- 3 months ago
J. Edgar Hoover amassed secret files on prominent Americans during his time as FBI Director, but his own private life left him open to blackmail, which may have led to the mafia going unchecked by the Bureau for decades.
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00:00Frontline is a presentation of the Documentary Consortium.
00:06Tonight on Frontline, the secret life of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
00:12In my experience investigating corruption, it was the most despicable case that I had ever seen.
00:19Frontline investigates the depth of Hoover's personal corruption, his abuse of government funds,
00:25his ties to members of organized crime, and his addiction to gambling.
00:29This was one of the reasons why Hoover never wanted to get into investigating organized crime,
00:34because organized crime controlled the gambling industry.
00:38In fact, the Bureau in Washington had no organized crime division.
00:42Hoover doesn't acknowledge that there's a mafia.
00:44And there is new evidence that the secrets of Hoover's personal life left him open to blackmail by the mob.
00:50I heard Rosenstiel say that if Hoover ever brings pressure against Lansky or any of us, we'll use this as blackmail.
00:57Tonight, the secret file on J. Edgar Hoover.
01:06With funding provided by the financial support of viewers like you,
01:12and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
01:16this is Frontline.
01:27John Edgar Hoover was a man who epitomized the American dream of patriarchy.
01:57I think that J. Edgar Hoover was one of the great patriots of our time.
02:00I think that J. Edgar Hoover was one of the great patriots of our time.
02:02The FBI agents like myself consider ourselves as part and parcel of the greatest
02:32law enforcement agency in the history of the world,
02:34which is what I think J. Edgar Hoover created.
02:40J. Edgar Hoover was essentially a law enforcement officer and pretty good at it.
02:46But then as years went on, he became less and less a law enforcement officer
02:52The decline in Hoover's reputation began soon after his death in 1972 as the nation began to learn the full extent of his abuse of power,
03:06his persecution of Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders, of feminists and the early environmentalists.
03:12He had the power to enforce rules against ideas, not violations of the laws, but ideas that he didn't like.
03:22That's the most dangerous thing to American liberty because, well, it's tyranny.
03:29Until now, Hoover's reputation as a law enforcement officer has remained largely intact.
03:45There is still a shrine to his memory in a Masonic temple in Washington.
03:48But tonight, Frontline will present new evidence that Hoover was personally corrupt, sexually compromised,
03:56and tainted by ties to organized crime.
03:59And all this undermined the very mission of the FBI.
04:07J. Edgar Hoover became director of the FBI in 1924.
04:11The Prohibition era was a time of growing lawlessness.
04:20Rum runners smuggled bootleg liquor.
04:24Big city gangsters like Al Capone supplied the speakeasies.
04:33There were said to be 200,000 of them across America.
04:37The fortunes made would be invested in illegal gambling, prostitution, and narcotics,
04:44and would finance the rise of organized crime.
04:50Hollywood reveled in the legend of the Roaring Twenties.
04:54It was the age of the gangster.
04:59Police were widely seen as corrupt and incompetent.
05:02The image of law enforcement in America before Hoover was of the drunken, grafting, Irish, flatfoot cop.
05:14In other words, the cop was someone who was a semi-criminal and was of the lower orders himself.
05:22Hoover was trying to raise the image of law enforcement to a middle-class standard.
05:27From its headquarters in the Justice Department, Hoover's FBI recruited men of a higher caliber.
05:35FBI agents had to have degrees in law or accounting.
05:40The famous FBI crime lab enlisted scientists in the war against crime.
05:46The Division of Identification collated fingerprints nationwide.
05:49The FBI's ranks of clean-cut, uncorrupted young men could not be joined by homosexuals,
05:59whom Hoover called sex deviants.
06:02There is nothing mysterious about the manner in which the Federal Bureau of Investigation works.
06:07Its formula is a simple one.
06:09Intensive training, carefully investigated, and highly efficient personnel,
06:14plus rigid requirements in regard to conduct, intelligence, and integrity.
06:17The motto of the FBI was fidelity, bravery, integrity, and integrity was a big issue.
06:26We had to be not only straight as an arrow, but we had to give every perception that we were straight as arrows.
06:34But it is now clear that Hoover fell far short of the standards he set for his agents.
06:39Four years after Hoover died, I was assigned to conduct an investigation of 40 years of fraud and corruption by a jade gahoolah.
06:55One example was the way Hoover promoted a young agent, Clyde Tolson, to be his deputy in just two years.
07:04Tolson was also his best friend, and the appointment smacked of favoritism.
07:08For the next 42 years, the two bachelors were constant companions.
07:12Mr. Hoover leaned on him and depended upon him a great deal.
07:18They were close personal friends.
07:19But I must hasten to say, despite what many scurrilous individuals claim today,
07:28that there was a homosexual relationship between the two.
07:30There was not.
07:32Clyde Tolson was not a homosexual.
07:34They were monastic in their lives as far as sacrificing their lives for the good of law enforcement and the FBI.
07:43But the Justice Department investigation of Hoover discovered self-indulgence, not self-sacrifice.
07:50He had taken, at taxpayers' expense, goods and services provided to him by employees of the FBI.
08:02Hoover was very fond of his perks.
08:07Every morning, a custom-made, armor-plated, chauffeur-driven FBI limousine took him to work.
08:13The President made do with one such car.
08:22Hoover had three.
08:24They had to be kept perfectly tuned.
08:27Their air conditioning had to be pre-set.
08:32You could not use government property for your own use.
08:35You could not take a bureau car home at night.
08:38You could not use it to run a personal errand.
08:41Hoover's limousine ran many personal errands.
08:46It picked up Tolson on the way to work, and at noon, it ran them both over to the Mayflower Hotel,
08:51where every day they ate together at Harvey's restaurant.
08:55The owner of Harvey's, who was a very close friend of Hoover and Tolson's,
08:58put it on the tab and he never had to pay.
09:00It's reported that when the restaurant changed ownership and the first bill was presented to Hoover,
09:09he departed never to return.
09:17Hoover boasted that he almost never took a vacation.
09:20In fact, it was Florida every winter and weeks in California every summer.
09:26And when Hoover took a holiday, the taxpayer picked up the tab.
09:42When he was in Florida, they would like to raid a gambling house or a bordello,
09:52and then he would be able to say that this was actually a working trip.
09:57To say that these weren't vacations.
09:59Of course they were vacations.
10:00What Hoover couldn't claim on expenses, he accepted in hospitality from rich friends.
10:06He was being wined and dimed royally without paying any of those expenses himself.
10:12And yet I know that one of his sterling agents,
10:16if he took a glass of beer from a questionable person or even from a legitimate citizen
10:21who would have been reprimanded, would have been shanghaied out to Butte, Montana,
10:26might even have been asked to resign for doing that on one occasion once.
10:30And that's something that Hoover did on a regular basis.
10:35Back home in Washington, Hoover became accustomed to a life that was virtually expense-free.
10:41His house was completely overhauled, painted, maintained,
10:48to the extent that he had a power window in his bedroom that would go down when the alarm clock went off.
10:56He had a heated toilet seat that was too high and had to be replaced.
11:01FBI agents replaced his lawn when Hoover objected to the color of the grass.
11:06The FBI brought pillars from Pennsylvania to build Hoover's front porch.
11:12Inside, his furniture was custom-made by FBI carpenters.
11:17Hoover loved roses on his wallpaper,
11:18so an agent from the exhibit section was assigned to freshen up the roses with a special shade of pink.
11:26One day, he found a turd on his patio,
11:30and he requested to be investigated to find out what had crapped on his patio.
11:37The evidence was rushed to FBI headquarters,
11:40where the resources of the crime lab were diverted to trace the guilty party, a raccoon.
11:45It was outrageous.
11:49Had Hoover been alive when this probe had taken place,
11:54I believe he'd been indicted and prosecuted and convicted.
12:01Hoover's fraud and dishonesty went undetected in his lifetime.
12:06He served eight presidents and stayed at his desk for 48 years.
12:10But it is now becoming clear that Hoover's personal corruption corrupted the very mission of the FBI,
12:17to fight crime.
12:19For it was while Hoover was director of the FBI,
12:23that the mafia was allowed to grow rich and powerful.
12:28Hoover's reputation as a crime fighter was made in 1934,
12:32when his G-men gunned down public enemy number one,
12:35John Dillinger, outside of Chicago cinema.
12:37Dillinger was dead.
12:40He lay in a pool of his own blood in the filth of an alley.
12:43His body was rushed to the morgue at police headquarters.
12:46The FBI allowed newsreels to film the corpse.
12:51Hoover hung Dillinger's death mask on his office wall.
12:59Movies celebrated the exploits of the FBI,
13:02as Hoover's war on crime became the stuff of legend.
13:07Director Hoover supervising field practice,
13:10and the target might be a gangster car.
13:14This is what happened to Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow
13:17in a battle with local officers.
13:21Machine gun sharp shooting from a fast-moving car.
13:24When Hoover and his G-men captured or killed gangsters like Machine Gun Kelly,
13:33Pretty Boy Floyd, Babyface Nelson, and especially John Dillinger,
13:37Hoover's image as an action detective was something that satisfied a public fantasy.
13:44Every shot hits the anatomy of that theoretical public enemy.
13:53He will kill and kidnap no more.
13:57For all the fuss about pursuing the John Dillinger's
14:01and the small-time hoods of the Midwest,
14:03anyone at the top in law enforcement at that time
14:06knew that the real threat to society came from elsewhere.
14:09The real threat was the mafia, according to Anthony Summers,
14:13a consultant to Frontline and author of Official and Confidential,
14:17a new biography of Hoover.
14:19The late 30s was the time at which the mafia in the United States
14:23really started to get a grip on society,
14:26a grip that would have it turn into the Godfather mafia by the late 50s.
14:32After Prohibition, the big city gangs continued to grow.
14:35Rich with new profits from loan sharking, gambling, narcotics, and vice,
14:40they were now paying off judges, policemen, and city hall.
14:45By 1930, a nationwide crime syndicate had formed,
14:50and this new mafia would stop at nothing to enforce its will.
14:54I think if they could have been attacked before they grew,
14:57before they got the wealth, before they got the knowledge,
15:00organized crime could have been nipped in the bud, if you will,
15:03and never would have grown as strong as it got to be in later decades.
15:09At first, in the late 30s, it seemed that J. Edgar Hoover
15:12was going to pursue organized crime.
15:14It looked as if he was about to pursue the key mafiosi in the country.
15:20He went on raids in three states in 1937,
15:24with Clyde Tolson at his side,
15:26and then, quite suddenly, it stopped, and the question is why.
15:35By the late 1930s, illegal off-track horse betting
15:38was the mob's biggest source of illicit wealth,
15:41and two men dominated it.
15:45Meyer Lansky was the hoodlum who became the mob's financial genius.
15:49Frank Costello was the man who had set up
15:51a national network of illegal bookies.
15:56For decades, Hank Messick, the veteran crime reporter,
15:59has chronicled the rise of the mafia.
16:04The mob goes where the money is.
16:07When you have racing, you have big money being bet,
16:10and it attracts gangsters, hoods, crooks of all kinds,
16:14just like sugar attracts flies.
16:16It's derby day in old Kentucky,
16:19and Churchill Downs is the mecca for 60,000 race fans.
16:22And here's head G-man J. Edgar Hoover
16:24with a last-minute tip for Dan.
16:27Hoover was a devout gambler.
16:29I mean, there was a sickness with him,
16:30just like a man who's an alcoholic.
16:32He loved the racetracks.
16:34He loved playing the horses.
16:38Hoover liked to be photographed
16:39placing legal bets at the $2 window.
16:42If you believe that,
16:43that's a lot of crap.
16:49I don't know of any $2 bettor.
16:51I never met a real $2 bettor.
16:53Seymour Pollock, an associate of Meyer Lansky,
16:56says the famous newspaperman Walter Winchell
16:58was placing large, off-track bets on Hoover's behalf,
17:02as was the nightclub owner Sherman Billingsley.
17:06He used to place bets through Billingsley
17:09and or Winchell,
17:11and he had one or two others.
17:14And those bets used to be placed with Frank Costello.
17:17And they were no $2 bets.
17:20They ran into the hundreds and into thousands.
17:24There is more direct evidence of a relationship
17:27between Frank Costello and the FBI director.
17:30One day, Costello's lawyer, Edward Bennett Williams,
17:33had a friend in his apartment
17:34when there was a knock on the door.
17:36So I got up and answered the door,
17:38and there was a gentleman there
17:40with a big, brim, hat on, and a deep voice.
17:43And he said,
17:44Is Mr. Williams in?
17:46And I said,
17:47Yeah, he's here, but he's asleep.
17:48I said,
17:49You know,
17:49Who are you?
17:50He says,
17:51I'm Frank Costello.
17:53Costello came in,
17:54and the three men had breakfast together.
17:56And in a very careful way,
17:58I said to him,
17:58You know,
17:59what was,
18:00you know,
18:01what's your relationship
18:02with Mr. Hoover?
18:05And whatnot.
18:06He kind of looked at Williams.
18:07He didn't know whether to answer that,
18:08would it not?
18:09You know.
18:09And Williams said,
18:10Oh, go ahead and tell him.
18:11He's a pretty good guy.
18:12And he said,
18:14You'll never know
18:15how many races I had to fix
18:17for those lousy $10 bets of his.
18:20That was it.
18:21He wouldn't say any more than that.
18:25Twenty years later,
18:26it was Louis Rosenstiel
18:27who was placing Hoover's illegal bets.
18:31The millionaire philanthropist
18:32is seen here with his fourth wife
18:34and the Duke of Windsor.
18:36His company,
18:37Chenley's,
18:38was one of the biggest liquor distillers
18:40in America.
18:41But Rosenstiel himself
18:42had a murky past.
18:44My investigation showed
18:45that he was very close
18:47to Maya Lansky
18:49and other high-ranking members
18:52of organized crime
18:53like Frank Costello.
18:55Those ties dated back
18:57to the days of Prohibition
18:58when he was smuggling
19:00alcohol, whiskey,
19:03across the border
19:03in a meeting with people
19:05like Al Capone
19:06and others
19:07in organized crime.
19:10Hoover liked to gamble
19:11and Rosenstiel
19:13would make bets
19:14with him
19:14with the three boys
19:16that worked for Maya Lansky.
19:18Charlie Brudd,
19:20Red Reed,
19:21and Max Courtney.
19:24Hoover would place the bets
19:26through Rosenstiel.
19:27Rosenstiel would call
19:28the boys up
19:29and they would
19:30make the bets
19:31and if Hoover won
19:33he got paid
19:34and if he didn't win
19:35they would just
19:36forget it.
19:38This was one of the reasons
19:39why Hoover never wanted
19:40to get into investigating
19:42organized crime
19:43because organized crime
19:45controlled the gambling industry,
19:47the bookmakers
19:47and all off-track betting.
19:50So I would say
19:52that that was probably
19:54one of the areas
19:55where he was vulnerable
19:56if you wanted
19:57to compromise
19:58Mr. Hoover.
20:00Hoover's friendship
20:01with Rosenstiel
20:01endured through the years
20:03even when Rosenstiel
20:04became a target
20:05of the New York State Committee
20:06on Organized Crime.
20:10In Florida
20:11its chief investigator
20:12Bill Gallinero
20:13observed Rosenstiel
20:15with the godfather
20:16of the Philadelphia Mafia
20:17aboard his yacht.
20:19We had a man here
20:20who was going fishing
20:22with members
20:23of organized crime
20:24on one day
20:25and then having dinner
20:27with the head
20:28of the FBI
20:29on another day
20:30certainly raised
20:31some peculiar questions
20:33about Hoover's integrity.
20:38Every summer
20:39Hoover's love of the track
20:40brought him and Tolson
20:42to California
20:42where they stayed
20:44in a hotel
20:44as guests of an oil man
20:46whose associates
20:46included known members
20:48of organized crime.
20:51Clint Markison Sr.
20:52was one of the
20:54wealthiest men
20:56in Texas.
20:57He was an old-time
20:58wildcatter.
21:00And he and Sid Richardson
21:01had bought
21:03the license
21:04to run
21:06a famous racetrack
21:07in California
21:08called Del Mar.
21:10J. Edgar Hoover
21:11spent each August
21:12at their racetrack
21:14in their box
21:14and as their guest
21:16in their suite
21:17at the hotel there.
21:18Hoover's own snapshots
21:22hinted how
21:23Murkison too
21:24indulged Hoover's taste
21:25for a one-way bet.
21:27He invested in oil wells
21:29and if the oil well
21:30went dry
21:30he got his money back.
21:33Before he purchased stock
21:34he wanted to know
21:35what the inside information was.
21:37He got it
21:37then purchased stock
21:38which is all illegal
21:39for any citizen.
21:41And old man Murkison
21:43told me
21:43that the most important
21:45person in the world
21:46to be close to
21:48was the sheriff
21:48and he owned
21:50a piece of Mr. Hoover
21:51because he felt
21:52by making certain
21:54that he had the box
21:55on the finish line
21:56paying his hotel bills
21:58and his food bills
21:59that he owned
21:59a piece of Hoover.
22:00No doubt about it.
22:03He was immune
22:04practically
22:05from any
22:06federal investigation
22:07of any of his activities.
22:11And was Hoover's attitude
22:12toward organized crime
22:14influenced by the generosity
22:15of a Murkison
22:16or a Rosenstiel?
22:18One day
22:19the gangster
22:19Meyer Lansky
22:20spoke about
22:21his virtual immunity
22:22from the FBI.
22:24He says
22:24if you'll know it
22:25he says
22:25he doesn't go after anybody
22:27like Santo,
22:28myself
22:28Carlos
22:31in Louisiana
22:33he says
22:33he doesn't touch
22:34any of us.
22:36Santos Traficante
22:37was the mafia
22:38chieftain in Tampa
22:39Carlos Marcello
22:41was the godfather
22:42of New Orleans.
22:43And I said
22:46you mean to tell me
22:47that you
22:47pay off Hoover?
22:49And he said
22:50absolutely not
22:51he wouldn't take
22:51a penny
22:52in front
22:53especially from
22:54a guy like me
22:54and he laughed.
22:56I said
22:57well how do you do it?
22:59He says
22:59I know at least
23:00a half a dozen
23:01of his friends
23:01that are friends
23:04of mine
23:05and he went
23:08like this
23:08to show
23:09like quotes
23:09he says
23:12and
23:12they take
23:13pretty good
23:14care of me.
23:16But Hoover's
23:17gambling
23:17and his
23:17dubious
23:18friendships
23:18never
23:19tarnished
23:20his image.
23:22To the public
23:23Hoover was
23:23a real life
23:24hero.
23:29He and Clyde
23:30Tolson
23:31were treated
23:31like movie stars.
23:32The two
23:35snappily dressed
23:36bachelors
23:37were often
23:37seen in
23:38New York's
23:38most fashionable
23:39night spots.
23:40One of their
23:55favorite hangouts
23:56was the
23:57Stork Club
23:57managed by
23:58Sherman Billingsley
23:59who used to
24:00place illegal
24:00bets for them.
24:04It was here
24:05one New Year's
24:06Eve that
24:06Hoover and
24:07Tolson
24:07betrayed the
24:08secret they
24:08shared.
24:09A secret
24:10that could
24:10have destroyed
24:11Hoover's
24:11reputation
24:12and his
24:12career.
24:17Well it was
24:18a wonderful
24:18night at
24:19the Stork Club.
24:20It was
24:20New Year's
24:22Eve 1936
24:23and I was
24:25the only
24:25woman at
24:26the table.
24:28Louisa
24:28Stewart,
24:29a famous
24:29model and
24:30her boyfriend
24:31Art Arthur
24:31had been
24:32invited to
24:33join Hoover
24:33and Tolson
24:34at Walter
24:35Winchell's
24:35table.
24:36We all
24:37had on
24:37those crazy
24:38hats and
24:39the things
24:40you blew
24:41and at
24:43one point
24:44I'm pointing
24:45a toy gun
24:46at Hoover
24:47who has
24:48his hands
24:48up and
24:49it was just
24:51a great
24:51night.
24:52it was getting
25:03really late
25:04and Hoover
25:05was rather
25:06annoyed with
25:06Clyde.
25:07He thought
25:08Clyde had
25:08too much
25:09to drink
25:09and finally
25:12the decision
25:12was to go
25:13to the
25:13cotton club
25:15up in
25:16Harlem.
25:16we went
25:20in the
25:20FBI
25:21limousine
25:22and
25:22Art
25:24and I
25:24sat
25:24in the
25:25back seat
25:25and
25:26Clyde
25:27and
25:27Jedgar
25:28as we
25:28called
25:29him
25:29sat
25:29in the
25:29two
25:30jump
25:30seats
25:31and
25:33then
25:33I
25:33saw
25:33that
25:33they
25:33were
25:34holding
25:34hands
25:35and
25:37I
25:37guess
25:37he
25:37was
25:37forgiving
25:38him
25:38but
25:38I
25:38thought
25:39it
25:39was
25:39sort
25:40of
25:40odd.
25:41I
26:03remember
26:03the
26:04cotton
26:04club
26:04that
26:04night
26:04very
26:05well
26:05because
26:06there
26:06were
26:06a
26:06couple
26:07there
26:07who
26:07were
26:07black
26:08and
26:08white
26:08dancing
26:09together
26:09and
26:10that
26:10made
26:11Hoover
26:12furious
26:13and
26:14then
26:14Clyde
26:15who
26:15was
26:15still
26:16pretty
26:16drunk
26:16said
26:16well
26:17he'd
26:17like
26:17to
26:17dance
26:18with
26:18Hoover
26:18which
26:19we
26:19all
26:19thought
26:19was
26:19very
26:20funny
26:20well
26:24we
26:25left
26:25finally
26:27and
26:28in
26:29the
26:29taxi
26:29going
26:30home
26:31then
26:33Art
26:33said
26:33to
26:33me
26:33it's
26:34common
26:35knowledge
26:35that
26:37they're
26:38queer
26:38that
26:38they're
26:38fairies
26:39those
26:39are
26:39the
26:39terms
26:40used
26:40in
26:40those
26:40days
26:41but
26:41he
26:41said
26:41we
26:41don't
26:42talk
26:42about
26:42it
26:42whether
26:45we
26:45like
26:46it
26:46or
26:46not
26:46it's
26:48always
26:48been
26:48true
26:48that
26:49a
26:49public
26:50man's
26:50private
26:50sex
26:51life
26:51makes
26:52him
26:52vulnerable
26:52Hoover
26:53knew
26:53this
26:54he
26:55would
26:55eventually
26:55seek
26:56out
26:56one
26:57of
26:57the
26:57most
26:57distinguished
26:57psychiatrists
26:58in
26:58Washington
26:59to
27:01ask
27:01for
27:01advice
27:02and
27:02help
27:02because
27:03he
27:03was
27:03so
27:04terrorized
27:05by
27:05his
27:05own
27:05sexuality
27:06what
27:06was
27:07he
27:07as
27:07director
27:08of
27:08the
27:08FBI
27:08to
27:08do
27:10that
27:10in
27:11Washington
27:12D.C.
27:12police
27:13detectives
27:13were
27:14picking
27:14up
27:14intelligence
27:15about
27:15Hoover's
27:15private
27:16life
27:17Guy
27:18Hoddle
27:18was
27:19a
27:19retired
27:20or
27:20fired
27:21agent
27:21he
27:22was
27:22an
27:22alcoholic
27:23and
27:25Hoddle
27:25would
27:25every
27:26time
27:27he
27:27had
27:27a
27:27few
27:27drinks
27:28he
27:28would
27:28tell
27:29stories
27:29about
27:30parties
27:30that
27:30went
27:31on
27:31in
27:31J.
27:32Edgar
27:32Hoover's
27:33house
27:33when
27:34there
27:34were
27:34sex
27:36parties
27:36there
27:37no
27:37girls
27:38so
27:39when
27:39you
27:39say
27:39sex
27:39parties
27:40what
27:40does
27:40that
27:40mean
27:41if
27:41you
27:41have
27:41no
27:41girls
27:42Joe
27:45Scheiman
27:45also
27:46heard
27:46that
27:46years
27:46earlier
27:47in
27:47New
27:47Orleans
27:48Hoover
27:48had
27:48been
27:49picked
27:49up
27:49by
27:49the
27:49vice
27:50squad
27:50see
27:51New
27:51Orleans
27:52is a
27:52wide
27:52open
27:52town
27:53and the
27:54prostitutes
27:54work there
27:55and of course
27:55you know
27:56and I
27:56know
27:56that
27:57if you
27:58have a dozen
27:59prostitutes
27:59on this
28:00work on the
28:00streets
28:01you at least
28:01have a half
28:02a dozen
28:02male
28:03prostitutes
28:04you picked
28:05up one
28:06of the
28:06pretty
28:07boys
28:07five
28:09squad
28:09apparently
28:09was watching
28:10him and
28:11arrested him
28:11now
28:11I don't
28:13know the
28:13details of the
28:14arrest and
28:14never got it
28:15other than he
28:15was arrested and
28:16charged
28:17charged with a
28:18sex offense
28:19and the
28:20arrest was
28:21washed
28:21out
28:22in Las
28:29Vegas
28:29Hoover's
28:30homosexuality
28:31was more
28:31than a
28:32matter of
28:32gossip
28:32in the
28:34casinos
28:34the
28:34wise
28:35guys
28:35talked
28:35about
28:36how
28:36it
28:36gave
28:36the
28:36mafia
28:37a
28:37hold
28:37over
28:38him
28:38Irving
28:40Resnick
28:41who was
28:41the Las
28:41Vegas
28:41representative
28:42of
28:43the
28:43big
28:44New
28:44England
28:44mob
28:45family
28:45said
28:47in
28:471971
28:48that
28:49Lansky
28:50was
28:50the
28:50one
28:51who
28:51had
28:51quote
28:52nailed
28:52J. Edgar
28:53Hoover
28:53I remember
28:55Ash Resnick
28:56at the
28:56Caesar's
28:57Palace
28:57he used
28:58to be
28:58the
28:58manager
28:58the
28:59nightclub
28:59there
28:59he told
29:02me
29:02that
29:02Meyer
29:03Lansky
29:04had
29:05some
29:06pretty
29:06strong
29:06evidence
29:07that
29:07Hoover
29:08and
29:08Tolson
29:09were
29:11both
29:11homosexuals
29:13when
29:13he
29:14was
29:14asked
29:14what
29:15that
29:15meant
29:15he
29:16said
29:17that
29:17Lansky
29:17had
29:18obtained
29:18photographs
29:20of
29:20Hoover
29:21in a
29:21compromising
29:22situation
29:22with
29:23Clyde
29:23Tolson
29:23one
29:26man
29:26who
29:26actually
29:26claims
29:27to have
29:27seen
29:27such
29:28photographs
29:28is
29:29Gordon
29:29Novell
29:29a
29:30controversial
29:30figure
29:31with
29:31connections
29:32to
29:32the
29:32intelligence
29:33community
29:33Novell
29:35who had
29:36worked for
29:36the
29:36White
29:37House
29:37in the
29:37early
29:371960s
29:38became
29:39involved
29:39in a
29:39complicated
29:40legal
29:40action
29:41which
29:41the
29:42White
29:42House
29:42wanted
29:42him
29:42to
29:43pursue
29:43but
29:44which
29:44Hoover
29:44wanted
29:45dropped
29:45so
29:47I
29:47went
29:47to
29:47the
29:47White
29:47House
29:48and
29:48the
29:49White
29:49House
29:49sent
29:49me
29:49to
29:49Mr.
29:50Angleton
29:50director
29:51of
29:51counterintelligence
29:51CIA
29:52we met
29:54in a
29:54restaurant
29:54I
29:55told him
29:55my
29:55problem
29:56and
29:56he
29:56says
29:56I
29:56know
29:57what
29:57your
29:57problem
29:57is
29:58he
29:58said
29:58you
29:58need
29:59to
29:59tell
29:59Mr.
29:59Hoover
29:59that
29:59you've
30:00met
30:00with
30:00me
30:00and
30:01that
30:02you're
30:02not
30:02going
30:02to
30:02dismiss
30:03the
30:03lawsuit
30:03and
30:04that
30:04you've
30:04seen
30:04this
30:05at which
30:06point
30:06he
30:06opened
30:06up
30:07his
30:07briefcase
30:07and
30:07pulled
30:08out
30:08a couple
30:08of
30:08photographs
30:09of
30:09Mr.
30:11Hoover
30:12and
30:12flagrante
30:13delicto
30:13I guess
30:14is one
30:14way to
30:15describe
30:15it
30:15having
30:17oral
30:18sex
30:18this
30:24testimony
30:24does
30:24not
30:25stand
30:25alone
30:25I
30:26talked
30:26to
30:27a
30:27former
30:27regular
30:28officer
30:28in
30:29the
30:29OSS
30:30that's
30:30the
30:30predecessor
30:31of
30:31the
30:31CIA
30:31who
30:33said
30:33that
30:33after
30:34the
30:34war
30:34he
30:35went
30:36to
30:36dinner
30:36with
30:36other
30:37OSS
30:38American
30:38intelligence
30:39colleagues
30:39and
30:40that
30:40after
30:40dinner
30:41when
30:42over
30:42the
30:42brandy
30:42stage
30:43when
30:43conversation
30:43turned
30:44to
30:45the
30:46private
30:47lives
30:47of
30:47public
30:48people
30:48his
30:49host
30:50went
30:50out
30:50of
30:50the
30:50room
30:50and
30:50then
30:51came
30:51back
30:51with
30:52a
30:52photograph
30:52and
30:53this
30:54was
30:54passed
30:54around
30:55the
30:55table
30:55and
30:55the
30:55photograph
30:56showed
30:57two
30:58men
30:58Hoover
30:59and
30:59Tolson
30:59engaged
31:01in
31:01homosexual
31:02activity
31:02In
31:04New
31:04Orleans
31:04where
31:05the
31:05CIA
31:05and
31:06the
31:06mafia
31:06had
31:06sometimes
31:07collaborated
31:07Mafia
31:09Don
31:09Carlos
31:09Marcello
31:10told
31:10Gordon
31:10Novell
31:11that
31:11he
31:11too
31:12had
31:12seen
31:12a
31:12photograph
31:13I
31:14had
31:14volunteered
31:14the
31:14information
31:15that
31:15I
31:15had
31:15seen
31:16the
31:16picture
31:16of
31:17Mr.
31:19Hoover
31:19performing
31:20oral
31:21sex
31:21and
31:21he
31:21said
31:22that
31:22he
31:22had
31:23seen
31:23it
31:23too
31:23and
31:24that
31:24it
31:25had
31:25been
31:25used
31:25to
31:25keep
31:26the
31:26FBI
31:27but
31:28not
31:28the
31:28Justice
31:28Department
31:29off
31:29the
31:29back
31:29of
31:30the
31:30mob
31:30There
31:33was
31:33another
31:33way
31:33in which
31:34the
31:34mafia
31:34could
31:34have
31:35learned
31:35of
31:35Hoover's
31:35homosexuality
31:37In
31:37the
31:38late
31:381950s
31:39Hoover
31:39was
31:39a
31:39regular
31:40visitor
31:40at
31:40the
31:41home
31:41of
31:41Meyer
31:41Lansky's
31:42friend
31:42the
31:42former
31:43bootlegger
31:43Louis
31:44Rosensteele
31:44and his
31:45wife
31:45Susan
31:45I
31:46found
31:47out
31:47early
31:47in
31:47the
31:47marriage
31:48that
31:49my
31:49husband
31:49was
31:50bisexual
31:50he
31:51was
31:52involved
31:52with
31:52Roy
31:52Cohn
31:53the
31:54assistant
31:54counsel
31:55to
31:55Senator
31:56McCarthy
31:56when he
31:58used to
31:58come
31:58with a
31:58little
31:59boyfriend
31:59and they
32:00used
32:00to
32:00like
32:01you
32:02know
32:02squeeze
32:04each
32:04other
32:05and
32:05that
32:06I
32:06should
32:06really
32:06see
32:07that
32:07he
32:07was
32:07a
32:08gay
32:08boy
32:09so
32:10one
32:11day
32:12Rosensteele
32:12said
32:12we're
32:13going
32:13to
32:13go
32:13this
32:13evening
32:14to
32:15the
32:15Plaza
32:16Hotel
32:16and
32:17Roy
32:18Cohn
32:18was
32:18there
32:18and
32:19he
32:20said
32:20you'll
32:20be
32:20very
32:21much
32:21surprised
32:22at
32:22what
32:22you'll
32:22see
32:23I
32:24didn't
32:25have
32:25much
32:26to
32:26say
32:26I
32:26said
32:26all
32:27right
32:27I'll
32:27go
32:27when
32:29they
32:29arrived
32:30at
32:30the
32:30plaza
32:30Rosensteele
32:31insisted
32:32that
32:32they
32:32enter
32:32by
32:32a
32:33side
32:33door
32:33we
32:36went
32:36up
32:37into
32:37the
32:38elevator
32:38it was
32:39we
32:39went
32:40to
32:40either
32:40the
32:40second
32:41or
32:41the
32:41third
32:41floor
32:42there
32:43was
32:44a
32:44sign
32:44on
32:44the
32:44door
32:45where
32:45he
32:45led
32:46me
32:46to
32:46not
32:47to
32:47disturb
32:47and
32:48we
32:48knocked
32:49on
32:49the
32:49door
32:49and
32:50Roy
32:50Cohn
32:51opened
32:51the
32:51door
32:52and
32:54we
32:54went
32:54in
32:54and
32:55there
32:55was
32:55there
32:57was
32:57this
32:59gentleman
33:00he
33:02was
33:02dressed
33:02as
33:02a
33:03woman
33:03and
33:05Roy
33:06introduced
33:06me
33:06he said
33:07I'd
33:07like
33:07you
33:07to
33:07meet
33:08Mary
33:08well
33:09I
33:09knew
33:10the
33:11name
33:11wasn't
33:12Mary
33:12because
33:13he
33:14looked
33:15just
33:15like
33:15J.
33:15Edgar
33:16Hoover
33:16in
33:16fact
33:17he
33:17was
33:17very
33:18solid
33:19looking
33:19and
33:20he
33:21had
33:21like
33:21a
33:21little
33:22growth
33:23and
33:24he
33:24dressed
33:25in
33:25black
33:26chiffon
33:27dress
33:28very
33:29short
33:30with
33:30ruffles
33:31and
33:32black
33:32lace
33:33stockings
33:35and
33:35high
33:36heel
33:36shoes
33:37and
33:37a
33:37black
33:38curly
33:38wig
33:39and
33:39black
33:40bald
33:40eyelashes
33:41and
33:42he
33:42was
33:42sitting
33:42he
33:43crossed
33:44his
33:44legs
33:44now
33:46wait a
33:46minute
33:46you're
33:47saying
33:48it
33:48looked
33:48like
33:49J.
33:49Edgar
33:49Hoover
33:49or
33:50it
33:50was
33:50clearly
33:51to
33:51you
33:51J.
33:51Edgar
33:52Hoover
33:52it
33:52was
33:52clearly
33:53to
33:53me
33:53J.
33:53Edgar
33:54Hoover
33:54do
33:54you
33:55have
33:55any
33:55doubt
33:55at all
33:56about
33:56that
33:56absolutely
33:57not
33:57according
34:02to Susan
34:02Rosenstiel
34:03two young
34:04men
34:04arrived
34:05and
34:05first
34:05Hoover
34:05then
34:06Cohn
34:06and
34:07Rosenstiel
34:07went
34:08into
34:08the
34:08bedroom
34:08and
34:08had
34:09sex
34:09with
34:09them
34:09once
34:10again
34:11Hoover
34:12had
34:12allowed
34:12himself
34:12to be
34:13dangerously
34:14compromised
34:14I heard
34:18Rosenstiel
34:19say
34:19that if
34:20Hoover
34:21ever
34:21brings
34:21pressure
34:22against
34:23Lansky
34:23or any
34:24of us
34:24we'll
34:25use this
34:26as
34:26blackmail
34:26we'll
34:27expose
34:28him
34:28Meyer
34:30Lansky
34:30had
34:31some
34:32pretty
34:32heavy
34:33stuff
34:33on
34:34Hoover
34:34that he
34:35was a
34:35homosexual
34:36without
34:37any
34:38question
34:38and
34:40he'd
34:44shove
34:44it
34:44to
34:44him
34:44if
34:45he
34:45ever
34:45had
34:46to
34:46Irving
34:49Resnick
34:49said
34:49Lansky
34:50was the
34:51guy
34:51who
34:51controlled
34:52the
34:52pictures
34:52and
34:53he
34:53had
34:53made
34:53his
34:53deal
34:54with
34:54Hoover
34:54to
34:55lay
34:55off
34:55that
34:56was
34:56the
34:56reason
34:57that
34:57for
34:57a
34:58long
34:58time
34:58we
34:59had
34:59nothing
34:59to
34:59fear
35:00from
35:00the
35:00FBI
35:00in
35:08the
35:0940s
35:09we
35:10hardly
35:11touched
35:11organized
35:12crime
35:13because
35:14the
35:14Bureau
35:14did
35:15not
35:15believe
35:17that
35:17there
35:17was
35:17a
35:17mafia
35:18or
35:18did
35:19not
35:19allow
35:19us
35:20to
35:20investigate
35:21the
35:21mafia
35:21as
35:22such
35:22for
35:25the
35:25vital
35:25decades
35:26of
35:26the
35:26mafia's
35:26growth
35:27Hoover
35:27denied
35:28that
35:28nationally
35:29syndicated
35:29organized
35:30crime
35:30existed
35:31and
35:31ignored
35:32all
35:32evidence
35:33that
35:33it
35:33did
35:33our
35:34committee
35:34has
35:35found
35:35that
35:35organized
35:36crime
35:37does
35:37operate
35:37on a
35:38syndicated
35:38basis
35:39across
35:40state
35:40lines
35:40in the
35:41United
35:41States
35:41that
35:42is
35:42a
35:42much
35:43bigger
35:43more
35:43sinister
35:44and
35:45a
35:45larger
35:45operation
35:46than
35:46we
35:46had
35:46ever
35:46suspected
35:47in
35:481951
35:49the
35:50Keefoffer
35:50committee
35:50began
35:51to
35:51publicly
35:51uncover
35:52the
35:52nationwide
35:53structure
35:53of
35:54organized
35:54crime
35:55the
35:56importance
35:56of
35:56bookies
35:57like
35:57Frank
35:57Erickson
35:58and
35:59their
35:59connection
35:59with
35:59mobsters
36:00like
36:00Frank
36:00Costello
36:01who
36:01controlled
36:02them
36:02the
36:02FBI
36:03extended
36:03no
36:04cooperation
36:05at
36:05all
36:06to
36:06congressional
36:07committees
36:08involved
36:08in
36:08investigating
36:09organized
36:09crime
36:10beyond
36:11giving
36:12them
36:12a
36:12copy
36:13of
36:13a
36:13criminal
36:13record
36:13sheet
36:14were
36:15you
36:15convicted
36:16for
36:16possession
36:17of
36:17a
36:17revolver
36:17that's
36:18right
36:18yes sir
36:19march 12
36:191915
36:20yes
36:21is that
36:22right
36:22yes
36:23even
36:24even
36:24when
36:24the
36:24mafia
36:24murdered
36:25two
36:25committee
36:26witnesses
36:26Hoover
36:27refused
36:27to
36:27help
36:28far
36:29from
36:29helping
36:29the
36:29key
36:30forward
36:30investigation
36:31Hoover
36:32and the
36:32FBI
36:32did their
36:33best
36:33to
36:33obstruct
36:34it
36:34for
36:35the
36:35next
36:35seven
36:36years
36:36Hoover
36:36ignored
36:37the
36:37committee's
36:37findings
36:38he
36:39continued
36:39to
36:39insist
36:40that
36:40organized
36:41crime
36:41did
36:41not
36:41exist
36:42as a
36:42national
36:42syndicate
36:43and
36:44therefore
36:44a
36:44federal
36:44agency
36:45like
36:45the
36:45FBI
36:46had
36:46no
36:46jurisdiction
36:47over
36:48rackets
36:48like
36:49gambling
36:49organized
36:50gambling
36:50is a
36:51vicious
36:51evil
36:52it
36:52corrupts
36:53our
36:53youth
36:53and
36:54blights
36:54the
36:55lives
36:55of
36:55our
36:55adults
36:56it
36:57becomes
36:57a
36:57springboard
36:58for
36:58other
36:58crimes
36:59embezzlement
37:00robbery
37:00and
37:01even
37:01murder
37:01but
37:03like
37:03any
37:03other
37:03type
37:03of
37:04crime
37:04it
37:05can
37:05be
37:05controlled
37:06in
37:07my
37:07opinion
37:08the
37:08basic
37:09answer
37:09is
37:10an
37:10aroused
37:11public
37:11opinion
37:12which
37:12will
37:12act
37:13on
37:13a
37:13local
37:13level
37:14through
37:14local
37:15law
37:15enforcement
37:16authorities
37:17to
37:17wipe
37:17out
37:17the
37:18menace
37:18there
37:19wasn't
37:19one
37:19mention
37:20of
37:20the
37:20mafia
37:21there
37:21wasn't
37:21one
37:22mention
37:23of
37:23organized
37:24crime
37:25activities
37:26during
37:27the
37:28training
37:29course
37:30that I
37:30and all
37:31other
37:31brand new
37:32FBI agents
37:33went through
37:34in Washington
37:34not one
37:36mention
37:37of it
37:37in fact
37:39the bureau
37:39in Washington
37:40had no
37:41organized
37:41crime
37:42division
37:42when I
37:44went to
37:45the supervisor
37:46in Seattle
37:47and asked
37:48why we
37:49weren't
37:49going
37:49after
37:49the
37:50mafia
37:50he
37:51said
37:51we
37:51don't
37:51use
37:52that
37:52word
37:52Hoover
37:53doesn't
37:53acknowledge
37:54that
37:54there's
37:54a
37:54mafia
37:55then
37:56in
37:571957
37:58mafia
37:59chieftains
37:59from all
38:00over the
38:00United
38:00States
38:01gathered
38:01in the
38:01small
38:02town
38:02of
38:02Appalachian
38:03New
38:03York
38:03to
38:04meet
38:04at
38:05the
38:05home
38:05of
38:05Joseph
38:06Barbara
38:06when
38:08local
38:09police
38:09raided
38:09this
38:09gangland
38:10conference
38:11and arrested
38:11the
38:11delegates
38:12it
38:13caused
38:13a
38:13sensation
38:14it
38:15also
38:15removed
38:16Hoover's
38:17excuse
38:17for
38:18inaction
38:18the
38:20discovery
38:21of the
38:21meeting
38:22at
38:22Appalachian
38:22New York
38:23was a
38:23big rise
38:24in public
38:25interest
38:25and government
38:26interest
38:27and what
38:27were these
38:28100 people
38:29doing in
38:29this rural
38:30location
38:31in New York
38:31State
38:32Hoover set up
38:34the top
38:34hoodlum
38:34program
38:35agents in
38:36every state
38:37were ordered
38:37to gather
38:38intelligence
38:38on leaders
38:39of organized
38:40crime
38:40in Chicago
38:42FBI
38:43special agent
38:43William
38:44Romer
38:44achieved
38:45an
38:45extraordinary
38:45breakthrough
38:46in 1959
38:48in Chicago
38:49we had
38:50placed a
38:50microphone
38:51into the
38:51general
38:52headquarters
38:52of the
38:52Chicago
38:53mob
38:53on the
38:53magnificent
38:54mile
38:54and
38:55Sam
38:55Giancana
38:56who was
38:56the boss
38:57of the
38:57Chicago
38:57mob
38:58at that
38:58time
38:58had just
38:59come back
38:59from a
39:00commission
39:00meeting
39:00in the
39:01east
39:01and he
39:02laid out
39:02exactly
39:03who the
39:04members
39:04of the
39:04commission
39:05were
39:05all across
39:06the
39:06country
39:06and we
39:07at that
39:08time
39:08determined
39:09that there
39:10was such
39:11a thing
39:11as what
39:12they
39:12themselves
39:12called
39:13the
39:13national
39:13commission
39:14which was
39:15the ruling
39:15body
39:15of organized
39:16crime
39:16and it
39:17was a
39:18very
39:18very
39:18important
39:19breakthrough
39:19for us
39:20even
39:21then
39:21Hoover
39:22continued
39:22to deny
39:23that the
39:23mafia
39:24existed
39:24and
39:25dismissed
39:25an internal
39:26FBI report
39:27confirming
39:28its existence
39:28as
39:29baloney
39:29but when
39:31he
39:31drastically
39:31reduced
39:32the
39:32top
39:32hoodlum
39:32program
39:33even his
39:34most loyal
39:35agents
39:35were stunned
39:36when I
39:38remember
39:38myself
39:38going back
39:39to Washington
39:39and talking
39:41to some
39:42of the top
39:42officials
39:42they recognized
39:43what I was
39:44saying
39:44and just
39:46told me
39:47that this
39:47was the
39:48way that
39:48Mr.
39:49Hoover
39:50wanted it
39:50I talked
39:51to Senator
39:52S.
39:52Skifoffer
39:53about the
39:54problems
39:55in the
39:55FBI
39:55and
39:57he said
39:59well
40:00there's not
40:01much can be
40:02done about
40:02Hoover
40:03because he
40:04has the
40:04files
40:05meaning
40:05he had
40:06files on
40:06about every
40:07politician
40:08in Washington
40:09and his
40:12exact words
40:12were
40:13Hoover's
40:14more powerful
40:14than the
40:15president
40:15what made
40:19Hoover so
40:19powerful
40:19was the
40:20authority
40:20to investigate
40:21subversives
40:22he'd received
40:23from President
40:24Roosevelt
40:24during the
40:29second world
40:29war
40:30Hoover had
40:30wiretapped
40:31Nazi and
40:32communist
40:32sympathizers
40:33as the
40:35years went
40:36by
40:36Hoover
40:37used
40:37these
40:37powers
40:38to snoop
40:38on the
40:39private
40:39lives
40:39of the
40:40rich
40:40the
40:40powerful
40:41and
40:42countless
40:42ordinary
40:43citizens
40:43the raw
40:46data poured
40:47into FBI
40:48headquarters
40:48rumor
40:50fact
40:50and
40:51innuendo
40:51everything
40:52was cross
40:53indexed
40:54and filed
40:54away
40:55as the
40:56files grew
40:57so did
40:58Hoover's
40:58political
40:58power
40:59in Washington
41:00politicians
41:01feared him
41:02modern
41:09technology
41:09made
41:10Hoover
41:10more
41:10powerful
41:11he even
41:12tapped
41:12into the
41:13main
41:13telephone
41:13cable
41:14on
41:14Capitol
41:14Hill
41:15many
41:17congressmen
41:17have claimed
41:18over the
41:18years
41:19that
41:20their
41:21phones
41:21were
41:21wiretapped
41:22by the
41:22FBI
41:22not
41:24true
41:25there
41:27are many
41:27congressmen
41:28that claim
41:28that oh
41:29the FBI
41:30has a
41:30file
41:30on me
41:31that
41:32wasn't
41:32true
41:33Carter
41:34Deloach
41:34told us
41:35how a
41:35senator
41:35had a
41:36small
41:36car accident
41:37and when
41:38he got
41:38out to
41:39look at
41:39the
41:39accident
41:40the
41:41agents
41:41noted
41:41that he
41:42seemed
41:42to be
41:43drinking
41:43and he
41:44had a
41:45young
41:45blonde
41:45girl
41:46with him
41:47and they
41:48took a
41:48picture
41:49of it
41:51the
41:51senator
41:52had
41:52blundered
41:52into an
41:53FBI
41:53surveillance
41:54operation
41:54but this
41:55was not
41:56the last
41:56he would
41:57hear of
41:57it
41:57Mr. Hoover
42:02would send
42:03someone such
42:04as I
42:04up to
42:05Capitol Hill
42:06to knock
42:06on the
42:06senator's
42:07door
42:07to apologize
42:10for the
42:11intrusion on
42:11his privacy
42:12from Mr. Hoover
42:13and to assure
42:14him that Mr. Hoover
42:16had seen to it
42:17that that bit
42:17of information
42:18had been removed
42:19from the files
42:20and say that
42:21Mr. Hoover
42:21counsels you sir
42:22with all due respect
42:23that if we could
42:24stumble upon this
42:25so too might
42:25your political
42:26enemies
42:26then the fellow
42:27would sort of
42:28wipe his brow
42:29thank Mr. Hoover
42:30and I would
42:31return
42:31we do know
42:33from other
42:34congressmen and
42:35senators that have
42:36been through this
42:37that he'd always say
42:38don't worry I know
42:39about it but
42:40but you're okay
42:41I think it was
42:43subtle blackmail
42:44and they did too
42:46one of the reasons
42:48I think Hoover
42:49stayed on
42:50years after the
42:51civil service rules
42:52said he should
42:53retire
42:53is that I think
42:55a lot of presidents
42:56were afraid to drop
42:57the hammer on him
42:58presidents went to him
43:00before they were
43:01elected
43:02to pledge that
43:03they would keep him
43:04in office
43:05democrats went to him
43:06republicans went to him
43:07they had conferences
43:08and he sat there
43:09like a king
43:10and the next
43:12president was saying
43:13yes
43:13if I'm elected
43:15I'll keep you in office
43:16period
43:17in the 1950s
43:20a man who would
43:21be president
43:22was apparently
43:22having an affair
43:23with a young woman
43:24in this Washington
43:25townhouse
43:26inevitably a photograph
43:28of the man leaving
43:29in the early morning
43:30found its way
43:31into Hoover's
43:31growing file
43:32on Senator
43:33John F. Kennedy
43:34the day after
43:38he was elected
43:38president
43:39John Kennedy
43:40reappointed
43:41J. Edgar Hoover
43:42as director
43:42of the FBI
43:43Hoover's immediate
43:45boss
43:46would be Robert
43:46Kennedy
43:47an attorney general
43:48determined to crack
43:49down on organized
43:51crime
43:51when Robert Kennedy
43:53became the attorney
43:53general of the United
43:54States
43:54we had an intensified
43:56investigation of
43:57organized crime
43:57the FBI agents
43:59who were interested
44:00in organized crime
44:01who were working
44:01very hard
44:03thought they had died
44:04and went to heaven
44:05when Robert Kennedy
44:06became the attorney general
44:07Hoover wanted no part
44:09in Robert Kennedy's war
44:10on organized crime
44:11the FBI director
44:13fought back
44:14with the weapon
44:14he knew best
44:15Hoover was such
44:17a power
44:18at that time
44:19that he would
44:21actually send
44:22memos
44:22to the attorney
44:24general
44:24and saying
44:26I thought
44:27you'd be
44:27interested
44:28knowing that
44:29your brother
44:30the president
44:31you know
44:33had such and such
44:35a girlfriend
44:36etc.
44:36etc.
44:37one such girlfriend
44:40was Judith Exner
44:41then Judith Campbell
44:43the relationship
44:45that I had
44:46with Jack
44:46from early 1960
44:48Hoover
44:50knew all about
44:51that
44:52and he used
44:53that as leverage
44:55FBI wiretaps
44:57had revealed
44:58that when
44:58Judith Campbell
44:59wanted to contact
45:00John Kennedy
45:01she placed her calls
45:02to his devoted
45:03secretary
45:03Evelyn Lincoln
45:05well in this one
45:07instance
45:07he sent a memorandum
45:10on March
45:11the 20th
45:131962
45:14saying that
45:16there was a young
45:16lady
45:17that had made
45:1890 calls
45:19to the White House
45:21to Evelyn Lincoln
45:22and did you know
45:24that she is
45:25connected with
45:26the mafia
45:27and he
45:28wanted
45:29would have
45:30an appointment
45:31ironically
45:34the wiretaps
45:35that Robert
45:35Kennedy
45:36had forced
45:36Hoover
45:37to place
45:37on mafiosi
45:38like Sam
45:38Giancana's
45:39henchman
45:39Johnny Roselli
45:41revealed that
45:42both men
45:42knew Judith
45:43Campbell
45:44so they
45:45arranged
45:45a luncheon
45:46day
45:47March 22nd
45:491962
45:50at which time
45:52they discussed
45:52the telephone
45:53calls
45:54and
45:55during that
45:57meeting
45:57he let
45:58him know
45:59face to face
46:00that he knew
46:02about Jack's
46:03relationship
46:03with me
46:04right after
46:05the meeting
46:06Jack called
46:08me
46:08he was
46:10furious
46:10because
46:12in his eyes
46:13he felt
46:13that
46:14he just
46:16couldn't believe
46:16that Hoover
46:17would have
46:17the audacity
46:18to do this
46:20face to face
46:21and
46:22in a sense
46:23try to threaten
46:24him
46:25Hoover's files
46:27may have helped
46:28him keep his
46:28job
46:29but nothing
46:30could stop
46:30Bobby Kennedy's
46:31war on the
46:31mafia
46:32and by now
46:33even Hoover
46:34had been forced
46:34to do something
46:35about it
46:36in Miami Beach
46:39FBI agents
46:40listened in
46:41as one of
46:41Meyer Lansky's
46:42associates
46:43lamented Hoover's
46:44loss of influence
46:45the gentleman
46:47the gentleman
46:47was talking to
46:48Jesse Weiss
46:49owner of
46:50Joe's
46:50Stone Crabs
46:51on Miami
46:52Beach
46:52a place
46:52where Hoover
46:53patronized
46:55very often
46:55and of course
46:57never paid
46:58for what he ate
46:59said that
47:01Hoover had
47:01personally told
47:02him this
47:02that Bobby
47:03Kennedy had
47:04taken over
47:04the FBI
47:06and was forcing
47:07it to do
47:07things that
47:08Hoover didn't
47:09want it to do
47:09and these
47:11gentlemen
47:12deplored the
47:12fact that
47:13the FBI
47:14was being
47:15forced to
47:15investigate
47:16them
47:16to harass
47:17them
47:17and they
47:18declared
47:18that Hoover
47:19is a lost
47:20cause
47:20and they
47:22were all
47:23very unhappy
47:23because
47:25their buddy
47:27had lost
47:27the power
47:27and of course
47:30obviously
47:31he would not
47:33have had
47:34the regain
47:35power
47:35had not
47:35John Kennedy
47:36been killed
47:36a few weeks
47:37later
47:38the minute
47:40the bullet
47:40hit the back
47:41of Jack
47:41Kennedy's
47:42head
47:43and Jack
47:45Kennedy was
47:45no longer
47:46president
47:46and Bobby
47:47Kennedy was
47:48rendered
47:49impotent
47:50as Attorney
47:51General
47:52as far as
47:52Hoover was
47:53concerned
47:53I believe
47:54Hoover took
47:55control
47:56back
47:57of his
47:58organized crime
47:59program
48:00and it
48:01stopped
48:01the day
48:02after John
48:03F. Kennedy
48:03was killed
48:04Hoover and
48:05Tolson
48:05went to
48:06Pimlico
48:06to spend
48:07a day
48:08at the
48:08races
48:08and they're
48:10off
48:10seven
48:11three-year-olds
48:12Lyndon
48:16Johnson
48:17and J. Edgar
48:18Hoover
48:19over many
48:20years
48:20had a
48:21unusually
48:22close
48:23personal
48:24and professional
48:25relationship
48:26and it all
48:27had to do
48:28with Hoover's
48:29power
48:30and Johnson's
48:31power
48:31it was no
48:33surprise
48:33that President
48:34Johnson
48:35reappointed
48:35Hoover
48:36what has
48:37not been
48:37known
48:37is the
48:38part
48:38Hoover
48:38may have
48:39played
48:39in
48:39Johnson
48:39becoming
48:40president
48:41at all
48:41this part
48:45of Hoover's
48:46secret history
48:46goes back to
48:47the 1960
48:48Democratic
48:49Convention
48:49when Kennedy
48:50and Johnson
48:51were both
48:51seeking the
48:52nomination
48:52Kennedy joked
48:55that Johnson
48:56should remain
48:56a senator
48:57so I
48:58come to you
48:58today
48:59full of
49:00admiration
49:01for Senator
49:01Johnson
49:01full of
49:02affection
49:02for him
49:03strongly in
49:04support of
49:05him for
49:05majority leader
49:06and I'm
49:06confident that
49:07in that position
49:07we're all going to
49:08be able to work
49:09together
49:09thank you
49:09behind the
49:13smiles it was
49:14an intense
49:14fight
49:15but Johnson
49:16enjoyed the
49:16secret support
49:17of J. Edgar
49:18Hoover
49:18and his
49:19files
49:19Lyndon Johnson
49:21told me
49:22that
49:23J. Edgar
49:25Hoover
49:26loathed
49:27and despised
49:28both Bobby
49:29Kennedy
49:30and President
49:31Kennedy
49:31and that
49:32J. Edgar
49:34Hoover
49:35had extensive
49:36files
49:37on President
49:38Kennedy's
49:39womanizing
49:40when Kennedy
49:42won the
49:43nomination
49:43he surprised
49:44almost everyone
49:45by asking
49:46Johnson
49:46to be
49:47vice president
49:48until now
49:51history has
49:52recorded that
49:52Kennedy only
49:53made the
49:54offer as a
49:54goodwill
49:55gesture
49:55and was
49:56shocked
49:56when Johnson
49:57accepted
49:57the Johnson
50:01nomination
50:02has always
50:02been a
50:03mystery
50:03because the
50:04Kennedy
50:04brothers
50:04made the
50:05decision
50:05in secret
50:06and vowed
50:07never to
50:07tell what
50:08happened
50:08but one
50:11other person
50:12did hear
50:12parts of
50:13their private
50:13conversation
50:14at the
50:14Biltmore
50:14Hotel
50:15Evelyn
50:16Lincoln
50:17and when
50:18I came
50:19in there
50:19they were
50:20huddled
50:21together
50:21closely
50:23on the
50:24bed
50:25discussing
50:26this
50:26tremendous
50:27issue
50:28about
50:29Lyndon
50:29B.
50:30Johnson
50:30being on
50:31the ticket
50:32Bobby
50:34would get
50:35up and
50:35go look
50:36out the
50:37window
50:37and stare
50:38Kennedy
50:39would sit
50:40there and
50:41think
50:42it was
50:43intense
50:44in fact
50:45they hardly
50:46knew I
50:47came into
50:47the room
50:48they were
50:48so engrossed
50:50in their
50:50conversation
50:51that went
50:52on for
50:5230 minutes
50:53trying to
50:55figure out
50:56how they
50:56could maneuver
50:57to get it
50:58so he
50:59wouldn't be
51:00on the
51:00ticket
51:00Evelyn
51:02Lincoln says
51:03that what
51:03she heard
51:03that day
51:04convinced her
51:05the Kennedys
51:05were being
51:06blackmailed
51:07one of the
51:09factors
51:09that made
51:10John F.
51:11Kennedy
51:11choose
51:13Lyndon B.
51:15Johnson
51:15for vice
51:16president
51:17were the
51:18malicious
51:19rumors
51:20that were
51:22fed
51:23to Lyndon B.
51:25Johnson
51:25by J. Edgar
51:27Hoover
51:27about his
51:29womanizing
51:30and so
51:31that's
51:32one of the
51:33reasons
51:33that pushed
51:34him
51:34to go down
51:36and offer
51:36him the
51:37vice
51:37presidency
51:38Lyndon B.
51:41Johnson
51:41and J. Edgar
51:42Hoover
51:42had boxed
51:43them into
51:44a hole
51:44they were
51:45absolutely
51:46boxed in
51:47and so
51:51history was
51:52made
51:52Lyndon Johnson
51:53ran on the
51:54Democratic ticket
51:55and eventually
51:56became the
51:5736th president
51:58of the United
51:58States
51:59the Kennedys
52:00may have kept
52:01their secret
52:01but more than
52:0330 years later
52:04the one
52:04surviving
52:05eyewitness
52:05has broken
52:06her silence
52:07Robert Kennedy
52:09said
52:09we both
52:10promised each
52:10other that
52:11we'd never
52:11tell what
52:12happened that
52:12day
52:12but I am
52:14telling what
52:15happened
52:15Hoover would
52:20remain director
52:20of the FBI
52:21for the rest
52:22of his life
52:23J. Edgar
52:25Hoover celebrates
52:26his 40th year
52:27as head of the
52:27FBI
52:28and there's a
52:29simple ceremony
52:29in his office
52:30to mark the
52:31occasion
52:31though
52:32presidents
52:33Johnson
52:33and Nixon
52:33both wanted
52:34to remove him
52:35neither dared
52:36the FBI
52:38chief will
52:39reach retirement
52:39age this year
52:40but President
52:41Johnson has
52:42signed a bill
52:43permitting him
52:43to stay on
52:44and only after
52:46Hoover died
52:47would the first
52:48great blows
52:49be struck
52:49against the
52:50mafia
52:50and what we
52:53saw here
52:54was a
52:56powerful
52:56public officer
52:58in charge
52:59of America's
53:00most important
53:01law enforcement
53:01agency
53:02the FBI
53:03who had
53:04cut himself
53:05away from
53:05any accountability
53:06to the law
53:07I think it would
53:10be a very
53:11healthy thing
53:12for this nation
53:12to strike
53:13Hoover's name
53:14from the FBI
53:15building
53:16because
53:17Hoover's
53:18greatest public
53:19service in my
53:20opinion
53:20came with his
53:21death
53:21he was a
53:24disaster
53:25as far as
53:26law enforcement
53:27was concerned
53:27well let me
53:30tell you
53:30as far as
53:32Maya Lansky
53:32is concerned
53:33I think
53:36his opinion
53:37about
53:38J. Edgar
53:39Hoover
53:39his epitaph
53:40would have
53:41been I'm
53:41sorry you
53:42died
53:42because while
53:44Hoover was
53:44alive
53:45Lansky had
53:45no problem
53:46I'm sorry
53:48you died
53:49J. Edgar
53:50here
54:20he's
54:22he's
54:23he's
54:24he's
54:25he's
54:26he's
54:27he's
54:28he's
54:29he's
54:30he's
54:31he's
54:32he's
54:33he's
54:34he's
54:35he's
54:36he's
54:37he's
54:38he's
54:39he's
54:40he's
54:41he's
54:42he's
54:43he's
54:44he's
54:45he's
54:46he's
54:47he's
54:48he's
54:49Funding for Frontline is provided by the financial support
55:18of viewers like you, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
55:25Frontline is produced for the Documentary Consortium by WGBH Boston,
55:30which is solely responsible for its content.
55:38For video cassette information about this program,
55:41please call this toll-free number, 1-800-328-PBS1.
55:48This is PBS.
55:54Next time on Frontline, the U.S.-Saudi special relationship.
55:59We need their oil.
56:00They, at the same time, are almost completely dependent on us for their security.
56:06Frontline investigates the hidden plan to turn the Desert Kingdom into a desert fortress.
56:11A $200 billion program that's basically put together, and nobody's paying attention to it.
56:16The Arming of Saudi Arabia on Frontline.
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