◆ SpookStack

Ma 4 November 1982 Mr. William H. Webster . QUISIDE SOURCE Director Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington, De. C. 20535 Dear Mr. Webster, Ty bj Kes Yas e he fbsea 4a) As a concerned citizen - and an admirer of the FBI - I would like to bring to your attention a statement made by Captain Z. L. Newcomb, USN, which suggests a problem in our anti-espionage efforts. I personally doubt that the statement is true and regard it as a slur on the FBI. In any event you —_— should be aware that the statement was made. I am sure you will agree with me that if Captain Newcomb is correct, we are in trouble. { ' / On page 4, paragraph 11, of enclosure 1 of Captain Newcaiib's . letter he states that the security check that is done prior te Se issuing a Secret clearance costs ™ $11.17 per person.” He ~ = specifically states that this estimate includes costs ” incurreda ©. by other organizations such as the FBI eee ” = Dw BS WE I find this shocking, if true. Is this the case ? Do weSkave 8 such cavalier approaches to issuing Secret clearances such that the entire process cost $11.17 7? <3 3-/756/- I would like to add that I have thought of writing to you several times over the past year. Once to commend you for the Abscam operation, a program for which the FBI received severe criticism and a program whose merits I admired. Nore recently I was impressed to read of the Bureau's use of a billboard as"a~ ——= wanted poster. A minor thing perhaps but nonetheless creative, and I hope, effective. Such initiatives speak well of th@ BT, Garigg2 of your leadership. si My respects ng TASS oe. “ec Captain Z. L. Newcomb -" Hqe, Naval Material Command ACE on enclosures Bp: My el