MW 55086 Doold: 32889543 Cie United States Senate Report of Proceedings Hearing held before Seleet Committee to Study Governmental Operations With Respect: ta Entelligence Activities SNTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION AINED . nc ortset NED ma Aves Dig) BY C a oe pate Ys Wednesday, November 19, 1975 Washington, D.C. WARD & PAUL 410 FIRST STREET, S. E. WASHINGTON, D. C. 20008 (202) 544-6000
eo Sel ae a ary cere ee “2 STATEMENT OF :_ . PAGE Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 a] Q Oo z rH ty Pad | 5 Testimony of James B. Adams, Deputy Associate Director FBI Intelligence Division 1738 LO Ll 1é | —_ ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED . ' 13 . DATE las (om er pasiael . l “Hol 14 WARD & PAUL 15 16 “1? 18 19 20 al 22 25 410 First Street, S.E£., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 , NW 55086 Docld: 32969543 Page 3
KELLYGSH Oo 3 $ r pi 1 _ INTELLIGENCE INVESTIGATION °o N 8 2 - = = < F 5 Wednesday, November 19, 1975 4 ~-- 5 7 United States Senate, 6 Select Committes to Study Governmental Wi oO Vsti i+ perations with Respect to , MATION CONTAINED . . e AGRE! emg of , Intelligence Activities, 9 monte . Washington, D.C. 10: The Committees met, pursuant to notice, at 10:05 o'clock 11 || a.m., in Room 318, Russell Senate Office Building, the 12 | donorable Frank Church (Chairman) presiding. WARD & PAUL 13 Present: Senators Church (presiding), Hart (Michigan), 14 Mondale, Huddleston, Hart (Colo) Baker, Tower , Gold, Mathias and Schweiker. 15 Also present: Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., Chief Counsel 16 || and curtis R. Smothers, Minority Counsel. 17 So wae 18}. The Chairman. The hearing will please come to order. 19 our witnesses today are Mr. James B. Adams, thé Deputy 20 Associate Director of the FBI, and Mr. Raymond Wannall, who al is the Assistant Director in charge of the Intelligence 22 || Division of the FBI. 25 Before I swear the witnesses, Senator Mondale has asked 410 First Streat, S.£., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 if he might make an opening statement. And for that purpase 25 the Chain recognizes the distinguished Senator from Minnesota. NW 35086 Docld: 323989543 Page 4
gsh 2 1728 5 . ¢ @ = i Senator Mondale. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. oS - . N . . g z I have always supported the FBI. It is clearly the finest, £ 5 most professional law enforcement agency in the nation .an A probably in the world.. In apprehending robbers, foiling 5 kidnappers, catching fugitives, the FBI has an outstanding 6 record. | 7 . This is based on my own experience with the FBI in my 8 own state where I served as Attorney General. The vast bulk 9 |l.of its work is devoted to law enforcement and Legitimate 10 |) counter-espionage. 11 In these fields the FBI deserves fully the admiration 12 || and respect which americans traditionally held for the Bureau 13 and its personnel. But in one area, domestic intelligance, WARD & PAUL 14 || the FBI, in my opinion, has clearly gone astray: It now 15 |) appears that there was an underworld within the FBI which 16 || took the tools, techniques and zeal which was so effective 17 |} against the real foreign threats and turned..them in upon some 18 || of the American people. | 19 yesterday this Conmittes heard some of the most disturbin 20 || tastimony that can be imagined in a free society. We heard 21 || evidence that for decades the institutions designed to enforce 22 the laws and constitutions of our country itself has besn 25 || engaging in coriduct that violates the law and the Constitution. 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 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 Nw 35086 Docld:32959543, Page 5 ; ;
Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 Gt wo: sy LO li 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 21 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 NW 55086 Boold: 32969543 Page 6 those with unpopular ideas. We learned that the chief law enforcement agency in the Federal government decided that it Gid not neéd laws to investigate and suppress the peaceful and constitutional activities of those whom it disapproved, We heard testimony that the FBI, to protect the country against those it believed had totalitarian political views, employed the tactics of totalitarian societies against American citizens. We heard that the FBI attempted to destroy oné of our greatest leaders in the field of civil rights, and then replace him with someone of the FBI's choosing. From ‘the evidence the Committee has obtained it is clear that the FBI for decades has conducted surveillance over . the personal and political activities of millions of - an Americans. ‘Evidently, no mééting was too small, no group too insignificant to escapes their attention. It did not seem to-matter whether the politics of these americans were legal or radical or whether the participants were well: known or obscure. It did not matter-whether the information was intimate and personal. The PBI created indexes, more. commonly called anemy lists, of thousands of Americans and targeted many of the Americans on these lists for special harassment. Hundreds of thousands of Americans were victims of this surveillance program. Most of this was done in secret. Much -of it was kept £rom Congress and the Justice Department and all of it from thse American people. No ene outside the
Th PAE we eamnettbatrwtat fit alld se bee tle abt te ae ee” Das . . ‘ ee a ae me ag Q io) ‘ps no o < . @ a 1 FBI has ever had an opportunity to know and appraéciate the . g 2 full extent of the domestic surveillance program that was z ° then being. conducted. ce 4 Thus we see that just asin the case of the CIA the 5 kéy issue was accountability: How we can assure that the 6 secret instrumsnts of government are accountable to the (7 people, .the Congress and’ 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 1 Domestic Intelligence program, and éven if it did, I do 12 not believe that any President has the authority to order the WARD & PAUL 13 FBI or anyone alse to spy on Americans, to burglé their homes , , 14 to wiretap them, to open their mail or to blackmail them. 15 one of the most disturbing aspects of this. affair is 16 that the FBI never paid very much attention to whether their 1? || activities were authorized or not or whether they were legal 18 and constitutional. Ons former -senior intelligence officer 19 || has testified that he never once heard a discussion about -20 legality or constitutionality. Most governments in history 21 have relied on some form of police power to determine what 22 views would prevail in their society. However, America was 23 “based on the. revolutionary ‘concept that the people should . £5 || and what is not. 24 decide what is right and what is wrong, what is acceptable 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 NW 55086 Doecld: 325989543 Page 7 i
| ee ee ee ene gsh 5 } ol Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 iB on oO, LO il 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 21 Re 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 . Xo , 12 _That is what wé méant by a free government, and our forefathers were convinced that-it can exist only through the greatest tolerance of ‘spaech and opinion. Thsy placed their faith in the people to remain alert to encroachments on their liberty.’ | The foundérs of our country knew that the greatest danger to freedom comes from the efforts of government to. suppress the opinions o£ its opponents. They. set up a system which limited the powers of government ,. bound it in the constraints of the law, and prohibited it from infringing: on the rights. of psople to free expression. And through the. separation of power, the system. of checks and balances, they tried to assure’ that the Executive would: bs accountable to. the people through the Congress. ~ For the 200 years of our existence as a nation the preservation of Liberty has. baen a constant struggle. . Whether it has been the Alien and Sedition Acts during the French Revolution, the Red Scare and the Palmer Raids of World War I, or McCarthyism after World War “II, or Army. spying during the Vietnam War, the government has let a-fear of unorthodox opinion lead it into the trap of infringing upon the Constitution in the name of internal security. The issues we confront today are a part of a continuing drama of American democracy. It is proof, if we sver needed it, that the price of liberty is ‘eternal vigilance. NW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page §
SS a OT Q 17) vy ON Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 a ol wo: oO ~ on © 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 4a 18 19 20 21 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 BA 25 | HW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page 49 - 1732 “Revelations of.abuse of power, do not threaten domestic security. These hearings do’ not weaken the FBI. What weakens it is its failure to adhere to ths proper role of law enforcement. Somehow Lt forgot that this was its job. It began to usa its energy to spy on Americans whose only offense was an axpressing opinions that some in the FBI did not like. It confused talk .of violence with acts of violence, and all too- often paid more attention to the talk than to ‘the “act. . - The answer, of course, is that violence justifies prosecution, not survéillance.. Our sacurity is not improved ‘by watching those-who commit crimss. Security from violence liss in active and vigorous law enforcement of those who ate committing crimes. -Security fram dangerous’ ideas; if we need any security, should coma not Erom the FBI but from the merit of better ideas, in the good sense of the American. pzopls. | ; Our liberty is best protected by-scrupulcus adherence to the law and the Constitution by the agencies of government. No government agency likes to be. the subject of public scrutiny... I know these have been difficult times for the present leadership of the FBI, many of whom were not involved in these programs at all. But if they had been .spending a lot of time responding to Congressional investigations, they could not forget that this is the first time in 50 years that dos er eee an them Ee [eo mani Cotas Rede WA oR vat Alba na nad teeatnira ep tari int eee amare sme ethene tr winhamtrennt snapee: eer sepeneempenr ems.
} } i | | | i i 5 12 n a) Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 5 ~ Ol iP o,.nr Ke] LO il 12 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 L? 18 20 al 22 29 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 the EBT had been ‘subjected to public scrutiny. ‘attention from the necessity of reform. 13— 19° MW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page 10 + AS painful as this. -process.is, I hope the FBI it tself. would welcome the. ‘opportunity ‘to let in some fresh’ air and * come to grips with. ‘the problems in candor and not retreat. into past patterns of stirring up public fears to distract our Mr. Chairman, thay I say that yesterday I am told that following our hearing the FBI responded exactly in the spirit that I had hoped it would. If they can take this constructive approach, I have no doubt that the FBI will benefit from this attention. I want to see a strong FBI, an FBI strong in law enforcement, in the detection of crime, and in the- gathering of legal evidence: for prosecution and coriviction, _ ‘but an FBI without abuses... “As we .proceed, with these hearings today, we. should also bear in mind the responsibility for the abuses we have uncovered doss not rest on the FBI alone. We in.the Congress have been derelict. t should not have taken until this date for us to discharge our responsibility for investigating FBI and other domestic intelligence. . We should also realize that the FBI has. been performing a function which many Americans, and at times the vast majority of Americans, have wanted to seé undertaken. When popular opinion brands a group unAmerican and subversive mérely because of its political views, all toc often the FBI
Fe anh puke we tC aan i ede 8 UM Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 fe>) ~ _ LO 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 23 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 25 | MW 35086 Doold:32939543 Page ii 24 1734 has reponded to public axpectations and from pressure from a higher authority in government. While this doss not excuse what happened, we should temper our criticism of the FBI's excésses by understanding tha in large part it was only the instrunient of our own intolerance Indeed, I believe that is why our laws and the charter of the - FBI must -be carefully redrawn to protect the FBI's integrity from political pressures and hysteria. | Finally, it would bée a mistake to regard the abuses of the -FBI as those of evil men. ‘The FBI has always been composed of dedicated and hard-working public servants who seek to do their jobs as best they can. The lesson we learn from this history is that we cannot keep our liberty secure. by relying alone. on the good faith of men with great power. As Mr. Justice Brandeis once wrote: "Experience should teach us to bs most on guard to protect libsrty when government's purposes are beneficient. whe greatest dangers to liberty lurk in the insidious encroachment of mén of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding." 2 ee ~ It is my hope that the FBI witnesses we- will hear today can enlighten us as to how it can conduct internal security surveillance programs which do not infringe on our constitutional liberties. I hope they can suggest iron-clad assurances that the abuses of the past will not be repeated.
| | Q tn fo Ne) Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 - LO 11 12 13 * WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 MW 55066 Docld: ’ We nesd more protection than promises of self-restraint by men of good will. | Thank you, Mr. Chairman, - The Chairman. Thank you, Sénator Mondale. That is an excéllent statement with which I would like to be fully associated. | | | Senator Hart of Michigan. I vould, Mr. Chairman, also, except that I want to make clear my family certainly did not support, encourages, or by its‘ vocal position give any indication to the bureau that: they could do what they did. I don't want to go’ too far in suggesting that what we heard yesterday was simply responding by the Bureau to the mood of those years. In those years if we had’ known what you were doing, I lay dough, most families would have said stop it. . Senator Mondale. That is true. I think one of the points that we might aver to is the Houston Plan and the ‘tremendous pressure the FBI was placed under to again resume techniques that it had abandoned in 1966. There is no question that they were getting private pressure from higher authority to do things. In that instance they didn't want it. | | The Chairman. Well, i was struck with the fact that the Houston Plan, as illegal as it was, was limitea to techniqu far more restrictive than the far-reaching methods that were i 2569543 Page i2
gsh 10 amployed by the FBI during the years that we have reviewed in yesterday's hsarings. They led beyond anything that was Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 ever contained in any’ official documént requesting from the President additional authority. | Now I think, Mr... Adams, Mr. Wannall, in addition to swearing you both, if you are going to have occasion to ask others who aré with you to testify in response to certain questions, that it would be well at‘ this time to swear them _ also, ooo es So if that is the casé,, anyone who anticipates that he may be. testifying in this morning's hearing in responses to questions, if you will all stand and taka the oath at this WARD & PAUL time. Do you and each of you solemly swear that all Of the testimony that you will give in these proceedings will be the truth, thse whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you Goa? a an a Mr cAdams ..: Tsdos:; _ Mr. Wanhall: Iv do.« 7 - wad z “" ThefGhairman: wAfteriyesterday's hearing I. asked the staff to’ furnish me with the Statutory authority that presently exist that could be said to relate to. the: FEE's. intelligence activitigs, which was of course: the subject of yesterday's hearings. : 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 And I am furnished in response to that request - Title XVIII, Section 533 of the United States Code, which NW 55066 Docld: 32989543 Page i3
gsh lil @ reads as follows: "The Attorney General may appoint officials: one, to detect and prosecute crimes against the United States; two, to assisti in the protection of the person of the Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 president; and thrée, to conduct such other investigations regarding: official matters undex the control of the Department of Justice and the Department of State as maybe directed by the Attorney General. | . Now yesterday, Mr. Wannall, we were told about a series of activities that were undertaken by the FBI, and indeéd, initiated within the FBI, the purpose of which was to harass and. discredit Dr. Martin Luther King. Now E am not referring to the results of any FBI WARD & PAUL ~- investigative activity, but rather, I am refarring to these kinds of initiatives that were undertaken for the purpose of .éither harassing or eambarrasSing or otherwise discrediting Mr. King himself. | My first question is was Dr. King, in his advocacy of equal rights for black citizens, advocating a course of action that in the opinion of the FBI constituted a crime? 410 First Street, $.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 NW 35086 Docld: 32959543 Page 14
ee re tr eel een et Sere eS 12 1 . uw Phone (Area 203)°544-6000 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL. 14 L5 16 1? 18 19 20 21 22 235 24 410 First Streat, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 NW 55086 Docld: 329689543 Page 15. 1738 - PESTIMONY OF JAMES-B. ADAMS, DEPUTY ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ; “OF THE FBI, AND. RAYMOND WANNALL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, an 27 TEBI INTELLIGENCE DIVISION Me. “Adams. No, sir. The Chairman. So he, was not.then thought to be engaged in any criminal activity. In fact, he was preaching, as I remember those days, non-violence, was he not, as a ‘method of achieving equal rights for black citizens? Mr. Adams. That's right, his advocacy for civil rights. The Chairman. His advocacy of.civil rights was non- vidlent and therefore legal in character. Mr. Adams. That was not the basis of our investigation of him. The Chairman. But as you have said, he-was not ae éngaging in any unlawful activity in connection with his advocacy of equal rights for black citizens. Is that correct? Mr. Adams. Yeas, sir. The Chairman. Well, is it true that at one time the FBI undertook to discourage an American college from conferring an honorary degree on Dr. King? “Mr. Adams. Yes, sir. The Chairman. on what legal basis doss the FEL have a right to interfers,in an effort to discourage a college from
Gonferring an honorary degree upon a man like Dr. Martin ' Luther King, who was not engaging in or suspected of engaging ° ° 3 ° ¢ ¢ o ~ a ° rx) a] @ - £ = i] re 2 in criminal activity? ._ Mr. Adams. I know of no basis, 6 : The Chairman. Why did the FBI do it? 6 Mr. Adams. Well, we have to approach two. parts, ix @ my estimation, Senator Church. One, the basis for‘ our 8 investigation of Martin Luther King, which was to détermine 9 communist influence. on him,. my hands are tied in discussing ~-LO that somewhat on the basis that there is certain information il which today, from an ongoing operation is sensitive and le which, of course; we have made known to you and certain WARD & PAUL, - 13 staff members. a -le 14 I would like to say on the basis that from our review 15° we feel that we initially haa a basis for investigating Martin: 16 Luther King. 1? Now as far as the activities which you ars asking about, 18 the discrediting, I know of no basis for that and I will | © : : 19 not attempt to justify it. Q . ; 2 20 . . . Tha Chairman. You néver made a finding, did you, that : 21 | Martin tuther King was a communist? | 4 22 || - ' Mr, Adams. No, sin, we did not. We were investigating ; 23 ‘communist influence and the possible effect on him, We ; @ : R4 _ never made such a determination. | 25 os The Chairman. Very well, “Then there was no justificatidn NW 55086 DocId:32989543 Page 16
=) 0 CH ° ° ° oO c zt < re) ~ N ° 1 De] o - ¢ = @e i=4 é > on 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 19 20 a1 22 235 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 . 25 NW 55086 Docld:32989543 Page i7 18. £or the FBI to interfere? :- Mr, Adams. To discredit him. the Chairman. In conferring an honorary degree upon him, | | | Mr. Adams. I cannot find any justification for that. The Chairman. Is it true that the FBI on another occasic intervened in an attempt to prevent Dr. Martin Luther King from séeing the Pope? | Mr. Adams. I believe that is correct, sir. There were approximately 25 incidénts, I believe, of actions taken in this regard. I think Mr. Schwarz has chose available, that I would lump basically all of them into the same situation ‘ of I. séa no statutory. basis or no basis of justification for the activity. The Chairman. But what was the. motive, there being no statutory basis or other valid basis? What was the motive for attempting to prevent Dr. Martin Luther King .from visiting with the Pope? a ” Mr. Adams. In looking at absolute motive, XE don't think the files which we have reviewed and made available to the’ committee, give me a clear picture of what.ths motive was. I think that there were, the motive was certainly known to Mr. Hoover. It was known to one top official who is. no longer with the Bureau and maybe known to others, all of whom have been interviewed by the Committee, Matters bearing on whet
nw. °o 3° 3 ) rt t wt 3) =~ N o N ‘gS 9 h t ~ o ¢ é GI ~ Ke) ...L0 11 ape 12 13 @& fa} WARD & SAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 25 @ 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 || | NW 35086 Docld: 323989543 Page 16 might havé been the real motive or the possible motive, I again feel, beacause of reasons of privacy and delicacy, aré not a proper subject of discussion at a public hearing. . IE think we know what could have. influenced this, but one, the primary individual, Mr. Hoover, is not with us. Individuals who were closest to him in this effort-.are not with us. And the Committee itself has interviewed him. So I really am not in a position to discuss this motive issue. Loe ce | the Chairman. Nevertheless, you would agree that whatever the motive, it was a very improper thing to do. Mr. Adams. I cannot find any justification, no, sir.
t. Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 2 Foe huh eee Rw 1 ee hme ee LO Li 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 Be) 24 25 NW 55086 Docid The Chairman. Is it true that after Dr. Martin Luther King had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, that an an anonymous letter was sent to Dr. Martin Luther King and to Mrs. King, Coretta King, his wife, which was sent 34 days before he was to receive the Nobel Peace Prize? Mr. Adams. I do not think those dates are correct. The Chairman. Well, it was sent -— Mr. Adams. It was before:.he was to receive it. I think 34 days -- upon reconstruction by one of the members of my staff, 34 days would have been Christmas Day, and whether that 34 days -- . the Chairman. It is hard to believe: that such a letter would be written on Christmas Day. Mr. Adams. It was not, written on Christmas Day, but 34 days -- the Nobel Peace Prize I. think. was on December 10, “the letter 73 34 days.from the date.of the. mailing of: the letter: as has been reconstructed, as best as possibie, would have been Christmas pay.. The Chairman. Was the letter written and sent by the FBI? Mr. Adams. We have no information. to that effect. All . we know is that the draft, or Original, of what may have been the letter was found in papers::of the FBI left after a former official departed the FBI. We know that based upon inquiries that we have conducted and you have conducted, we know that the 232969543 Page 19
smn 2 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 I LO “i121 12 13 WARD & PAUL . 14 15. 16 1? 18 19 al 22 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 20 - letter was not -~- I mean it was in connection with other material. So I think we can assume -~ The Chairman. Other materials which were sent. Mr. Adams. That's right. So I can assume that the letter was sent. I have determined nothing from my review of the files, and neither has your staff, to my knowledge, or has been reported back to me which would indicate that this action was duly recorded in any file or was a--part of any authorized program or anything else. this is a void that I donot think any of us has been satisfactorily able. to resolve. The Chairman. We know the letter appeared in the files. W know that the letter was received. We know it-.was associated with other matters that were sent by the FBI to Dr. Martin Luther King. | Mr. Adams. The letter was never in our files in the sense that it was entered into the official files of the FBI. Tt was among papers -- " ‘Phe Chairman, .It was. among. papers.._. Mr. Adams. .Left. by. an. individual. who. had. departed. The. Chairman... That individual being Mr. Sullivan? Mr..Adams. Yes, sir. : : . ; A The Chairman. The letter read, "King, there is only one ‘thing left.for you to.do. You. know what it is. You have just 34 days in which to do:, it} “this -exact -number has: béén “sélected for a specific reason. It has definite practical significance. MW 35086 Docld:s2989543 Page 20
smn 3 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 Ht ip a ~ 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 aL 22 23 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 R4 29 “HW 55086 Doocld:32969543 Page 21 You are done. There is but one way out for you." Now, if you had received such a letter, how would you have interpreted it? What would you have thought! it meant? Mr. Adams. I have read that statement. I have heard the conclusions of your staff that it was a suicide urging. I can't find any basis upon which they drew that conclusion. I think that, approaching it from an objective Standpoint, as I read it, I don't..know..what-itimeans. I think rather _than a conclusion it should be a speculation in a realm of .possibilities as to what was intended, but I cannot -- I don't understand the basis for.it. It is a possibility, but I certainly would not reach such a conclusion from my.reading.of that.statement... The Chairman.. .Now, if.you had. received.a letter.of.this kind.and.it had. been directed to you, if.you.were in Dr. King's position and you read, "King, there is only one thing left for you to do. You’.kKnow.what:it:is. You have just 34 days in which to do it." Now, that happened. to. correspond to. the time before which he was to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. What would you think that meant?. Mx. Adams. I would have to consider what I was being accused of. I would have to consider what the facts were. I would have to consider what the intent of the person was writing such a note, coming just before Christmas. I don't know if it means, it is an urging to repent from something this person,
1746 1 jlam being put in a position, I don't know what the staff determined. 2 |\They did not report back to me on their findings. Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 3 The Chairman. The letter will speak for itself. You 4 |lpersonally have disowned it. | 5 Mr. Adams. Absolutely. 6 The Chairman. As a highly improper thing for the FBI 7 |lto be connected with in any way, do you agree with that? gs i _ Mr. Adams. Yes, sir, yes, sir.. ne) : The Chairman. Now, without going through the many 10 |\different and specific undertakings that were intended to public 11 ly discredit. Dr. King, because my time will not permit that and 12 | others will want to question.you on.other specific matters, I 13 || have just one further question to. put to--you.. WARD & PAUL 14 Yesterday there was a document of the FBI which suggested 15 || that in the opinion of the Bureau, .Dr..King was an unsuitable 16 || Leader for the .civil. rights movement, .and.that another man 17 should be looked for, and.indeed, another candidate was actually 1g || suggested to Mr. Hoover as one who should. be:promoted in -1g9 || Various ways so that he might assume the leadership of this 20 movement .. | 21 - Now, can you tell me of anything in the law, or any other 22 justification, given the mission of the FBI, that would entitle 93 || it to decide--who should lead political movements in this country 24 || ox to undertake to degrade a man who had fought and won such 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 leadership and had the support of a great many black people in WW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page 23.
1 |this country, and white: peoplé as well, and to substitute in ‘his 2 ||place someone of the FBI's selection or someone who stood in Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 5 |ithe FBI's favor? 4. Can you think of any justification for such activity on 5 |ithe 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, Mrs Chairman; =. '. iu LO What is your.understanding, if you have any understanding 11 |of the underlying causes of the feud between Mr. Hoover and 12 || Dr. King? ; . a 13 Mr. Adams. Senator Tower, I feel if we got into any WARD & PAUL 14 || discussion of that, I think we would 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 | . 19 of Mr. Hoover-and the spat with Mr. King should be discussed 18 || in executive session,.if at all. “= | 19 . _ Senator Tower. ..All right.. 20 | - tn -1965 Attorney General Katzenbach ‘was ‘informed by Mr. 921 ||.Hoover of the Bureau's. surveillance of -Dr. King. 22 What was the Attorney General's reaction? What was his 23 || position once he was .informed by: Mr..Hoover of this surveillance? 410 First Street, S.£., Washington, D.C. 20003 2A Mr. Adams. I don't recall having seen it. 25 ' Senator Tower. In cther words, did the Attorney General | MW 35086 Docld: 32999543 Page 24
PDT a ee ee eee ee NW 35086 Doold: 323989543 Page 25 smn 7 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL, 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 Ot s on oO 10 Ll 12 13 14 15 . «+16 1? 18 19 * pO al 22 25 24 25 give any direction to the Bureau in the matter that you know of? Mr. Adams. Yes, Sir. I know that, of course, on the wiretapping on Martin Luther King, it was approved by the Attorney General. I know that the President of the United States 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. Senator Tower. Do you know whether or not Mr. Hoover ever sought direct‘authorization from Mr. Katzenbach for this very sensitive surveillance. of.Dr. King? Mr. Adams. I don't know.. Attorney General Kennedy approve the actual.surveillance that was instituted on Dr. King. I don't know of any correspondence between Attorney General Katzenbach -- Senator Tower. Or any.personal communication between them that would have indicated the level of the Attorney General's involvement? Mr. Adams. No. If my recollection .serves me .correct, as far as Attorney General Kennedy was concerned, -he requested .coverage.on Dr. King. The Bureau responded with a request in writing, which is our normal procedure. He declined to approve that request, and then we came back later, a few months later and requested it again, at which time he did approve. That is my recollection of that.
an ay dm en bbe nee wee ee smn 8 ~ L 2 5 Pnone (Area 202) 544-6000 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 li 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 “1? 18 19 20 al 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 | NW 35086 Docid 3 1749 Senator Tower. Why did the Attorney General change his mind? Do you have any idea, or is.that again a matter of sensitivity? Mr. Adams. I don't know why he actually changed his mind from originally requesting, then declining when it was submitted and then approving it on the second go round. It may be in the files. If it is, I would be glad to see what I could determine. Senator Tower. If you could, we would like to have that. Mr. Adams. Yes, sir. Senator Tower. Mr. Adams, you have been familiar with the Bureau's domestic intelligence work for many years. How did the Bureau come to. launch the COINTEL program and what in essenc did COINTELPRO accomplish? Mr. Adams. Well, the program as such, as I can reconstruct from the files, was.indicated as concern over conspiratorial efforts of certain groups, and a.decision made that perhaps more affirmative .action.should.be.taken to neutralize violence which was becoming of more concern.to the FBI in that regard. I beliéve these are some of the basic considerations that went into the launching of the .COINTELPRO.. Now, as far as the first one, which was. the Communist Party, of course, there was the concern here to neutralize the effectiveness of the Communist Party in the United States. In fact, out of all of the COINTELPRO operations that were approved 2989543 Page 26
CTE aMAe RT AU RR A ew eA © ee oe ee L smn 9 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 On 0» ibs on LO ‘LiL 12 13 WARD & PAUL 15 16 ~ 1? 18 19 20 ‘Bl 22 25 ° R4 410 Flist Streot, S.E., Washington, 0.C: 20003 25 59 percent of them were directed at the Communist Party. The bulk of the concern initially was with the Communist Party and it was a desire to create factionalism within the Communist Party and try to neutralize its efforts. The Communist Party, Congress itself, still has a determina tion on the record as to the threat of the Communist Party ina statute. The Supreme Court has held that the Communist Party is an instrument of the Soviet--Union. The Soviet Union certainly has not relinquished its interest in the United States as a target. All of these. considerations.went into should we do something not only to. follow. the. activities of the Communist Party, but should we destroy its effectiveness in the United States. That was the first program, I believe, that, was. initiated. Senator Tower. Now, did the Bureau ever seek direction and counsel from the Attorney General on any of its COINTELPRO efforts or specific programs? Mr. Adams. As best as I can reconstruct’, Senator, there was no direct authority. requested.from. any Attorney General for the initiation of these programs, .and..it is only a question, as your staff presented yesterday, that the Attorney Generals, Presidents, Congress, had been made available of certain aspects of programs after the fact and those were primarily concerned with the Communist Party and, oh, one other organization but not the New Left and these other types. So I cannot find any MW 55086 Doold: 39989543 Page 27
Foo smn 10 Phone.(Area 202) 544-6000 “10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 " 20 21 22 “235 24 410 First Street, S.€., Washington, D.C. 20003 "25 * NW 55086 Donld: 32969543 Page 28 ana Ame hana dill Yl ae al wien hey L751 evidence, and I have no reason to believe that there would be any evidence that the Bureau initiated these programs other than as an internal decision. Senator Tower. Well, were reports on these programs made to the Attorney General? Was he informed of them? Was he kept informed on a continuing basis? Mr. Adams. He was kept informed by letters, which again the staff has alluded to, letters reporting certain developments For instance, one of them that went to one Attorney General, reading of that letter outlined almost in complete detail Klan activities, activities taken to disrupt the Klan. It used terms of netttralize, disrupt. There was a clear explanation of what we were doing against the Klan in that regard. Senator Tower. How is it that you came to believe that yo had the authority to neutralize or disrupt these organizations rather than proceed against them frontally through prosecuting them for law violations? | Mr. Adams. I.guess you would have to say, in a position -like this, that it is just like the Smith Act of 1940, which is designed to prevent revolutionary groups .from advocating the overthrow of the Government, and .then subsequent interpretations as to the constitutionality of .it leaves us with a statute still .on the books that proscribes .certain actions, but yet the degree of proof necessary to operate under the few remaining areas is such that there was no satisfactory way to proceed,
oe Phone (Area 202) nssool re oo Ol ~ <6) ne) Li 12 LS WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 21 Re 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 NW 35086 Docld: 323989543 Page 29 and it was an area where -- The Chairman. Will the Senator-yield at that point}; please What’you are saying, Mr. Wannall --'Mr. Adams, excuse me, is that you did not operate within the’ law because the law didn't give you sufficient latitudée:. Therefore you under- took direct action to disrupt and otherwise undermine these organizations. Senator Tower’. Did you proceed on the assumption that these organizations would eventually break the law, and therefor you sought to neutralize and disrupt. them before they did? Mr. Adams. I can't say that, sir. I think that the investi- gations of them were based on this belief, that they might break the law or they were breaking the law. The disruptive activities, I can't find where we were able to relate to that. What it boils down to is what we have gotten into a question before on: in our review of the situation we see men GE the FBI recognizing or having a good faith belief that there was immediate danger to the United States -- . Senator Tower. All.right, but to. repair to Senator Church's question, you don't say that you really had specific legal authority. Mr.iAdams. No. And this is the hangup with the whole program, and which we are not trying to justify, that there is some statutory basis. I would not make that effort whatsoever. All I'm trying to do is say that at the time it was initiated,
see nibnnnatt eh ented WE rf edn aatb en ene tre oem smn 12 on Phone (Area 202) 544-60 1! - 10 Li le 13 WARD & PAUL 14 |. 15 "16 “1? 18 19 “94 “99 RS 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 MW 35086 Doeld: * 20° 1753 we had men who felt--that: there was an immediate danger to the ‘country. They felt they had a responsibility to act and having felt this responsibility, did act. And lthis is the whole proble we haver:at :‘the-present-.time, because we do have, one, we can 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 end was going to be. We never can look around the corner in intelligence operations. We don't know if ultimately this might bring the destruction of the country. All we know is we had an extremely violent time. .So'-I.don't find any basis in my mind to argue with their good faith belief.they were. faced with a danger. Now, when they .move over to the second area of responsi- bility, here is where we have the problem, and I think it is the whole purpose of this Committee, the Attorney General, Mr. Kelley, all of us realizing we. can't operate. in .these areas where we. feel. responsibility. but. we.don't..have a mandate by Congress. So in that area; this: feeling..of. responsibility L. feel. came. from. the.fact.that. Presidents, as your staff said yesterday, Presidents, .Congressmen,. the Attorney General, no one really provided direction and guidance or instructions don't do this. Do this, don't do that, or what are you doing and how are you doing it. | For instance, there is some feeling on the part of some 989543 Pagé 30
=] rae) wW 2 2 xs @: ° a rs) a Py he < = 2 c 3 & LO 11 le 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 19- ‘18 19 ‘ el 22 25 " B24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 NW 35086 Esta: 20° 1754 that our whole domestic intelligence operations were secret. The COINTELPRO operation was. I mean, I think we all agree that this was, to be effective, they felt it should be secret. But back in our -- this is printed appropriation testimony which | 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's operations, the New Left movement, Young Socialist Alliance, Chicago trial, nationwide demonstrations, student agitation, anti-war activities, the Committee of Returned Volunteers, Communist Party;:U.S.A.°, Progressive Party, Socialist Party, extremist organizations, Black Panther Party. .All of these items and statements about extremists, white extremists and hate type groups, the Republic of New Africa, Minutemen, our coverage of subversive organiza~ tions -- there are several groups, organizations and movements which I discussed. showed. the wide.coverage we must.maintain to follow.on.their activittes.and changing tactics, and in spite ‘of the proliferation of. these.organizations, our.informant coverage at.all.levels.has.been.of .great.value and .assistance, enabling us to keep abreast of. our investigative responsibilitie . This is the same way through all of.our public appropriatio testimony. We have: told: the world we are investigating black -hate groups, New Left groups. So, I merely mention this to try to put in the frame of reference of these men feeling, they know we are investigating 2989543 Page 3i
smn 14 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 on ra ot! ro) 10 Li 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 end 2 . 16 begin 3 L? 18 20 al 22 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 NW 35086 Docld: 323989543 Page 32 12’ 19 © 1755 them. They didn't tell them, though, in sufficient detail other than scantily before the Appropriations Committee what we were doing to disrupt these activities, and my feeling is that the men recognized the danger, they pointed out the danger to the 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, you, that.give.us the guidelines under which:we.should..operate. yu Now, there are certain guidelines that we don’t need to be given, we shouldn't do this. We don't have such activities today, programs designed to disrupt and neutralize in the domestic intelligence field. But beyond that, we need guideline on what does the whole of Congress, representative of the people, by passing of legislation say this is the FBI's role in domestic intelligence. . 7 Senator Tower. Mr. Chairman, my time has long since expired. oo I would like to note that I saw Mr. Kelley on the Today - Show this morning indicating strong support for a response to Congressional oversight, and that is a healthy attitude. The Chairman. Well, I think it must come because, as” you have really conceded, you shouldn't have ever had to have had the guidelines that the Federal Government's chief law enforcement agency ought not to disobey the law, and really, +:
1 ‘you don't.’need explicit guidelines to tell you that, or you 2 |jshouldn't “have. 3 Wouldn't you agree? Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 4 - Mr. Adams. I would say that looking at it today, we should 5 l|have looked at it that way yesterday, but I do feel, I don't 6 ||have any doubt about the good faith of people recognizing the y lldanger, feeling they had a responsibility, no matter whose fault g j|it was, ours internally or beéause we weren't given “the:super- g || vision we should have been given, and taking what they considere 10 || to be appropriate action. 11 The Chairman. Senator Hart. 12 Senator Hart of Michigan. I should apologize both to 13 ||\witnesses and my colleagues on the Committee for scrambling WARD & PAUL 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, and I am not 17 ||sure what is in the files for the public record, and what of 1g | the materials I have been shown-in the last couplé of days since -19 ||f got back are still under seal...So just out of memory I am 20 going to summarize certain activities which have been acknowledged 9) || that the Bureau undertook, but without being specific with: respect . BQ ||to location and names, and I do it for this reason. It is 93 ||\xight that the Committee and the press be worried about the 24 treatment of a Nobel Prize winner, Dr. King. ' 410 First Street, S.£., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 There are an awful lot of people who never got close to a ra HW 5086 Docld:32989543 Page 33 [
FE oe Nahe ke Mae ee a eS smn 15 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 HY - 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 17 ig 20 21 22 23 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 MW 35086 Docld: 52939543 Page 34 1757 Nobel Prize whose names are Jones and Smith, that my review of the files show had violence done to their First Amendment rights. And Nobel Prize Winners will always get protection, but Joe Potatoes doesn't, and this Committee should focus on him, too. Now, included in this COINTEL were activities like this, anonymous letters, drafted by Bureau offices in the field, sent to headquarters in Washington, approved, and then put~ in the mail, intended to break up marriages, not of Dr. King but of Mary and John Jones because one or the other was thought to be a dissenter, might have dressed strangely or showed up at meetings in company of others who dressed strangely; anonymous letters to university officials and to the several newspapers in that city to prevent university facilities from being made available to a speaker of whom the Bureau disapproved, and it was not atop flight, .big name ‘speaker. . In that case, an anonymous letter was sent to me making protest. Being an anonymous letter, it never occurred to me that it came from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. . “The series of anonymous letters, one with the spelling very poor, the grammar sloppy, and another more sophisticated, protesting the employment by a city of a man alleging that he was a Communist or came from a Communist family, and there are loyal Americans out of work, what are you doing, Mayor. And to the press, isn't this an outrage. And again: the letter, the Dane terre acer sere ene nsemitert in geen geen nay wr ene are pace yer anne
fe male 9 hob Wad Rats lee et ctl ww le decent Fn smn 16 1758 fo] 3 ° te] ¢ t + w ~ w ° nN s o - ft _ oO ¢ é @ 1. llanonymous letter sent to me saying what are you going’to do abou 2 |Ithis. There are loyal Democrats in this town who need work. An 3 }iin that case I happened to have known the man about whom the 4 |lprotest was made, and the Bureau's facts were wrong as hell on 5 |ithat man's loyalty. He was a loyal as you or I. 6 Now, yes or no, are those actions regarded now by the 7 |/Bureau as within bounds? 8 Mr. Adams. No, sir. 9 _ Senator Hart of Michigan. Why 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 12 || COINTELPRO, as established, the programs were not designed for the purpose of harrassment of an individual. The memoranda WARD & PAUL 13 14 indicate::they: were designed to disrupt the organizations. Some 15 of the turn downs were turned down on this specific wording. ig || This is mere harrassment. | ; 1? . The rationale would have been ~- and of course, here, I 1g || S2y some of these you mentioned wouldn't even appear to me to : 19 meet the criteria of the program and should have been disavowed, : 20 || even under the existence of the program. However, in the total 5 . i 21 context of the program activities were to be directed towards rf 20 the organization itself, but we do not do that at the present g 23 time. @ : 24 . Senator Hart of Michigan. Yes, but everything I have ° 25 summarized, rather poorly, was approved by the Bureau at the NW 55066 Docld: —_ Page 35
fo teeter said Sab AA ae tee sted teliny 6 fj un Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 5 ht ~) _ 10 12 13 WARD & PAUL 15 16 1? ‘18 19 20 al 25 " R4 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 “25 NW 55086 Docld: 32989543. Page 36 ; . . 4 “proper investigative activities, but the -- 11 Re time by headquarters, not by the field office agents. Mr. Adams. {I do think that there were improper actions taken under the program, even under the program as it existed. Mr. Kelley has so stated his recognition of that fact. The Attorney General certainly has. Yet the majority of the actions taken, even the Department concluded were lawful and legal, Senator Hart of Michigan. You see, my feeling is it isn't a question of techniques that are bad. The concept of the program seems to ao violence to the First Amendment because everything you did sought to silence someone or threaten somebody to silence, or deny somebody a platform, or create an atmosphere in which people were in fact afraid to assemble. “Now, sometimes law enforcement, legitimate law enforcement has what we call this chilling effect, when-it is legitimate law enforcement. Oftentimes that chilling effect is a necessary though regretable ‘side effect. But what <T am talking about, ard what these files are full of are actions the.only purpose of which is to chill. It isn't in pursuit of any. crime at all. Indeed, when a court of general jurisdiction approved the use of that university premise for the.use of the speaker the Bureau had stirred:.so much controversy with.its anonymous letters, .when that .judge wrote an.order, after the sponsoring group .went to .court, what was the Bureau's reaction from headquarters? Investigate the judge.
saiirntsetmetine shardittrnen bends wheniastetnat Mvnstnm che eee smn 18 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 - 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 - 15 - 16 17 - - 18 -- 19 ~ 20 “RL 22 -29 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 NW 35086 Doold: Now, that, you know, if -- Mr. Adamsv-.I'm not familiar with that fact. Senator Hart of Michigan. Well, neither was I until last night. Mr. Adams. The instruction was to investigate the judge? Senator Hart of Michigan. This is the kind of stuff that I came out of the hospital to find, and it is the sort of thing, as I said yesterday, that my children have been telling me for years you were busy doing, and I simply didn't believe them. And they were right and I am wrong. Mr. Adams. Well, there were about 3200 activities, and about 2300 I believe or .so were approved under the COINTELPRO, and over 59 percent were addressed .to the Communist Party. That leaves 1000. And out.of 1000, perhaps, I don't know what the. actual .figure was of ones. that.just-clearly stand out as, improprietous under .the .program,.even as it existed at the time, but I do feel.that --.well, it is_a.very.difficult area. Senator.Hart of .Michigan.. My. time.is-up, too, I am sure, but on this business of.the Communist .Party, if-your theory - .continues.to be that any socially active group of citizens who organize, whether Women's:.libbers or fight the bomb or anything else; might bea target -for infiltration by the Communist Party and therefore you can move your agents in, that means, almost .not as.an overstatement, that any and every citizen activity could be made the target of the kind of business that 2989543 Page 37
SFE ARSE WOTEARN SITET FADO WON EN gS OO . ” - - rrr “. woe - . ' aes 4 te enamel annie wether bina Eaa te smn 19 1761 . fo] 3 : eae . . ® pa 1 || I have just described, because every individual is apt, during oO . N * . g 2 | his lifetime, to engage in violence. If that is justification, E 5 ||then you are justified in running tails on everybody. . 4 - Mr, Adams. Well, that was not -- 5 Senator Hart.of Michigan. Everybody has got--that' privilege 6 || and that clearly is a police state concept. 7 Mr. Adams. That is not our criteria. 8 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 kind of thing the Communists would like to 11 exploit, and therefore you seek to justify shutting off the ‘12 forum for that group or to surveille it, the potential for 13 Communist intrusion, then, if that continues to be your theory, WARD & PAUL 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 -19 man hours, how many .tax dollars doing the kind of things that 90 ||.L.summarized so.briefly here...... 21 - what in my book is the.20th.century version of what the . 22 Founding Fathers intended to prevent’ when they wrote the First 23 Amendment. 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 24 ° What is the position of-the Bureau when’ a.Communist . 25 || may participate, associate with and promote’ an idea, this NW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page 35 kL
smn 20 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 no 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 15 16 1? -18 21 22 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 , Ww S5086 DocId: 32969543 Page 35 14. L9- 1762 justifies you trying to figure out’ if you can bust up a marriage if two of the people are in the group? Mr. Adams. It “does-not, and it is not our criteria, no sir. Senator Hart of Michigan. What does it justify? . 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 beyond investigation that we have no statutory authority. Senator Hart of Michigan. Well, we have been emphasizing COINTEL. Would it justify putting tails on the people? Mr. Adams. What, just a ~~. _. . , Senator Hart of Michigan. Or putting an informant into the group. ‘Mr. Adams. If it is a Communist group? Senator Hart of Michigan. No, if it's me and somebody else that thinks we oughtn't to have.something that a majority of people think we should. We organize and.you..people say, well, there is .something the Communists can take and run with. Mr. Adams. No, sir. Senator Hart of Michigan. Does-that justify putting a tail on them? ; Mr. Adams. It does not, and we would not. Before we would even open for a preliminary inquiry, we should have an
[ syn 21 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 LO L1 12 13 - WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 Al R22 - Bd 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 R4 25 oA — nt or \NW 55086 Doocld: 32989543 1763 indication that the Communist Party has attempted to infiltrate or is infiltrating, in other words, where you have some evidence of'a subversive group, participating in the functions of that organization, and there are grey areas here, in the spectrum of anything where I am sure we have opened investigations where we should not because there has been scant evidence of such infiltration. And this is a supervisory problem. It is a criteria problem. And it is also an oversight problem which we are responding to. | | Senator Hart of Michigan. My time is up and I haven't gotten into some of the other material. | The Chairman. Well, Senator, .you.have not been with us ~-— Senator Hart of Michigan. .No, no, I.just -~ - The Chairman. If you want more time, you have‘a: lot of ti stored up. If you.want .to use it now, you go right ahead. Senator Hart of Michigan. Weéll let me ask the justificatic for this sort of business. | I have been talking about the things I have seen in the filles that bear on direct, .First- Amendment denial, .and again, this does not deal with the treatment of a distinguished American. Indeed, it involves groups that are generally viewed with very sharp disapproval. The .ground rules for the treatment should be precisely the same, whether it is a good guy, a popular guy, or a dirty and smelly guy. What was the purpose of the Bureau in trying to stir up Page 40
° c=] ° rr) c zt < w = nu ° N oc @ 2 - € <= a c é LO 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 “1? “48 "19 al Re 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 - 25 ! 20 aw 55086 Doold: 32969543 Page 41 1764 strife -~ perhaps I shouldn't say what was the purpose -- what possible justification for the Bureau trying to Sick the Black Panthers on that outfit call the US out in California, or bétwee the Black Panthers and the Blackstone Rangers in Chicago? Was it with the hope that by fomenting it they would kill each other off? uF Mr. Adams. Absolutely not, and I think the Committee staff can inform you that during their review of all of these matters they haven't come up with one instance of violence resulting from any of these actions, and in that “particular case there was a communication in the same file which I believe the staff had access to which showed that we did get informatio that one of these groups was going to put out a contract on one of the, others, and we notified the police and the individuals of the fact that their life was .in dangers - a None of our programs have.contemplated violence,, and the instructions prohibited.it, and the record of turndowns of recommended actions.in some instances specifically Say that we do not approve.this.action because if we take it it could result in harm. to.the individual....... .- So I think this is one.charge ~-.and the staff did not make such a charge, I might add, when they presented the pictur put I think any inference that we were trying to result in violence is wrong. ; a | Senator Hart of Michigan. Let-me explain for the record
L. Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 O LO 11 ~ 12 13 WARD & PAUL. 14 15 16 1? 20 al ‘22 _ B4. 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 | .to warn him. why I reached the conclusion I did.. Mr. Adams. The wording of that memorandum ~~ _ _Senator Hart of Michigan. And why I continue to hold to that conclusion. On January 30th, 1969, the Bureau headquarters in Washingto approved sending an anonymous letter to the leader of the Blackstone Rangers, Jeff Forky, which indicated that the Black Panthers had put a contract out on his. life as a result of conflicts between the two organizations. Now, you say that was I ask, wasn't the principal purpose of the letter to encourage the Rangers to shoot some or all of the leadership of the panthers? Otherwise, what does this quote mean, and I will read it,. It is from a memorandum from the .Chicago office of the Bureau asking approval to undertake this. Here is the way it reads:: "It is believed that the above" this anonymous - tip that a contract .is out.on you, "It .is believed that -the - above may.intensify the degree of animosity between the two groups .and occasion. Forky to.take retaliatory actions which could disrupt -the_BPP, the Black Panthers, or lead to reprisals against its .leadership.. Consideration has. been given to a similar letter to the. Panthers alleging a Ranger plot against Panther leadership. However, it is not felt that this will be productive, principally because the Panthers at present is not believed as violence prone as the Rangers, * > MW 35086 Doold:32939543 Page 42
“smn 24— Dm Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 tn on Oo LO © 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL, e ww 14 15 16 1? 18 20 el 22 25 @ ; 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 NW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page 43 Lek ade ee to whom violent .type activity, shooting and the like, is second nature." ain Now, how, can you reach -any conclusion other than a purpose was to generate the kind of friction that would induce the killing -- 7 | Mr. Adams. Well, if that purpose was for that rather than generating factionalism, disagreements, disrupting it, it would be contrary to the communication I referred to in the other file, the Black Panthers versus Ellis, where we notified the police of the contract, we notified the individuals of the contract and took every action at our command to prevent direct violence, and also the fact that the files showéd ‘that we turned down these situations where violence was involved.
kK KELLYGSH 11/19/75 Taps 34 1 Phone (Area 202) 544-60 an ne ol! no - o>) LO il 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 “15 16 1? 18 20 al 22 23 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 1767 ‘+ oo '. Sgnator Hart of Michigan. Well, we have differing views with respect to motives and the purpose of the Panther - situation in Chicago.* I stall do not understand why the Panthers and this US group in California we sought to bse set as they were but finally, and again, I don't know whether it is in the racord, open or not, for what purpose other than to occasion violence moved the Bureau to approve of forged signatures of Communist Party personnel to letters addressed to Mafia-owned businessés attacking the employment’ practices of the Mafia-owned business? Why would a Burséau, why would the Bureau think there was any value to be served in concocting a forged letter? Let us assume Phil Hart is a local communist in this -city.: The Bureau forges Phil Hart's name to a rackét-owned business, notorious for using muscle, protesting that féllow's business practicss. Now certainly it was not intended to improve the — employment practices. Mr. Adams. I think if the full communication were available, it did show a purpose unrelated to violence. I don't’ recall the exact wording now, but I think it was to create a lack of support or something like that. This was part of that Hoodwink program, I belisve, that ‘was one of four actions that were involved in Hoodwink, and I think there have been some public descriptions of that. NW 55086 Docid:32989543 Page 44 Sr ececee ng wmeny wn pete bm eed, bs
WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, B.C. 20003 Phone (Area 202} 544-6000 NW 550686 Docld: 32989543 Page 45 1768 program that indicate that it was not the greatest thing coming down the pike.” | Senator Hart of Michigan. Well, that is the sort of thing r found that persuaded me to say very openly that I do not buy the idea that the American people ultimately are responsible for that kind of nonsense because I am certain that virtually évery family in the country would have screamed in protest no much how much they disliked Dr. King or the Panthers or the Commiihists. ~ Mr. Adams. Sir ao ‘Senator Hart of Michigan. If they had known that tax monsy and Federal personnel were busy, busy, busy around the country, notwithstanding bank robbsriss that were going on ‘at' the same’ time, pounding out that kind of correspondence and inciting that kind of conflict and curbing speech. Thank you, Mr.” Chairman. The Chairman, Thank you very much, Senator Hart. Senator Mondale is next. | Senator Mondale. Mr. Adams, I realize that you wex not a part of this particular event, but being an old, axperienced FBI hand, I wonder if you could help us understand the psychology that lad to this kind of memorandum . Mr, Adams. I feel it coming, but go ahsad. Senator Mondale. This is a mémorandun to the Director. It has been referred to before, which calls for removing
fe ate Si eh ae Sms connie ithe ae Phone (Area 202),544-6000 WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 NW 35086 1 Oo o & Ot aw ll 12 13 14 15 16 18 “19 20 21 22 23 24 25 10° - L769 King from his pedestal and replacing him by somaons élse, datéd January 8th, 1964, which memo was written a week ‘£ollowing the timé that King was named man of the year by Time magazine. .. This memo, as you know, received the following comment from Mr. Hoover. "Tam glad to see that light, though it has been delayed, has come to. the Domestic Intelligence Division," and so on. I would just quote part of the language and maybe you "can help us understand the psychology that led to it. The first part-of the memo says: "We have got to remove King from his pedestal." - Then it says, "the negroes will bea left without a national leader of sufficiently compelling ‘ parsonality to steer it in-a proper direction. ‘This is what could happen but nesd not happen if the right kind of national negro leader could at this time be gradually devéloped - go as to overthrow Dr. King and be in the position to assume the role of leadership of the negro people whsn King has been completely discredited, — “egor’ some months I have been thinking about ‘this. matter. One day I had an opportunity to explore this from-a philosophic and sociological standpoint with x ae the name of the leader -- "whom I have known for some years. As I previously reported, he is a very able fellow and ons on whom I can rely. I asked him to give the matter some attention, and if Doocld: 32989545 Page 46
1 Gl © Lo] 3 rd ¢ ¢ n 4 or a a 9 ~ < oO c S & ~ oO _ 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 ‘ 19 . 22 295 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 R4 25 20 21 1770 he knew any negro of outstanding intelligence or ability, let ma know and we would have a discussion, "He has submitted to ma” the name of the above-named parson.- Enclosed with this mamorandum is an outline of X's biography, which is truly remarkable, In scanning, this biography, it. will be seen that xX does have all of the qualifications of the kind of a negro I have in mind to advance to positions .of national leadership." - And skipping: ““I want to make it clear at onca that I don't propose that the FBI in any way ‘become involved openly as the sponsor of a négro leader to overshadow Martin Luther King. If this thing can be set up properly without the Bureau in any: way becoming directly involved, 1 think it would be ‘not only a great help to the FBI, but would be- a fine thing for the country at large. "While <I 'm not specifying, at this nioment , there are various ways in which the FBI could give this entire inatter the proper direction and development. There are. highly placed contacts at the FBI who it might be very helpful to further such a step. This can be discussed at a later date when _I have probed more fully into the possibilities and this. recommendation is that approval be given for me to explore the whole matter as set forth above,". and to that Mr. Hoover says, "I'm glad to see the light has finally come. -I have struggled for months to gat over the fact that the communists NW 55066 Doold: 32989543 Page 47 \
ES ES I me eee oer He rer = . 1 = =, x Moe ee 7 =e ™ . cat TT ae ra me Te ened ete tee 1 0 Phone (Area 20$.544-6000 t ui oH en. LO ll 412 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 20 al 22 “23 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 Xe} were taking over the racial movements but our experts here couldn't or wouldn't see it." Now I think you testified earlier that you do not accept this as_proper FBI activity, but can you help us understand “how at-one point in American history someone thought it was proper, apparently including the Director? - Mr. Adams. I would have to say for one thing that this géts into the real motive of the discrediting of Martin Luther King, which I dow't feel can be fully explored. I think that the people most directly involved in that are not available. because I don't know from my sxperiencs what they had in mind in this regard. I havé no.doubt from this memorandum and other memorandum -that the two individuals’ involved felt very strongly that g Martin Luther King was a threat to the success of ths negro movement avid that steps should be taken to get him out of that -- what the reason for it was or the motivation, I’ am just not in a position to say. I; do say it is improper to inject yourself into that type of activity, but I don't know what the real motive was. Senator Mondale. Now Dr. King was. investigated, as I think you earlier testified, because of fears of communist influence upon him? Mr. Adams, Yeas. ‘Senator Mondale. Is that a proper basis for investigatin 1 HW 55086 Docld:32589543 Page 48 q
Phone (Area 202)°544-6000 7 jf o ~2 11 12 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 17 18 ' pu Ce) 20 21 22 23 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 ‘Dr. King or anyone ¢l1se? 13 -Mr. Adams, It is where you have information indicating that the Communist Party is and has made efforts to try ‘ to influence an individual. I would say that that would normally be considered within the current criteria. - Senator Mondale. . You would consider that to baa valid purpose for’ investigating today? -: Mr. Adams. Excuse Mey what? Senator Mondale. You would consider that to be a valid basis for investigating today? ‘Mr, -Adams.. The movenent itself, but not the individual. Senator Mondale. How do you,investigaté a movement - without investigating individuals? Mr, Adams, You do get into a gray area. The main thing would be if we had an organization today that we saw the . Communist Party gravitating to,trying to work in positions of leadership, we would be interested_in opening an investigatipn on Communist infiltration of that organization to see if “it was affecting it. Senator Mondale. All right, now let's go back’ specifically. | | I gather there never was any quéstion raised about whether Dr. King was a Communist, That .was never charged. Mr. Adams. Not as a Communist Party member, no, sir. “WW 55086 Doold:32989543 Page 49 4 .
oO o So o ¢ gt 5 7 oO N a oO he ¢ g oO fay fs} J a lo il WARD & PAUL I WN i4 15 16 1? 18 8-- 19 Cj fal ¢ 20 3 é 21 = 3 22 i 23 z @: «2 t 25 | MW 35086 Doocld:32939543 Page 50 t + 1773 Senator Mondale. That's right. Or that he was about to or had committed acts of violence?. ...Mr. Adams. Woo” - Senator Mondale. But the réason for investigating him apparently was that he was subject to Communist influence. Now what makes that a justified reason for investigating him? Is it a crime to be approached by someones who is a Communist? ee | ~ Mr. Adams. No. ~ : Senator Mondale.’ What is the legal basis for that investigation? | | ; Mr. Adams: The basis would ‘be the Communist influence on him and the effect it would have’ on ths organization. It would be in connection with our basic investigation of the - ' gati .Communist Party. Senator Mondale. Well, as I understand the law to read, it is not A crime to he a member of a Communist Party. Mr. Adams. That is correct. Senator Mondale. How can it be a crime to know someonsé who is a member of the Communist Party? Mr. Adams.;. It is not. : -5 Senator Mondale. How do you-investigate something as ‘tenuous as that? What is the basis for it lagally? Mr. Adams, Well, it falls into the area of, one, the intelligence jurisdiction of the activities of the Communist
1774 Party to have a situation where an individual in an organization, a leader of an organization, efforts are being made to ‘influence him and to achiave control over the organization, Phone (Area 202),544-6000 and it is part of the overall investigation of the Party trying to exert this influence as to are they successful, are they taking over the black movement or the civil rights ’ movement. - It is just like we tried to make clear in investigations that were more prevalent years ago but still occur on the Communist influence in labor unions. We tried to tell every- body we interview we are not interested in labor matters. We are not trying to inquire into that. We are interssted in WARD & PAUL the effect of the Communist Party on this union. Senator Mondale. Mr. Adams, I am trying to get at the legal basis in this particular casé in investigating Dr. King on the grounds that he might be subject to Communist influence. | ~_ Can_ you cits any legal basis for that or is it based entirely upon a generalized authority thought to axist in “the FBI to investigate "internal security matters"? Mr. Adams. It would fall aiso in the presidéntial directives of investigating subversive activities. Senator Mondale. And then the question would réturn - 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 to what authority the President had. Mr. Adams. That's right. NW 35086 Docld: 323989543 Page 51
\ WARD & PAUL @ Hw fa} n Phone (Area 202°544-6000 rT) oo 1) oO. O Lo 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18. 4 19 20 21 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 “55066 Docld: 32989543 Page 52 “ “" Senator Mondale. Now Dr, King was investigated among other things for matters of, I think you call it delicacy. - Would that be a basis for investigating an American citizen. by ‘the FBI? Mr. Adams. No. - Senator Mondale. Would you say then that those investigations were improper? | Mc, Adams. -I don't believe that there is an allegation that we investigated him for that. - think there were certain by-products of information that developed and Tt think at a point you had a situation where the tail was wagging | the dog, perhaps, but I don't sea any basis for such investi- gation. and I find it very difficuit ko get into a discussion of this in’ view of the prohibitions that I think -- Senator Mondale. You answered my question. That for itself would not be a basis for investigation. ‘Mr. Adams. ‘No; sir. Senator Mondale. ‘Would you agree with me, Mr. Adams, that this whole: vague, generalized area of the assignment that the FBI has been tasked, which they thought they possessed} or could use to investigate Americans, not where there were | allegations, of crime ox suspicion that crimes were about to be committsd, or chat violence -was about to be committed, but rather this whole generalized area, to investigate Americans in terms of ideas that they have or might be persuade
‘asm tetnaee Ry tite oe mm Sartre, A A te MN oe A FS MR um km 7 . 7 a ian ad ns -“ aot Be mate - 4, ow er oe aa “ates eee SY en » Phone (Area 202} 544-6000 b oO CH ie) “qi 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 18 4 19 21 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.c. 20003 24 29 17° 20 NW 35066 Docld: 329599543 Page 53 1776 to have that might hold d potential for danger to this country is an exceedingly vague, difficult, if not impossible to define aréa and an area which has got the FBI into an awful lot of trouble, including today's hearings. Mr. Adams. ‘Yes, sir. Senator Mondale. And because of that there is a very important need to sit down and redefine it, have the guidelines known specifically by all sq that the FBI can. know precisely what it can do and what it cannot do. . Mr. Adams. I think this is why the. country is fortunate in this particular time. to have an Attorney General who is” a Legal scholar and a lawyer of unquestioned repute who has indicated a willingness to addréss these problems, which as the staff has. determined, was not always the: case over | the years. But we have an Attorney General, we have a Director, who has offered his complete cooperation, just as he has to the Committee in this inquiry, that we are not trying to avoia embarrassment « -The only thing we are trying to hold back are identities of informants and Sensitive, '.ongoing operations that we have, a concern on the part of Congress that not only recognizes. there have been abuses, but recognizes that there still always has to be some degree of ‘flexibility. | a We are going to have situations where vou have a Weatherman working for the water works, and in college hs was.
rn: Phone (Area 2029.544-6000 ia a) Ot! aad 5 End Tape £ a, 3 9 10 11 12 “13 ' WARD & PAUL 4 15 16 1? 18 21 22 235 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 a4 | MW 35086 Doold Toews ee ED ces + Serta eee ee ee ER Wee oe Hemme Ma, sod TE ET eer a scientific student, and he makes a comment to a fellow employee that there’ is going to be some spectacular é¢vent . that is’ going to bring the. attention of the world on this . city. Senator Mondal#.. Wouldn't you have probable cause then to investigate the commission of a crime? “+ + wt 132989543 Page 54
Le arma tht nth AKELLY/smn1 5 ct Phone (Area 202) 544-6000¢ 10 11 12 13: WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 17 a8 19 “RL ' 22 “23 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 ‘MW 55086 Docla: qi ete « An nan ay ‘flexibility to take appropriate action under extreme conditions. — 25 .- 1778 ~ Mr. Adams. We might have to investigate, but to disrupt, we have the authority. to tell the supervisor of the waterworks, you had better get him out of there before the city water is poisoned and 100,000 people die, and I think the Committee is going to find the same problems we do in coping with that situation, and even the Attorney General in his speech in Ottawa pointed out that there is still possibly a necessity for some But it should be controlled. It is like Mr. Kelley says, go .to the Attorney General, explore the legal issues, lay the problem up there. It should not be handled internally in the FBI. . . | : Senator Mondale. But do you also agree that the Congress ought to redefine the rules legislatively? Mr. Adams. Yes, because the problem I have with it is we talk about oversight, and Mr. Kelley and the Attorney Genera _ and I believe this Committee. agree..that we ‘should have joint | oversight which would avoid _the proliferation of hearings and the sensitive knowledge .among many people which always poses that inadvertent leak of information. But .yet even with oversight, under the plan you discussed yesterday, or some of the .observations that were discused yesterday, having people, conservative,. liberal, black, and the other qualifications you put in, can a Committee speak for the will of Congress? At one time we had Congressmen making speeches all over the . 2989543 Page 53
~ a gree en eee na smn 2 Ol Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 Ke} Li 12 13 WARD & PAUL ' . 14 15 16 1? ‘18 “19 “20 22 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 NW 55066 Docld: 32989543 Page 56 aad a) 10 - 21 1779 country, if we don't stop these bombings, if somebody doesn't |. do something about it this country is in trouble. Is that the will of Congress? ae ee Until it is embodied in legislation where the whole will of Congress is expressed, we are going to have problems. Senator Mondale. I am glad to hear that, because there is a way Congress ‘speaks. It is not through the buddy system or || a person. It speaks through the law. Mr. Adams, That's right. Senator Mondale. And now we have for the first time this whole issue, it~is not denied by the FBI. The elements are known. What I hear you saying is you would like the Congress now to define and redefine specifically and carefully what it - is we expect the FBI to do, and what it is we wish the FBI and will prohibit the FBI from doing. | Mr. Adams. Right. What is.our role in society? After World War II, if you'll -remember, a Congressional Committee met and raised-all sorts of storm. over the fact that there was not enough..in..the way of intelligence. investigations. Never again should .it. happen in the United States that we be caught with our .pants down... After the Kennedy assassination, i£ you recall, the FBI was properly criticized for having too restrictive disseminatio policies in connection with Secret Service because they depend upon us for the intelligence necessary to provide protection.
8smn 3 1780 $ mal for the President against.extremist.groups.. We did.that but a . - ° . @ 3 2 || just before the recent incidents in California there was going < eaten | areata a , : “3 to be Committee concern, not this Committee, over has there.. E . , 4 been too much dissemination. 5 So the FBI is in the position of at different times in our 6 history being damned for doing too much and damned for doing ” too little. And it is because of reacting to what we try to 8 judge is what they want us to do, and this is what we are not ‘9 in a position to do. We need the will of Congress expressed in 10 || some definitive measure, yet providing the latitude, because as from these problems, there are many that there is 11 |} you have seen : 12 || ne black and white answer to. There have to be occasions @ 13 || Where when you are confronted with an.extreme emergency, someon ° -14 || can act, and I don't. think you or anyone else wants to tie the - hands of law enforcement when today we have over'10°million “16 serious crimes .in.the United States.. Wei have .1.million crimes 17 | @ year involving violence, and there has to .be a capability to - 18 react. .But we need.to know in better terms what is our role : - 49 in this, especially in domestic intelligence. | : 20 Senator Mondale. . Thank you, Mr. Chairman. ¢ . i 21 Sénator Tower (presiding). Senator Schweiker. : 22 Senator Schweiker. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. : 23 Mr. Adams, in 1966 a letter written by the Bureau to | e: 2A Marvin Watson, Special Assistant to the President at the White * 25 House, and the gist of this letter was, in reference to his WA 55086 Doold: 32969543 Page 57 :
1781 2 request, and I want'to make it clear it was his request, not the Bureau's, authors of-books that were critical of the Warren Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 wo 3 Commission Report, the assassination of President Kennedy, were 4 requested to file any pertinent personal data information, 5 dossiers, etc., on seven individuals whose names I will not 6 discuss. ; 7 . -- Do you have any knowledge as to why the White House requested g || this kind of material on the Warren Commission critics? 9 Mr. Adams. I don't recall. I am familiar with the material. | -10 || I aid review it--some time ago when we were testifying before ~ Lu the House Committee in February, but I don't recall that r saw 12 | in there any specific motivation on the part of the White House 13 || group requesting this information. 14 _ Senator Schweiker. Now, in the same letter it also says WARD & PAUL 15 || a copy of this communication has not been sent to the Acting 16 Attorney General. 7 ' Mr. Adams. Yes. 18 Senator. Schweiker. Number one, is that a normal procedure 19 when you get requests of this kind that the Acting Attornev 20°) General is bypassed, and why was the Attorney General bypassed 21 in this instance? 22 _ Mr. Adams. This is not a normal procedure. It is not 93 || the procedure followed today. There was a period of time where, 410 First’ Street, S.E., Washington, D.c. 20003 24 . at the President's directicns, Mr. Hoover reported more 25 directly to him in certain areas, and it was apparently a WW 55086 Dood: 323989543 Page 55
ebatateeet Bht te ih eee 4; L smn 5 ¢ g _2. ca 3 3 4 5 6. ” 8 9 - 10 ~~ 4d e! 2 Fy 12 & @: t 13 3S 14 15 . 16 17 18 s-- 19 i) Qa ¢ 20 é 21 = a 22 & BB 9 24 gt 25 MW 35086 Doocld:32939543 Page 59 1782 feeling that he did not want the Attorney General to know certai things. --. <c- Senator Schweiker. One of the dossiers specifically in- cluded photographs of sexual activities. Mr. Adams. Yes, .sir. Senator Schwéiker. And my question is, how is that relevan to-being a critic of the Warren Commission? What standard do we use when we just pass photographs of sexual activities to the White House? Is this a normal -- again, is this a normal proceeding when a dossier is requested? Is thi included, ox did they specifically request photographs of this kind, or what light can you shed on this? Mr. Adams. I can't shed much.- I know they requested information on him. I think. there was other material concernin that individual of a security nature that was included. Why the information in that respect was submitted I am unable to answer. ; - ae I do know at the time there was a lot of concern following the Warren Commission Report, had all the answers been explored, was the Soviet Union involved, was Cuba involved, and who were cary the critics who now are attacking this. But I have seen nothing which would explain the rationale for requesting the material. ‘Senator Schweiker. I think what concerns us on the Committee . is that: whenever ‘you get to the nitty gritty of investigations,
o o So . © 3 b= a pid N o @ ¢ a ® 2 ¢ KS oO ¢ E “LO 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 20 al 22 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 1783. and it doesn't have to relate to the Warren Commission, I will leave that alone, or to some activity we are involved in, we get back to something like that, where a photograph or a tape recording or some letter referring to some kind of human weaknes or failing that is really very irrelevant to the investigation is sandwiched in here, and it just seems to me that it was a tactic -- this just happens to be the Warren Commission rt singled out ~~ but it was a tactic that was used rather frequently as a lever or for some reason which I am trying to find out as an instrument of investigative. policy. Would you differ with that or dispute that, or again, what rationale? Do wé use sexual activities as a standard criterion for investigations? _ Mr. Adams. We do not use sexual activities as a criterion, | but during the course of our investigation “-- we did have an investigation on that individual at one time -- and during the course. of the investigation, in checking the records of a local police department or.a district. attorney's office, they had conducted an investigation for a.criminal act involving thege photographs, and. they made that available to us. .So it went into our files. Now, the request of the president, he is the Chief Executive of the United States. He in effect has custody of everything. There are problems involved when the man who is in charge of everything requests information. I would like MW 55086 DoolId: 32989543 Page 60
Phone (Area 202) 544-600Qnh WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.£., Washington, 0.C. 20003 NW 55066 mn 7 12 13 14 15 16 ° 1? 18 ~ 19 20 al 22 25 24 25 Docld: 32969543 Page 61 L784 to add, however, that following the cleansing effect of Watergat anymore. that I don't know of any such requests coming over to the FBI There is a direct line between the Attorney General and the Director, and the Director certainly recognizes that in a case of extreme disagreement he would have the alternative to tell the Attorney General, I need tO go directly to the Bresident, at the present time.- - or feel I should, but we do not have this line of communication Senator Schweiker. Well, it-.seems to me if they had just listed the. other.investigation and listed what was alleged in the other investigation, that certainly would have sufficed for whatever purpose it-would have. But it seemsito me when | you in fact enclose living photographs, you are really getting very much, to my way of thinking, towards attempting to discredit their critics. What other purpose. would a photograph have of this nature. other than. to discredit critics because they will not quarrel with listing whatever was charged in argue that. another state. That may well have been included. I cannot Mr. Adams. I can’t answer that. Senator Schweiker. One area that I think this gets to which we really touched on in the assassination probe quite a bit, Mr. Adams, is where the Bureau stops when they get some of these requests, in other words, what kind of criteria, if
MW 35086 Doold:32969543 Page 62 . . | ° °o ° i) : z t is] a q ° x s 2 - < = J i—y é WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 L785 1 |) any. You touched on it a moment ago. The President asked for _2 || something. I don't know in this case whether the President 5 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 kind 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. Adams. I don't think Congress can ever fill the 11 || responsibility of trying--to-draw up guidelines, even in conjunc- 12 | tion with the Executive Branch, to guarantee that all abuses 13 |} won't take place. The organization’is made up of human beings, 14 | and these things occur. 15 Certain corrective actions are self-initiateéd, 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 1g || requested, and if I recall from our. information, we thought he 19 || was being considered for an appointed position which would have -20 || been a logical basis. As facts turned out, that was not the 21 || purpose that the information was requested. 22 To stem or stop abuses like that, the President, the 23 || current Administration has issued instructions that any request 24 || for investigations under the special inquiry or White House 25 || investigation such as for appointment must clear through the
r i t ye f H é ' I 4 smn 9 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 nw @. 2 Ke} “10 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 “20 al 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 24 “NW 55086 DocId:32989543 Page 63 1786 office of his counsel, in other words, not let the lower line people_come over and say we need this information or we need this request. They come through the office of Phil Buchen_ through an employee that is assigned to that office with responsibility. a Now, 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, then our responsibility under that would be to go to the Attorney General and ask -him to intercede by finding out is this a proper request on the Bureau. And I can assure you that as Mr. Kelley has testified and has made it perfectly clear that he has not had any such improper requests and he would go right to the Attorney General if it was necessary. Otherwis he would reject the request. Senator Schweiker... What steps are we taking, under your jurisdiction comes whatever internal investigation .unit the FBI has. “ro just wondered very briefly, because .I know my time is very limited, we have.a vote on, what steps are you taking to make sure that we catch some of these things in the present that maybe we either overlooked or did not catch or somehow got sidetracked in the past?” Mr. Adams. We have been working with the Attorney General and his staff. It started even when Attorney General Saxbe
mn 10 “1 2. 5 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000¢, 4 10 (12 WARD & PAUL 1 i) ON 14 15 16 17 18 gs - 419 8 a ¢ 20 a 21 = a 22 ai 23 z @: 2 <+ 25 NW 35086 Docld: 323989543 Page 64 ||.investigative operations: are they proper, do they fit 11 was there, to’ look at all of our procedures, all of our criteria, do we have a‘legal basis for them, and we have guide- lines, committees which have been established in the Department that meet every day on.questions of what is even an overwhelmin problem of collection and maintenance of information. What do we -get, why do we get it, what should we do with it. -I feel there is a very active program going on in that regard, and I feel certain that it will continue to make sure that we are aware of everything and take appropriate action. these with the staff so that we can have an advantage of taking a look at those, too. I am glad to’see this being made. Mr. Adams. I would have to secure’the approval of the Attorney General on the guidelines. He did tell the House Committee which originally raised the question on maintenance o information, that once we get something and they are nearing completion in the Department, that he does intend to take it up with Congress. So I. am sure there would be no problem at that point in bringing it to this Committee .as well. Senator Schweiker. Because .it.seems to me this is where the problems in the past have arisen, in not having clearly defined ox maybe if you measure it -~- you can measure it in terms of today's standards versus standards of before, but I ' think this is the crux of it.
o fo} o 9 gz < wo pia N ° r “ CJ o 2 < gq ao c z 12 13 WARD & PAUL 4 15. 16 L?. 18 20 al 22 235 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 | 24 WW 55086 Docld:32989543 Page 65 Mr. Adams. That is true. _ Senator Schweiker. That's all I have, Mr. Chairman. Senator Tower. Mr. Adams, what use does the Bureau presently make of its intelligence informants, and have they ever been used as ptovocateurs or as magnets for action? Mr. Adams. No, sir. _' Well, you asked two questions. Senator Tower. Yes. . - Mr. Adams. Let me take -the last one first, provocateurs. Our policy has not -- or our policy “has been to discourage any activities’ which in any way-might involve an informant doing something that - an agent cannot do, which would be in the area of being -a provocateur, which basically is entrapment. And we have had some allegations of entrapment come up. We feel we have satisfactorily answered them. This is a very technical legal field which boils down, of course, to the fact that if a person is willing to do something, and the government merely provides. the opportunity, that is not legally entrapment. So if a person comes to us and says .I have been asked to participat in a breakin of a Federal building, I would like to help you, then the law basically would indicate we have the authority to continue to let him operate. The question comes up if he assumes the whole direction and causes people to do something which they would not otherwise have done. That is the entrapment issue. So we are very alert
° 3 ° rs : = t w = x ° ® i] o h < = a g é 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 |, MW 55086 WARD & PAUL ol o oO ~w2 “10 12 13 14 15 216 17 18 19 20 “21 22 25 24 25 BDoold: 32989543 Page 66 1789 , to this. We have instructions, clear guidelines; instructions to our field offices that they are not to use an informant for anything that an agent: cannot legally do. I don't say there haven't been some mistakes in that regard, but I don't know of any at the present time. 7 Senator Tower. Senator Huddleston? - Senator Huddleston. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. .First I think to keep this activity in proper perspective it might be well to remember that even though a great deal of the testimony and the. questioning has been relating to the question of Dr. King, that this is’ by no means an isolated situation. Dr. King's case is indeed a classic example wtilizi g all of the various techniques of the Bureau. in both intelligenc ~ gathering an action against an individual in order to dis~- _eredit him or embarrass him,-or indeed destroy him. But the record is replete, and indeed, here is an entire sheaf of similar targets who are certainly not as well known. Some of them are high school students, some of them are high school teachers, college students, college teachers, . broadcasters and journalists, people whose names would be almos totally.unfamiliar. to. the. vast. majority. of. Americans, So the. ' activity was not.confined.to those that are immediately recognizable who were indeed public.figures. I want to just proceed along the question of informants that Senator Tower just raised for just a moment or two.
smn 13 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL,” 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 @ NW 35086 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 “18 19 20 al 22 25 24 25 Doold: 32989543 Page 67 1790 You say that your informants are not expected to do anythi that an agent himself could not do, but in the gathering of the information for which you are securing him in the first place, do you have any safeguard at all, or any rule as to how he proceeds in order to gather the information you are looking for? | : _.. Mr. Adams. Only that he proceed through legal means. Senator Huddleston. Is that specifically stated to him when he is employed? -. .- Mr. Adams. Yes, sir. ‘Senator Huddleston. Are most informers paid on the basis of a reguaar fee or regular salary, or are they paid on the basis of the information they gather? Mr. Adams. Even those who are paid on what you could say a salary, that salary is determined on a COD basis as to the value of the information furnished.. In other words, in the criminal case, for instance, you could have a person come in an give you the identity of.three individuals who just robbed a bank. You might pay him a lump sum amount, and never go back to him. In the security field where informants do finally manage to work into a revolutionary type organization, their continued activities in our behalf do set..up more of a program for payment. Senator Huddleston. Do you check on occasion on the basis
Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 end 5 e@ 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 NW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page 65 WARD & PAUL 10 il 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 LO - 20 el 22 235 a4 25 ‘ L791 of information that may-be supplied to you if it happens to be of a sensational nature or of a surprising nature, do you ever question the informer on how he obtained it? Mr. Adams. I am sure this takes place. In any handling of 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 through which I feel certain would, if something looked like, if it looked like he had something that came from some improper source, I think the agent would say-where did you get this.
KELLYGSH 11/19/75 Tape § 6 : “ 1 @ : 5 é _ A _ 5 6 vi] 8 9 10 os il a : 2. £ 12 c.f @: c 13 “$3 14 15 16 17 18 2 g-- 19 8 Qo ¢ 20 - 21 = 3 22 i 23 = @: ¢t _ 25 NW 35086 Docld: 32959543 Page 69 : . “ Senator Huddleston. If you found it had been taken . improperly or if some impropsr action had been taken, would prop ¥ it be.put in the files? — -_ - Mr. Adams. If he violated the law, we would have an open investigation if it were within our jurisdication. Senator Huddleston. Now the Bureau disseminates this information on individuals that is collected in various ways in the, various other agencies. ; ‘ .| How many other agencies can request, for instance, an individual check that. would result in your supplying to him information from - these personal intelligence files? _ Mr. Adams. Every agent in the Federal Government undex the amployee security program there is an obligation on the part of every government agency to check with the FBI doing name check search of our files to sea if there is any subversiv derrogatory information which might militate against appointin that individual to a Federal position. - Senator Huddleston. Do -you take any precautions as to how they will uss that information once it-is supplied to: them by your agents?. 7 Mr. Adams. All we do is indicate to them on the report that it is the property of the EBL and is not to be disseminated outside their agency. Senator Huddleston. You. have no way of knowing whether or not indeed it is?
sda Mele AS ES se tte neg mee eet Phone (Area 20%9.544-6000 tN “10 11 12 + WARD & PAUL 13 1d 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25. a “record: and made it out improperly, 1793 Mr. Adams. No, sir, we do not. -- Senator Huddleston. What internal precautions do you have against the Bureau itself misusing information that it gains from other agencies? Mr. Adams. Strong prohibitions. One, we don't allow access to files except on a need-to~-know basis. Any employee of the FBI knows that if he improperly divulges information or leaks information out of the files, he will be subject 2 to administrative action. We had a case where an agent obtainéd an identification ae Fe ~ ee ee ee ee - - and I think that agént was separated from the roles. But we had asked for, and of course we share in CIA's request to this extent, is that there be a criminal penalty attached to misuse of information and leaking it or making it available outside of an agency. . . -This is another issue before Congress. JFK Act 6 (4) Did this in fact happan to your knowledge? Mr. Adams. I am not familiar with that case. I can NW 35086 Docld: 32989543 Page 70
5 ° ° . ° © ¢ < Ps F's 3 ° a co o - < : o < 6 & A on Ke} 10 il 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 ‘19 20 21 22 23 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 | NW 55086 Docld:32989543 Page Ti - untrue information was put. out. easily say it would not be proper. Senator Huddleston. But you don't know whethsr: it happened or whether the act.was carried out? Mr.’ Adams. I do not know. Senator Huddleston. Mr, Adams, getting on to another subject, one of the techniques used very frequently by the Bureau in its attempt te discredit individuals was to utilize the press. It was customary to send anonymous letters on many occasions to editors, broadcasters, commentators and columnists around the country containing information or wanted to discredit in some -way. There was also some évidence that the Bureau utilized within the press itself on a regular contact basis certain. columnists or broadcasters for the purpose of disseminating information that the FBI wanted to get out about individuals. How extensive was this custom utilized? Mr. Adams. - IX don't believe it was vary extensive. In fact, I think there -were probably very faw incidents where . Y Y s That is my recollection. On disseminating public source’ information there were a number of instances of that whick is still proper to date under guidelines. I just don't know of many instances where | untrue information was used, and I do not know of too many neo _ _—_ - ad
cteahhthe enantio te cette ot ees Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 Y a W Gl ie) LO 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL é 14 15 16 1? 18 20 21 22 23 S ‘ 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 WW 55086 Doold: 32989543 Page 72 instances overall where that was done. “ Senator Huddleston. Do you know of any instances or how many actual journalists or practitioners or regular disseminators of FBI information? Mr. Adams. I don't. know of any today that are in that regard. I know there have been situations where, and people still do. They come to us and say, we would like to do an And if we can be of assistance within the guidelines established by the Attorney General, we do assist. We have a pull and a tug over privacy acts and freedom of information and also the need to know, but we try to satisfy. ; Sénator Huddleston. Do you know of any at the préséent time or in the past who have been paid by the FBI for their services? , oO a, Mr. Adams\. \Not personally. don't know of any. Senator Huddleston. Not personally. Do you know of any evidence that indicates that? Mr. Adams. “That's what I mean. I don't have any evidence that indicates that. Sénator Huddleston. I think it would be helpful to our. inquiry if we could review or you would review the files and» make a determination as to whether or not that might be the case, that the FBI has paid journalists who are amenable to disseminating information supplied by the FBI.
1797 3 8 $ 1 gsh & from time to time various Bureau publications and ware kept N . e 5 2 i ona continuing list and mailed such communications to them. FE ° Senator Huddleston. It was a list that was considered 4 to be friendly towards the FBI view? . 5 Mr. Adams... Yes. I would say anyone on that list would 6 normally be friendly. 7 Senator 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 tr -10 | aiscredit some individual? it Mr. Adams. I don't have an idea of the number, but I 3 . : . . 121 don't think there were very many. a . ; . @ < 13. Senator Huddleston. 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? 1? Mr. Adams. I can ask. I get a no as far as any knowledge 18 |) in that regard. 19 Senator Huddleston. As far as knowledge. 20 Mr. Adams. That means knowledge of what we have come £1 | up with in our current review, I would assume. Re Senator Huddleston. It seems to me that this is an 23 || area in gck.we are particularly troubled and should be. If 24 || there is any right that is specifically called for in our 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 25 || constitution and has been upheld and reaffirmed in court decisioh 3 MW 3.5066 Docld: 32989543 Page 74
}- gsh . 0. Gt 2 3 ° 2 ¢ ¢ wm = g ° ro) a 9 h < = o é 2 ie) “10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 9.C. 20003 24 - 25 roe after court decision, it is the right to publish in this country. The First Amendment speaks not only of freedom of | speech, but also freedom of the press. And yet it seems that we have a pattern here of the chief Law enforcement agenciy of the country attempting to suppress that very right. Mr. Adams. I haven't seen -~ I ‘think any effort to manipulate the press of this country, I just don't see any possibility in that regard and I don't see’ the logic of anyons even attempting such. | Senator Huddleston. But it did happen. Mr. Adams, It may have happened in -- Senator Huddleston. In a rather extensive field. . Mr. Adams. I disagree with that rather extensive field. I just don't know the extent that you are talking to here. Senator Huddleston. “We are talking about the cases where|-- “Mr. Adams. Are you lumping in cases where we disseminate public source information? Are you lumping in a case where we may have gone to a -- Senator Huddleston. I think disseminating public sources information is somewhat different from furnishing a TV commentator with derrogatory information about a specific’ individual who has beén targeted as one. that apparently the Bureau thinks is dangerous or his ideas ought to be suppressed. - 8 . Mr, Adams. Is that manipulating the press, though? Here you have a situation where an individual is going around NW 35086 Docid: 32839543 Page 75
Q 3] Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 (ve) . 10 Li "12 WARD & PAUL 13 14 15 16 L? 18 19 Al Re 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 @ 24 25 % 20° ‘the country advocating off-the-pig or kill-the-police or something like that. And a newspaper man was furnished; say some background information on him which would have been in the area of public sourcs material which he could use in an article. | Areé we really, if the information is.true, the final decision, it would seem to me, would be the newspaperman as to whether he would use any such information. | - I think if we concealed our motives from the newspaper man, or furnished false information, which I think we did in one anonymous letter or something that I saw in all of this, I would say that was improper. Senator Huddleston. - or -- Mr. Adams. I think newsmen have sources, I think -- Senator Huddleston. Or convincing a cartoonist, for instance, to draw a derrogatory cartoon about a college “professor who. certainly did not constitute a threat to the violent overthrow of the government. Mr. Adams. If anyone accuses us of having any great success in trying to influence the press, I think that their objectivity stands pretty high. - Senator Huddleston. I think the point is whether there was succgss or not, there was an’ effort made. I'm glad to & hear you acknowledge now that it is almost an impossibility. But more than that it seems to me at the baginning when NW 35086 Docld: 32989543 Page 76
ol e ° re) ® bg ¢ wo oe” ° a eo 2 x = © S ° £ on re) ~ 10 11 12 13 O WARD & PAUL 14 A fo] Pau Begin 7 15 16 17 18 g 19 8 fa) ¢ 20 g § 21 = a 22 .& 23 S 24 t 25 - 1800 ~ these type of techniques were used, it seemed to indicate a lack of confidence or faith in the American people to beliave that they could not hear ideas that might be contrary to their own without being serious damaged. One of the great freedoms we have is the freedom of hearing other ideas whether we agree with them or not. I think this is an area that we ars concerned with and one technique which I hope is being discontinued and one that will be by the time these hearings conclude and by the time proper legislation is drawn. Mr. Adams. Well, I think you can be assured that any such techniques in that area disd with COINTELPRO in 1971. Senator Huddleston. - That is comforting. . Mr. Adams. Yes. The Chairman (presiding)... Thank you, Senator. . I have been forced in and out by virtue of votes and othe Committee business. T am not sure which Sanators have had their opportunity to question and which have not. Senator Goldwater, were you nexc? Senator Goldwater. I will not take much time. TI apologize for not having been here in the last two days. It is going good, I have heard. We have heard testimony regarding the voluminous records, I bslisve 500,000, maintained by the Bureau. How in your view have these records come to be kept? ae BW S33086 —Dooid 329055 43—_Fage—7t
2 Q Phone (Area 20%, 544-6000 a) Qo Gl 4 LO 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 21 “Re pA ‘410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 | 25 NW 35086 Docld: 323989543 Page 78 23 4.801 For what purpose have they been kept and has the Bureau aver undertaken to destroy or prune down any of these records?. Mr, Adams. We have a number of records. We are a business-like. organization. We record our activities. 3 And, as the staff knows, they had access to a lot of récorded material that is the praduct of what the FBI has done over the years. | | When we conduct an investigation, we maintain the results. We do have destruction procedures where after the passage of certain time limits approved by the Archives authority, we are allowed to destroy certain files. Other information we are required to put on microfilm. There is a regular standard procedure for the destruction of FBI “files. This has been.suspended, of course, during the initiation of these hearings and our files probably have increased considerably during this period because we are not allowed to destroy anything since the Committee commenced its hearings. But we do have procedures for destroying these that are approved by the Archives, and a problem inherent in that is maintaining information, what should we keep, what should we obtain during an investigation, what should we record? In the past we have been pratty consistent in recording . - ° ° everything we thought was relevant to the investigation. The passage of the Privacy Act put certain restrictions in. We °
° So ° 2 ¢ ¢ w gdh N @: oe h < o e 8 & t rd P =) < a Cj a @: < EJ 4106 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 MW 35066 il 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 ‘21 22 RO 24 25 1802 Cannot collect or maintain anything unless it is relevant to an ongoing. matter of which we have investigative jurisdiction. But beyond even the Privacy Act, the Attorney General instituted a guidelines committee in this araa that we have been meeting diligently with every day and hopefully have tried to avoid this idea that we are for no good reason maintaining a gossip, scandal, and unncessary, irrelevant material. - ‘so once these guidelines are in Some sort of final form, not to be adopted, then the Attorney. General has indicated that he is going to take it up with the various - Congressional committees to get their input into it, after which they will be published. Senator Goldwater. Well, now these dossiers, I think you can call them that probably. Mr. Adams. I prefer not to, but I accept the fact that that is how they are referred to. . Senator Goldwater. What do you call them? Mr. Adams. I call them files. To me, I guess we all have aur little hang-ups, but to me that is usually used in some sinister connotation. It is probably not to you. But I will uSe whatever terminology you want to use on this. Senator Goldwater. I hope what you have on me is not - 6 . . called a dossier. - - Mr, Adams, No, sir, it's a collection of material. Boeld: 32989543 Page 79
2 i] ° e ‘ ¢ ¢ » @ 9° a a oO = < = o rs E WARD & PAUL % 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 HW_55086 12 “10 Li 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 Al 22 25 24 > 25 (General laughter) Mr. Adams. Of which you are aware. Senator Goldwater, That's right... Now let me ask you, the information you have would probably bs on computer tape? Mr. Adams. No, sir. Senator Goldwater. It's not. Information that IRS would have, is that computerized? : Mr. Adams. Tt may be. I'm not familiar with the exten of theirs. We do have certain computer activities, such as the National crime Information Center, or we have, I guess, 7 or 8 million records. This is not the usual file material, This is, it consists of individuals concerning whom a warrant is outstanding, stolén property, material such as this. And also some documented criminal history information in the nature of prior arrest history. But not what I think you are referring to in the way of file Material, reports, intelligence, this type of information. JFK Act 6 (4) Mr. Adams. No, sir. Senator Goldwater. There's. no such list that you know % Dooktd: 32989543 Page 80
/ 1804 f=] : 1. &13 of? N » g ® Mr. Adams. Z don't know what other agencies have, but é ° the FBI does not have such a list, does not have such a 4 capability to interface with such.a list df such a list. , 5 : @ex1lsts. 6 Senator Goldwater. Do you fsel rather. safe in saying a then that no agency of government has put together such a 8 computerized total of all ths information on the people that - 9 you have surveilled? / 10 Mr. Adams. Oh, I think it is safe to say I don't know , 11 og any. Today I am not saying what does exist or doesn't 2 . 2 . : 12] exist elsewhare. a < 13 Senator Goldwater. -In addition to the 500,000 records 141 that you hava, would I be correct in saying that you have 15 | 50 million data cards and that there's $82 million spent on 16 intelligence in the Fiscal year 1975 in maintaining this 1? library? 18 Mr. Adams. No, I don't think that :-is correct. I think 19 the figure of $82 million is what our budget people have £0] drawn up as being the total cost in a given year of our él intalligsence operations, sacurity, criminal, organized crime, 22 the whole intelligence field. But I don't relate it to the 25 Maintenance of any data cards. 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 Senator Goldwater, Now one other area, and I think it £5 probably, according to tha records, it does go back to ‘'70. WW_55086 Docld: 32989544" Page 81
o So ao 4 z vt i's) N 6 ° M4 < Q fog °o é WARD & PAUL | NW 55086 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.c. 20003 LO 11 12 13 14 15 - 16 1? 18 19 20 21 22 295 24 25 Docld: 329689543 Page 82 taken by the. Bureau as to the women's liberation movement How did the. Bureau come to place the so-called women's lib movement undér surveillance, and I say so-called. because I think we discovered that there was no such organized movement. Mr’, adams . There were a lot of movements. It is my recollection -- I have not reviswed the file in detail, but it is my recollection that the case was originally opened because of indications that certain groups were attempting to infiltrate or control the women's liberation movement. The investigation was conducted and was’ terminted several years ago, as far as I know. Senator Goldwater. Do you.know of any actions that were except to monitor it? Mr, Adams. No. And the monitoring was for the purpose of determining the infiltration, and I don't know of any actions taken against them, Senator Goldwater. That's ‘all I have, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Goldwater. ‘Senator Hart, have you had an opportunity to question? Senator Hart of Colorado. No, I have not. The Chairman. Senator Hart. Senator Hart of Colorado. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the testimony yesterday developed by the staff concerning the last few days of Martin Luther King's life, we learned
15 te} n Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 . 10 1 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 25 410 First Street, S.£., Washington, D.C. 20003 @ 24 25 % 18.06 that the Bureau in March of 1968 developed information to be. given to the press criticizing Dr. King for staying in a white-~owned and operated hotel, the Holiday Inn in Memphis, instead of the Lorraine. ‘ At some point during Dr. King's stay in Memphis, he moved from thé Holiday Inn to Lorraine. To your knowledge, Mr. Adams, was that information ever given to the press? Mr. Adams. I have been unable to determine that. This question was raised of me by the Civil Rights Division of the Department. ‘Apparently, they had had some inquiry along the same lines several months ago. But my recollection of it at the time, We saw that this action had been proposed and the memorandum bore the initials, I believe it was thse initials, statement handled, and the initials of the agent in the External Affairs Division who assumed the responsibility of saying handle it and initiated it.. | : They contacted him and he said that he had no recollectio of the matter but the fact that he did say handled didn't mean that he was able to do anything with-it. Ha was just clearing that memorandum so it would show action was taken, | and he doesn't know if he gave it to anyone or not. "Sugator. Hart of Colorado. | Well, suffice it to say that the facts are that subssquent to the time the Bureau developed this information to pass on to the press, it did appear in the NW 55066 Docld: 32989543 Page &3
1807 8 8 gsiv 16 local papers in Memphis. N . & R Mr. Adams. There was some statement in the local papers, 2 _ . . . . 5 . . é not according to the terminology of the proposed statement that A ; | was to be given to him. There was some comment made, if .I 5 . . 4 . ’ . . recall, that Martin Luther King gave a press conference 6 following the riots that followed one of his appearances, ? and that he gave that press conference ina hotel, the Holiday 8 Inn Hotel. 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 5 di historians and. paople who have commented on the circumstances, 2 . . Le they were fairly explicit in stating that the local press Q @ < 15 was critical of him during that period for staying in the 14 white hotel, but I don't want to make a big issue out of 15 that. 16 What was the name of the agent that you talked to? 1” Mr. Adams. I didn't talk to him personally. People in - 18 the Bureau that were working on this did and I believe his 8 oo. 8 19-1) yame was Linbaugh, L-i-n-b-a-u-g-h. : 20 . | Senator Hart of Colorado. If you could provide that i él name to us, I would appreciate it. ; Re Mr, Adams. I would bs glad to. ; j aS . Senator Hart of Colorado. Mr. Adams, was any effort @ 2 24 made during this entire COINTELPRO period to objectively a5 define what the New Left Meant? What was your understanding NW 55086 Docld:32989540 Page 84
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t. 8 1809 1 Mr. Adams. They did have a definition of the New Left 2 || distinguishing it from the Old Left. It was primarily to dis- Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 5 i| tinguish it from the, in the area that the New Left was trying 2 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 Mr. 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 9 |} war and felt strongly about racial injustice in this country, 10 || leaving the Communist Party aside. LL Mr. Adams. People involved in the New Left movement were, 12 || of course, also involved in the Vietnam, anti-Vietnam was WARD & PAUL, @ 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, who else might you have been? 18 Mr. Adams. Well, the New Left’ was a -- did involve a 19 || revolutionary philosophy. It wasn't related solely to the 20 || anti-Vietnam effort. 21 Senator Hart of Colorado. Thomas Jefferson embodied a 22 || revolutionary philosophy. 23 Mr. Adams. That's right. And the New Left activity . 4 . 24 || exceeded Thomas Jefferson's philosophy in that it did fit in 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 || with the basic Communist philosophy. NW 35086 Docld: 32959543 Page 24 L
E rau] oa Ot, Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 . LO 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 15 16 1? 18 19 20 Al 22 25 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 @ 24 25 % 1810 Senator Hart of Colorado. Every group that was placed unde the efforts of the COINTELPRO supported the violent overthrow of this country? Mr. Adams. The concept of COINTELPRO was directed toward * those organizations. I would have to refresh my memory on each one of the organizations that were targets of it, but they were basically New Left, Communist Party, Socialist Workers Party, New Left, black extremists, white hate groups, those were the five basics. Senator Hart of Colorado. The Southern Christian Leader- ship Conference? > - Mr. Adams. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, I don't know if it was involved specifically in COINTELPRO. Three minor actions were taken against the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. | Senator Hart of Colorado. Well, its. leader, .I”™think you could say, for eight years was subject to a lot more than three minor actions. Mr. Adams. That's right, and that gets into the other area that the activities taken against him were primarily COINTELPRO type activities but weren't really under the control of -- Senator Hart of Colorado. You're saying that basically & ; “every. organization and individual that was swept into the net of the five COINTELPRO nets supported the violent overthrow MW 3.5066 Docld: 32989543 Page 67
: Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 LO 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al "22 mt) “ R4 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 -R5 1811 of this country? Mr. Adams. Well, not just the violent overthrow of the government. It would have been organizations that were threate ing and fomenting violence. I..don't believe it had to be related to the actual overthrow of the government. Senator Hart of Colorado. Is a street demonstration violent? Mr. Adams. It depends on where you are in relation to what is taking place. If there are a lot of activities in connection with street demonstrations that are not violent, ‘and there are a lot of street demonstrations that have reported in deaths, so it just depends on activity taking place and the circumstances. Our problem 4S we are given the responsibility by the Attorney General to monitor demonstrations which have the potential of violence. The question is, how do you find out, at what point do you get in and monitor demonstrations to deter miné if that has a potential violence? Senator Hart of Colorado. Well,.obviously what we're told was here is, we have received testimony to the effect that the FBI went out of.its.way to foment violence itself, to encourage disruptions internally, to encourage hostilities and conflict between.and among these groups in the hope that violence would occur, and therefore you could, say, go back to the Director or the press or whomever and say look, this is WW 55086 Docld: 32909545, Page &6 -
smn 4 1 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 Gl ~w o,nr oa. Ke} WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 oO “1812 a violent group. Mr. Adams. I accept the allegation but’ I don't accept the fact, the conclusion that, from what I have seen in reviewing these files in connection with our investigations, we don!t 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 violence, and the FBI, you know, has no -- Senator Hart of Colorado. You are using present .tejise verbs. --I think -- Mr. Adams. We didn't then. I don't agree that our action in any event were designed to foment violence. Senator Hart of Colorado. I think there is plenty of. documentation of the attempt to set the Black Panthers against the Blackstone Rangers in Chicago. oo Mr. Adams. Well, I don't consider that.plenty of evidence. I think. the evidence to the contrary is that one of the. organizations, when we got word that the Black Panther versus US, we notified the local police that..this activity was going to take place, and.the individual, so that we would prevent. the killing which had come to our attention was going to take place, and then the turndowns of various COINTELPRO actions, there were specific statements made, that will not be & approved because it might result in harm to an individual, physical harm, and we have no indication from any of these NW 35086 Docld: 329599543 Page #9
wm Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 B “I (o)) ©. _ 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 4 15 “16 1? 19 20 al “Be 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 8 MW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page 80 Ce) 1813 actions under COINTELPRO that any violent act occurred, and I have not been presented with any by the staff from their far more extensive inquiry. Senator Hart of Colorado. June 3rd, 1968, a memorandum from the Special Agent in Charge of Cincinatti to the Director of the FBI, the title of which is Counterintelligence Program, Disruption of the New Left, a five page memorandum having to do with Antioch College in Ohio. It is a long description of the college and background. There is a recommendation on page 3, Cincinatti recommends that counterintelligence action be taken to expose-the pseudo-intellectual image of Antioch, and i gives specific -ways of doing that, and then the next page, page 4, the desired result of action, force Antioch to defend itself as an educational institution. Where in the laws of this country or the charter of the Federal Bureau of Investigation does it.say that that Agéney should .be forcing any educational institution to defend itself? Mr. Adams. .I know of none. Senator Hart af Colorado. You would say this is stepping -beyond .the bounds of your authority? Mr. Adams. I would say -- I'm not familiar with the total action of what was there, but just on the surface I don't see any basis for it. . Senetor Hart of Colorado.. It ‘is my understanding that participating field officers of the countérintelligence, the
| 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 E Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 L7 18 19 20 21 "22 R29 24 25 1814 COINTELPRO activities were required to send in status letters and report in annual results. Is that correct? Mr. Adams. Yes, - Senator Hart of Colorado. What kind of results generally were you looking for? What was considered success? . Mr. Adams. Well, it would be considered success, like in one instance where an action was taken to create factionalis in the highest level of the Communist Party, and the results were that we were advised that the Communisty Party influence declined appreciably as a direct result of factionalism created at that level. That to us was a concrete result. We had other results where, well, you get in various degrees. That is an extremely favorable degree. We had others I think one was alluded to yesterday or today where.a letter went on setting. up. a marital. strife. on. the. part of. someone. I don't see. any. basis. or. justification. for.that. I think that is the. other. extreme. I think in the middle there were ones .that. fell into a. different degree. The only thing that I feel is we had 3000 actions recommended. The Bureau -- just like this Antioch one. f don't know if the document shows whether that was approved or not. I doubt that it was approved. Senator Hart of Colorado. I believe it was. We can document that. NW 35086 Docld: 323989543, Page 91
Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 MW 35066 smn 7 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 21 “22 23 24 25 you shouldn't have done. what you did, and that we make a 1815 Mr. Adams. Okay. Because there would be one. I would say the judgment in approving that is in question. But out of 3000 recommended, the fact that 2000 approved shows that there was some concern to try to.keep these to a proper level, and I think the actual number of grossly improper activities fortunately is rather small. I think there are a lot in there. Well, ‘the whole program, we feel, should have been dis- continued, and we don't have a program like it now, and we wouldn't institute a program like it now. Senator Hart of Colorado. It would be helpful to us if now or in the future you could recommend what steps we should take, both as the Committee and this Congress, to make sure that doesn't happen, aside from just the assurances we are bein given here. | Mr. Adams. Well, the main recommendation I make is that we don't wind up on the point we have been. an in the past years that one time in. our. history. Congress. is saying we ought to be doing. something to stop. violence in the streets, murders, blowing up.of buildings,.and at another. time they are saying mistake when we react and try to identify one area and say that is the voice of the people. What we need is a legislative mandate which is the will of Congress in order to tell us what our role should be in this area. I think that is the main thing that would come out of all of these, I hope, some more Boold: 329895435 Page S82
1816 definitive guideline where we all know what the will of the 2 people is as expressed by Congress. Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 a Ke 3 i 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? 9 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 a on the use of a particular informant? 12 Mr. Adams. Not only the Special Agent in Charge, but FBI 13 || headquarters. We maintain the tightest possible control of the WARD & PAUL 14 || utilization of informants. We require Bureau approval to utilige 15 || @ person as an informant. 16 Senator Tower. The Special Agent in Charge has the power 17 || to veto the use of an informant? a 18 Mr. Adams. Yes, sir. 19 Senator Tower. Does headquarters know who all the 20 ||. informants are?... 21 Mr. Adams. Absolutely. We do not allow hip pocket 92 | informants. We require -- 23 Senator Tower. You.idon't have the agents informed by thei -¢° we ; 24 || own special informants? 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.c. 20003 25 Mr. Adams. Absolutely not. % MW SA066 Docld: 32989543 Page 93
Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 Z WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 NW 35086 10 11 “12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 a1 - 23 24 25 1817 Senator Tower. Are the criteria different for paid.and for non-paid informers? Mr. Adams. We have some informants over the years that ha e refused to accept payment, but generally the criteria for both, I mean for ones that are paid is that it must be ona COD basis, evaluated as to the value of the information. Senator Tower. What protections are afforded to informants? Mr. Adams. Protections afforded them individually? Senator Tower. Yes. Mr. Adams. The greatest protection in the world we can afford them is to maintain the confidential relationship which they have adopted with the FBI, and the fact that those citizen of the United States who, for whatever reason, decide to cooperate with the FBI and cooperate with their government in criminal and the security field, have that confidentiality . maintained, and beyond that confidentiality we are unable to: afford them any protection,. any physical protection. We have had informants murdered through disclosure. We have had them subjected. to. other. violence. and. criminal. activities, and the only. protection beyond maintaining the confidentiality is once we have. used. them or. had. to. expose. them. for. some. purpose, we do. have. procedures. for. relocation. and. maintenance. of. them which is utilized. quite. frequently in the top hoodlum and the Cosa Nostra type investigations. DoeclTd: 32989545, Page 94
n 5 ow) oQ Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 NW 55066 WARD & PAUL. Gt ol ce.) wd ie) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 “19 "20 21 99° 25 R4 25 Doeldad: 32989543 Page 35 reliable information and that the information he collects is . the. discussions... 1818 Senator Tower.. It is. my understanding now that 83 percent of all: cases involve. some. use. of. informants,-so that means that the use is. pretty.widespread. and. apparently very essential. What kind. of. guidance. does the. FBI: give. to these informants to give them any special training? Could you describe that kin of.relationship in terms of guidelines, control, authority, what have you? Mr. Adams. Well, when an individual is being developed as an informant, our main concern is whether he provides collected by legal means. We don't permit an informant to engage in any activity that an agent couldn't do legally himself. In other words, you can't have an extension of the agent out here engaging in illegal acts, and the agent saying I abide by the law. This creates some problems, of course, in the criminal field where you don't .Yecruit informants from Sunday schools. You recruit.informants- in areas where: they do have knowledge of criminal activities. But we even had to open: investigations: and prosecute some of. our informants, be- cause. we do. not. bend. from this,-that they. are: not going to enjoy favorite. status. as. a.result.of their. relationship. with us.. So.the agent covers all of this with an informant during _& : . . . We. secure. background. information on. the. informants. We ¢ do this to ensure, as best as possible, we are dealing with a
Oy 5 ww] he Phone (Area 202) 544-600 WARD & PAUL . v NW 55066 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 - 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 - 21 "22 25 24. 25 1819 reliable, stable individual even though he may be engaged in an unstable activity, and we go through this period and conside them more or less, in different terminology, probationary, potential, verifying information; that he furnishes us, and everytime when they report on the status of an informant, they have to tell us what percentage of his information has been verified by other means, by other informants or sources. So we do have a continuing indoctrination which is supervised at FBI headquarters. Senator Tower. You said you don't recruit your informants from Sunday school class. Being an ex-Sunday school teacher, I resent that, but -- Mr. Adams. I am talking in the criminal field. Many of our security informants come from a very fine background. Senator Tower. But this leads me into this. Sometimes, then, you might recruit people that you know have committed criminal acts. Mr. Adams. That's true. Senator Tower. Do you promise him immunity from future prosecution in many instances to secure their. cooperation? Mr. Adams. No. Now, the only exception to that would be we may have an ongoing, it is what you call an informant -- I believe your question is addressed to someone that we are ‘se : actually considering in an informant status. Senator Tower. Yes. DoclTd: 32989523 Page 96
Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 NW 35086 smn 12 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 25 24 25 1820 Mr. Adams. We do have situations,where during an~ investi- gation we target on one individual, the lower rung, and the United States Attorney and the Department offer immunity. We don't. And say, you cooperate, and we go up the ladder to the 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 of our. investigation. Senator Tower. Getting on another subject, does the FBI still request bank audits? Mr. Adams. Bank audits? Do you mean do we still have access to bank records? Senator Tower. Yes. Mr. Adams. Yes, sir, we do. Senator Tower. And do you obtain access with or without warrants? Mr. Adams. We obtain access without warrants. Senator Tower. Without warrants? Mr. Adams. Yes, sir. Senator Tower... Is the subject notified in advance by the FBI when you obtain one without a warrant? Mr. Adams. No, sir. -Senator Tower. Are they notified by the bank, or is he notified subsequently by the FBI? Mr. Adamg. No. We do get subpoenas in many cases, not warrants, but we do get subpoenas in many cases, but in some Docld: 32989543, Page o7
n 5 ae) Ww Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.c. 20003 | NW 55066 KH 0 Gl oi 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 DoclTd: 32989543 Page 36 1821 cases a bank will make available to us records without subpoena. When it comes time for utilizing that information we do igsue a subpoena for the information. Senator Tower. Do you have.legal authority to gain. access to these records? _ Mr. Adams. Yes, sir, we do. Senator Tower. Without a subpoena, without a court document? Mr. Adams. There is no law that I know of that forbids us access. There have been several court decisions, including some circuit courts that disagree with each other, but I think the current finding is that the bank records are the ‘records of the bank and this does not violate any First Amendment or other Amendments in connection with it. Senator Tower. Do you make similar requests of S&Ls and other, and credit unions and other financial institutions? Mr. Adams. I would assume the same would provide there. The Chairman (presiding). Thank you, Senator Tower. I just have a. question or two. We are going to try to conclude this morning because the Committee has a hearing, a business meeting at 2:00 o'clock this afternoon and for the information of the members, that meeting will take place in room 3110 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. - 9 . . And. while I am making announcements, I think I should say. that tomorrow between the hours of 9:00 o'clock in the morning
smn 14 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14, 15 16 1? 18 19 20 Al "22 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 1822 and 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon, the Committee will report its findings and make its recommendations to-the Senate in connection with our investigation into alleged involvement of the United States in certain assassination plots, and attempts directed against foreign leaders. The Committee, as you know, has made an exhaustive investi gation of this issue. It has taken some six months; 75 witnesses have been interrogated, over 8000 pages of testimony have ‘been taken, mountains of documents have been analyzed and digested, and the report will be a detailed accounting to the American people of that evidence, together with the findings and recommendations of the Committee. Initially these disclosures will be made to the Senate in secret session, after which the Committee has previously voted to make ‘the report public. Therefore, it is anticipated that at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon in this room,. the caucus room, following that secret session. of the Senate, the Committee will meet with the press for the purpose of. answering such questions as the press may wish to address to the Committee on the assassination report. Now, the last few questions I would like to put to you, Mr. Adams, have to do with some confusion in my mind concerning the purpose of the FBI in monitoring the Women's Liberation movement, what was that? What was that, surveillance done for? Why were you involved in monitoring that movement? MW 55086 Docld: 32999543 Page 99
smn 15 Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 . LO 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al “R2 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.c. 20003 25 ¥ acquired, it would indicate there were groups that were believe ‘is what the documents reveal. For example, if you will turn -- ‘one, two, three, four pages where you find under the caption Mr, Adams. It was basically, as I recall, I have not reviewed the files, but from the information that I have to be infiltrating and attempting to exert control over it. Th investigation was based_or_initiated on this fact. The Chairman. But you never found, dia you, that the Women's Liberation movement was seriously infiltrated, influenc or controlled by Communists. Mr. Adams. No, and the case was closed. I would put them in the position of comments we have made earlier about the press, that I don't think anyone is going to dominate or contro That is a very independent group. The Chairman. Well, we-are trying to keep the country that way. . Mr. Adams. That's right. The Chairman. And the kind of thing that disturbs me you have the document book there with you. If you will turn to Tab 5, 5-4, can you find that? Can you move your thumb through the pages to 5-4? Have you found that? It's in the upper right hand corner, 5-4, under Tab 5. Mr. Adams. Yes. 6 oo, . The Chairman. Then, if you will turn back beyond that, 9 NW 55086 Docld: 329895435 Page 100
) a ! w Phone (Area 202) 544-65p0 Ot 10 11 12 a ee) WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 “17 18 19 20 Al ' -B2 25 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 25 Origin, Aims, and Purposes, a description of the Women's Liberation movement in Baltimore, Maryland. Now, I call your attention to this because it seems to me to typify the whole problem of this generalized kind of 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 movement in Baltimore, Maryland began during the summer of 1968. There was no structure or a parent organization. . There were no rules or plans to go by. It started out as a group therapy session with young women who were either lonely or confined to the home with small children, getting together to talk out their problems. Along with this they wanted a purpose and that was to be free women from the humdrum existence of being only a wife and mother. They wanted equal opportunities that men have in work and in society. They wanted their husbands to share in the housework and in rearing their children. They also wanted to go out and work in whateve kind of jobs they wanted, and not to be discriminated against as women." Now, can you. find anything in that report that in any way suggests that these women were engaged in improper or uniawful activity?.. Mr. Adams. Not in that one. I believe there was another report, though, giving the origin of it, which went into a MW 55066 Docld: 32999543, Page 101
smn 17 1 little more description of what our basic interest was. 2 The Chairman. Can you tell me, because this is the report Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 5 I have -- 4 Mz. Adams. Well, I am given here -- 5 The Chairman. What other, if there was some sinister 6 activity connected with this group that isn't laid out in the 7 document --~ 8 Mr. Adams. I was given a work paper here which reads, 9 "Women's Liberation Movement. Investigation of captioned 10 || movement was initiated by our New York Office in April 1969 ll || as the Women's Libber movement was described as a loosely 12 |) structured women's movement comprised of individuals with WARD & PAUL 13 | varying ideologies from liberal to New Left persuasion, some 14 } of whom 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 19 || the Young Socialist. Alliance." 20 The Chairman. May I stop you at this point? al Mr. Adams. Yes. 22 “The Chairman. You are reading from a paper which has to £5 || do with the origination of an investigation coming out of 24 || New York, . are you not?: 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 25 Mr. Adams. Yes. te |__BTy : : 43 Page 102
smn Phone (Area 202) 544-6600 WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 NW 35086 L@ 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 235 24 295 1826 The Chairman. I am reading from a document that relates to the Women's Liberation Movement in Baltimore, and the finding concerning it in the summer of 1968. My question hasn't to do with whatever original purpose the FBI sought by initiating 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 wit me that women do have the right to get together to talk about humdrum existence and equal opportunities with men and equal opportunities for work in our society, don't they? That is not a subversive activity. Mr. Adams. Well, but what you have here is the setup of our investigative activity. We had New York, which was the office of origin of the investigation. You have other offices that were checking to determine what influence there was. .In addition, in New York, to the New York office, lay the fact that interwoven. with. the Women's. Liberation movement goal for .equal rights for women, there. was.an advocacy certainly of militancy and violence in achieving their. goals. Now, Baltimore is one office, and I believe that even there in one of the reports -- “The Chairman. You keep taking me back to New York. Mr. Adams. Right. "  & The Chairman. And I keep taking you back to Baltimore. And the reason I do that is because if you turn two pages. Docld: 32989545 Page i105
7 Og 5 rs Phone (Area 202) 544-600 wo lo 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 295 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, 0.C. 20003 25 ‘a parent organization, no rules or. 1827 back from this particular report, which has to do with the Baltimore organization, the question is whether based upon that finding the investigation should continue of the Baltimore group, and the decision is that you will continue to follow and report on the activities of the group. And I just wondered why -- Mr. Adams. This is a problem that we have, that we do have organizations where sometimes the -- the Women's Liberatio group is not a good example because that was washed out, but we do have organizations where -- The Chairman. What was washed out? Not the Women's Liberation movement? Mr. Adams. No, the investigation indicated there was no concern or no reason to be concerned about it. But where you do have an organization that has branches in many areas of the country, and you start with one place and it looks like you have a subversive organization, you do have to see, well, is this carried. out. throughout the organization or is it just one chapter.or one group? In other words, not even an organizational problem.. The Chairman. But you see, in this -- the trouble with that is in this Baltimore organization you say in your own report that it was independent, there was no structure or plans, so it isn't a part - of a national controlled and directed organization called by NW 35086 Docld: 32989593 Page i104
Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 10 11 12 13 WARD & PAUL. 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al 22 235 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 25 your own admission -- Mr. Adams. I believe this report had some subsequent pages that aren't included in here that did show some additional activity or influence. The Chairman. I am told by the staff that this summary is aceurate, and the only other thing contained was that these women had affiliations with an organization that had protested the war in Baltimore. Mr. Adams. I think there were some other items. The Chairman. That is the only other association that we have been able to determine. Now, in a case of this kind, do you still carry -- you say this has been closed. Apparently the Women's Liberation move- ment is no longer under suspicion by the FBI and the case has been closed. What happens when the case is closed? Are those women's names still left in.the files? Are they forever more contained? Mr. Adams. Yes. The Chairman. In the system? Yes. There is no -- yes. Mr. Adams. Yes. The Chairman. Pretty soon you will have us all in the system. I mean, if there is no way, even after surveillance has been terminated to terminate the references of individuals through the files of the system, you will one day have us all, MW 35086 Doold:32999543, Page 105
smn 21 | | 3 1829 8 g 5 1 |} won't you? a g @ 3 2 Mr. Adams. Well, I would say as part of a normal business < 5 3 record, when we do make a judgment that an organization should 4 || be investigated and we investigate it, and then we find activities 5 || but we make a conclusion that there is no additional problem 6 here, this is a record of our official action. Now, if we 9 destroy it, at what point do we get into a situation of being 8 accused of doing things and then destroying things to keep 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 12 misused at a later date, and that is what these guideline . 13 committees are all about. e for) WARD & PAUL M4 15 16 : 17 18 19 20 al -B2 25 , 24 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 25 NW 35086 Doold: 32989545, Page i106 1
. NW_55086 Doold:32989543 Page i07 kellyGsH 11/19975 1830 Tape 40 1 1 The Chairman, Do you have any idea of how many names of 2 Americans you kesp in your files all as a result of the cumulative effect of all of these surveillances in all of Phone (Area 202) 54 GI 4 these cases? 5 Mr. Adams. No, I don't. | 6 | - hea 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. Yas, sir. 10 The Chairman. And there are surely names of more than 11 || One person typically in a file, aren't they? al . < 12 Mr. Adams. But it is a rather large country. & @ E 13 ' he Chairman. That's a large number of files to start $. 14 | with, and if you have multiple names in them, you ars quickly 15 || up in to the, you know, 20, 30, 40 million. 16 Mr, Adams. Right. But many of these files ars 17 applicant files. They are not all subversive files. They are 18 not all criminal Files. We have a million crimes of viclénce 19 each year. 20 There is a million people. 21 The Chairman. Sure, and I wish you had more time to “99 spend on those crimés of violence. 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 23 Mr. Adams. I do too. @ 24 The Chairman. ° There we agree. 25 ‘Mr, Adams. Right.
8 1831 8 . $ 1 . gsig 2 The Chairman, What I worry about is this. You say there's N . & 2 no way to know when to close a fils. Thése were surveillance ~ ; c - z ° files, or originally opened up to determine whether organizations 4 might have subversive connections. — - at 6 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. Me has not made-.a misstatement 9 at all. But to the American people that man's name and . 10 reputation has besn scarred. it Mr. Adams.- And I hope this Committee recognizes that 121 ana recommends legislation that would énforce strong punitive WARD & PAUL 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 ad@itional sanctions in this area. 18 I don't think we can ever stop the accumulation of 19 information. I don't know an investigative agency in the 20 world, a law enforcement agency, that does not have to al accumulate information. And we are working on guidelines a2 as to how to gst rid cf the irrelevant information, how to 25 sliminate material that really does not read to be kept, 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 24 || that wa hope we will be abla to come to Congress with these % 25 guidelines before too long, which will help address itself NW 55086 Docld: 32989543 Page i106
- @ Phone (Area 202) 544-6000 WARD & PAUL 410 First Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1? 18 19 20 al “22 295 24 29 MW 350686 Docld: 329599543 Page 105 to just some of these problems. The Chairman. Well, you may be assured that the Committee sharas your objéctive in this regard and we will be. working with you and the Department of Justices and others to try and change the laws.to give @ gréater measure of protection to the First Amendment rights of the American people. 'I have no further questions. Are there any other questions. | Senator Mondale? Senator Mondale. Mr, Adams, earlier, in inquiring about the basis for investigating Dr. King, I thought I heard two basic justifications. One, suspicion and fear of Communist influence or infiltration. And secondly, “that he constitute a threat to the success of the Hegro movement." Did I understand that second basis? Mr. Adams. No. The first I was talking about was not suspicion but information indicating Communist influence. The second was on this. question of motivation that you raised, I don't know what their motive was to get to some of these other activities in order to discredit and remove him, but it was a question -- apparently, they must have felt that he was a threat to either as shown in the files the president and Attorney eneral expressed concern about the civil rights movement and “his continued affiliation with some of these people,