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» Exes. Atty, he. ADAdn. — Exec. AO-LES__ y Asst. Dir.: i Adm. Servs, fi it . Crim. Inv. | 2 Ment. a Director William H Webster i Lal Federal Bureau of Investigation Plan & Insp. , Washington, D.C. Rec, Mgnt, “ nr February 7, 1980 Tech. Servs. we 7 Training : v Attorney-General Benjamin R. civitetts re Teeptene Ren Department of Justice ~ Director's Sec'y____ Yi Washington, D.C. : — ~. Dear Mr. cavidertss , j Recent public réports of Federal Bureau of Investigation explaits in the so-called . a j,"Abscam" affair leave me both incredulous and deeply disturbed. If the charges are ‘|true, they constitute a serious and confidence-shattering indictment of several. jof our elected officials. I am outraged by "Snfluence peddling for cash” en- ‘Igaged in by public officials. Of course, such charges must be proved and past Pareau allegations make me less than certain that they will hola up ins an un- rejudiced court of law. ane . My letter, however, comes not to discuas the alleged crines which have been de- ‘tailed in the press. My outrage today concerns the scandalous behavior of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (To be fair, I probably should say "the scan- (}dalous behavior of some Bureau personnel or units® but, unless those persons or units are properly and publicly identified, reprimanded and punished, the whole “Bureau stands condemned. ‘The Bureau's methods seem to me to be clearly illegal "entrapment," worthy of, “ “the worat of the McCarthy era's belief that our government organs need to be ‘[sategat and unfair to fight illegality and unfairness, The American Civil lf Verties Union seems to be entirely correct in ite + allegations of entrapment _ he, 3 - affair in question. + on . . 5 in Further, the trial by press, the divulging of P davetigatory information to the {pubic media, reminds me of the F.B.I. excesses during the latter years of the ly, Edgar Hoover suzerainty. Those days were often marked by what appeared to be [a greater concern for the welfare, reputation and public adulation of the Bureau * | jthan with any regard for the best interests of the country and the protection of . \the United States principles of justice such ag “innocent until proven guilty.” I am, indeed, outraged at the "trial by press." Our traditions and laws do not, grant the Bureau any such right even in the face of the, acknowledged reluctance. . a ed the ‘legislative bodies .to police. their { own members or to guarantee that they ehave legally, and _cthteally : , Elected officials 2 are ‘Yerribiy, tnerable to publicly aire yator Joseph R. McCarthy so ably~f{llustrated. Apolitic} '8 eareer can be pdestroyed by mupitg charges from official quarters even if thos¢/charges do not {have a single scintillaiof trupy to them. Such may be fhe reeult of the tria ‘by press in the “Abac affair. . d allegationg as Sen-