
I can tell you that there has been no such policy in the
14 last several years that I know of
15
Senator Mondale . If you coula submiz for us , if you
16
can find it, the no-contact list, I would appreciate that.
17
I have some other .questions I will submit for the
18
recora, Mr Chairman
I
19 The Chairman Very well. I just have one final follow-up
9
20 question Or Senator Mondale's interrogation L
21 I continue to be somewhat fascinated bY how long these
4 22 investigations go , and wher , if ever, they are stopped .
1
23 Apparently they never cone out of the files,_ whatever is
2
8 24 foura. But Senator Mondale raised the point of a
suspicion
25 that in the Martin Luther King case, an advisor
1
he was
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0 getting advice from a person who had or was thought to have 21
1 2 Communist leanings _
1
And so without usirg the name , because we are trying to
4 protect "privacy as We conduct' this investigation
5
Mx. Adams _ I think we have a little more problen than
6 that, too, Senator _
7
The Chairman _ I am'
just using
a Mister X in place of
8
tke nane _ What I am trying to. get at is when the Bureau,
9 what the criteria is for pursuing an investigation, for
10 pursuing the matter, and this is the kind 0f a statement that
11 leaves me So perplexed_ This has to do with a reply to the
{
12 New York office by the Burezu here in Nashington_
0
1
13 The part I read to you is as follows :
14 "The Bureau does not agree with the expressed belief
15 of the New York office that Mr . X is not sympathetic to the
16 Party cause While there may not be any direct evidence that
17 Mr X is a Communist , neither is there any substantial
18 evidence tkat he is anti-Communist."
1
19 And So the directions are to continue the investigation
i
20 cf this matter And in cases of this kind, do you pursue L
21 the investigation until you prove the negative?
4 22 Mr _ Adans No I believe in that particular case, if
11
23 it is the one I am thinking about , that there was evidence
2
8 24 that at One time he had been a Communist 2nd that there was
25
8. question of whether the ;office felt
E t
well, it's like we
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11 have had some situations where a person comes out and publicly ssk
1 2 aisavows their forner leanings
1
3
Do you take them at words right away after they have
4 been engaged in violent activities,
or do you wait until
5
you determine that they really have carried through the dis_
6 avowed practice?
That ' s a gray area This One Seens like on the 'wording
8
itself, would seem like an extrema philosophy , leaning towards
9
everyone has to prove in the United States are not
10
a Communist, and I can assure that is not a policy of the
11 Bureau and does not fit into the criteria Of our general
{
12 investigative matters
8
1
13 I just feel that there is more to it Ehan just that
14 brief paragraph _
15 The Chairman _ That particular kind of philosophy has
16 kept up in our life from time to time I remember during
17 the days of McCarthyism in this country, we came
very close
18 to the point where people had to prove that they were mot
1
19
now or had never been a Communist in order to establish them-
i
20 selves as patriotic citizens_ L
21 Mr _ Adams That's right. That' s true
5 22 The Chairman Ana When I See standards of this kind
1
23
or criteria of this kind emerging , it worries me very much _
2
8 24 I have no further questions_ I wart to thank you
25 both _ If there :are no further questiors , I want to thank
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gskg 12 you both for your testimony this morning. It has been very
1 2
helpful to the Committee , and the Comnittee will stand adjourned
1
3
until: 2:00 .
4
~We will stand adjourned in public session Our next
5
public session will be 2:30 tomorrow afternoon for purposes
6
of press questioning On the assassination report_
7
(Whereupon, at 1:07 0'clock P.m . , the Committee adjourned
8
to reconvene at 2:30 0 'clock P.m:, Thursday, November 20 ,
9 1975 .)
10
11
0
12
8
0
13
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15
16
17
18
1
19
i
20 L
21
$
22
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