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t Toleon —_____ Belmont —-___ Casper Caliohan Conrad — DeLoach Evans Gale Rosen Sullivan Tavel Trotter Tele. Room REC- 92 September 24, 1963 /57. 025 pi) Honorable Everett M. Dirksen BY SPECIAL MESSENGER United States Senate Washington, D, C. 20810 Dear Everett: T received your letter of Septejuber 20th forwardicg the communication you received from Mr, Oscar B, Goodman concerning FBI investigations of bombings in Birmingham, I certainly welcome the 9; to polnt out to you that Bir. Goodman's charges against the FDI are completely baseless. L Both sides in the racial issue have used the FBI's pame in recent months to gain support for their reapective points of view. Obviously, neither side has spoken with any authority since their statements have dealt with cases on Which no public announcement has been made = regarding the results of our favestigations. : Our jarisdietion to investigate these bombings which have occurred in Alabama comes from the Civil Rights>: Act of 1960 which became effective on May 6, 196). Ris = broad in scope, but the Department of Justice has stated that Congress clearly indicated there was no intention in the statute to usurp investigative and prosecutive authority in bombing matters from state and Local authorities, The Department bas instructed that the FEI should not iaitlate investigations into such eases without special Depirtmehtl authorization. Qt Sd y 08 By WY, 1- - a 2 f /) W E:mek,, {7 - Mr. Rosen - Enclosures (2) \ (9) 4 - M. A. Jones - Enclosures (2) += 7 wer ety unit 1 Qe I8d NOON ONIGVSU-0.93H EL HEOT Gp 7-25