Act of Treason: The Role of J. Edgar Hoover in the Assassination of President Kennedy
672
Act of Treason: The Role of J. Edgar Hoover in the Assassination of President Kennedy
672eBookProprietary (Proprietary)
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Overview
Act of Treason is a must–read for any citizen who believes the Warren Commission failed miserably in its attempt to solve one of modern America’s most pressing mysteries: Who killed JFK?
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781626369986 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Skyhorse |
| Publication date: | 07/01/2011 |
| Sold by: | SIMON & SCHUSTER |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 672 |
| Sales rank: | 998,667 |
| File size: | 10 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
The Man: Biographical profile of Hoover on 11/8/60
In order to understand the capabilities and motivations of J. Edgar Hoover, it is first necessary to define him. By this I mean definition within the relevant time frame — who he was on November 8, 1960.
At the time of JFK's narrow victory, Hoover was nearing age sixty-six, yet remained a vigorous man. The youngest of four, he was five-foot-eleven, 190 pounds, with piercing, dark brown eyes. His hair was thinning and gray. The staccato voice was gruff, with a slight Virginia accent. His complexion was ruddy, jaw jutting, face pugnacious, walk brisk. Typical work attire consisted of a navy-blue suit with handkerchief, white shirt, conservatively patterned tie, dark shoes, and a hat. Special agents were required to dress in similar fashion. Everyday jewelry (gold) consisted of a watch, cufflinks, tie pin, and blue sapphire ring worn on his wedding finger. Overall, the image conveyed was one of calmness, authenticity, and strength.
Appearances aside, Hoover was, by any definition, also a borderline fanatic. Fiercely dedicated, exceedingly egotistical, opinionated and thin-skinned, he demanded dedication and excellence from all around him. A lawyer and relentless perfectionist, he required minutely detailed reporting from his employees. The Bureau was run with an iron hand, Hoover openly asserting to others that he could not be removed from his position. By 1960 he had evolved into an ends-justify-the-means personality. Field offices were rarely visited, the Director taking a condescending view of SACs (special-agents-in-charge). He would sign his notations and memos simply with the letter H in a blue ink he alone used. He disliked the French, British, Dutch, and Australians, and felt that many people from all walks of life were "communist dupes." "Weak handshakes or sweaty palms were considered a bad sign. He enjoyed teasing people, always getting the last laugh. Instantaneous dislike arose for anyone who upstaged him or canceled an appointment. Ironically, as a lifelong resident of D.C., he never voted in a presidential election.
Hoover lived at 4936 30th Place NW, in an upper-middle-class neighborhood of Washington, D.C., known as Chevy Chase, which bordered on a large, well-kept greenbelt called Rock Creek Park. The house was a red brick two-story and contained a basement. A walled yard included a rose garden and goldfish pond and was kept in immaculate condition. The house was filled with memorabilia, honors and awards gathered over the decades. Hoover had a passion for Oriental art, his personal collection containing over fifteen hundred jade, quartz, and ivory objects. The upstairs bedroom contained an Oriental dressing partition. The dining-room window contained a stained-glass FBI emblem that caught the evening light. A fire was kept burning almost year round. The basement held a club room used to entertain his bachelor friends and was papered with nude photos and foldouts of various women. There was a stereo that featured a light bar capable of flashing various colors. Servants included a caretaker and cook/maid. All repair and maintenance on his home was performed by FBI agents, in part for security reasons. His neighbors thought him a wonderful man of impeccable standards, Hoover taking a serious, apparently grandfatherly interest in the young son of one.
The position of Director afforded and required many things of him. Annual salary was approximately thirty thousand dollars. Transportation anywhere by car was accomplished in an incredibly heavy, black, bulletproof Cadillac limousine. It was replaced annually. Whenever riding in this car, he would place his hat on the left rear ledge of the back seat so as to "confuse" potential assassins. Reportedly he received threats from around the country on a regular basis. In my research, however, I could find no instance of physical attack upon him, in his car or anyplace else. Civic efforts included administrative work with the Boy Scouts and other youth organizations. Although apparently not overly involved, he was also a thirty-third-degree Mason. Great formality was observed with regard to thank-you notes, Hoover harboring an intense dislike of form letters. He saw to it that birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries of all his friends were always remembered. Reciprocation was expected. At Christmas, cards were sent to close friends and to many others. Friends considered him a congenial and witty personality.
Examination of his private life reveals a more gentle, less formal side. Like many people, he enjoyed soothing music. In the evening before dinner, he drank one or two Jack Daniel's, with soda. When forced to travel, Hoover preferred trains to airplanes, never once leaving the continental U.S. Injections of vitamins, possibly laced with amphetamines, were taken regularly. Hobbies were gardening (he loved roses), collecting and selling antiques (C. G. Sloan's quarterly auctions) and watching horse races. Occasionally he presented the winner's cup after the feature event (particularly at nearby Bowie). He was a two-dollar bettor, stopping once he had lost ten. Pets included two cairn terriers. Tastes in art ran to Remington, literature allowed Kipling and Robert Service. He also enjoyed light fiction and the Lawrence Welk show. Neither he nor his constant companion Clyde Tolson (associate director) mixed with highly educated or intellectual types, though the latter held several patents. Light talk and privacy were apparently the rule. They reportedly teased and insulted each other during conversation. The 1930s and men like Dillinger were apparently favorite topics of discussion. Hoover enjoyed sending, as well as receiving, flowers, requiring whenever he traveled a fresh bouquet in his hotel room. Fastidious in nature, he demanded strict cleanliness, at home and in the office. Lacking proficiency with firearms, he was physically involved in only one arrest. Reading, listening to, or viewing pornographic material, whether mass produced or taken in evidence, was a favorite pastime. Paradoxically, he was adamantly opposed to the use of lie detectors as a means of obtaining evidence.
There is the distinct probability he was also a homosexual. Hoover never dated, living with his mother until he was forty-three, when she died. His daily companion of nearly forty years was Clyde Tolson who, like Hoover, never married. Hoover nicknamed him "Junior," while Tolson referred to him as "Eddie," "Speed," or "Boss." They lived only blocks from each other, rode to and from work together, ate lunch and dinner together, went to the horse races nearly every Saturday, and dined at Hoover's on Sunday. On Monday nights, Hoover ate dinner at Clyde's apartment. They took semiannual vacations together — Miami in January (peak racing season) and La Jolla, California, in August, where they also attended the races, and Hoover received his annual physical. While on vacation, they shared the same bungalow. Hoover kept secreted in his home, not discovered until his sudden death, a photo album containing pictures, apparently taken on vacations, of Clyde asleep in bed, either in pajamas or partial undress. An extraordinarily reticent individual, Tolson took great pains to avoid publicity. To this day, there is a general dislike of Hoover within the homosexual (male and female) population of this country, the common perception being that he and Tolson were "hypocritical" in this regard. Those who suggested he and Clyde were homosexuals were "public rats, gutter-snipes, and degenerate pseudo-intellectuals (pronounced sway-do)." From 1953 to his death in 1972 he personally directed an illegal nationwide surveillance program of homosexual rights groups. There was a peculiar fixation with "impostors." Apparently the idea of people, particularly men, representing themselves publicly as something they were not, infuriated him. A number of Hoover's friends were also homosexual, most notably the late Roy Cohn. It seems apparent that Hoover's homosexuality contributed in some basic way to his hatred of President Kennedy. The latter's satyric life-style was a subject of intense concern to the Director. In definitional terms then, Hoover and Tolson were basically an elderly, discreet homosexual couple, of tremendous political power, living and working inside the Beltway.
But this is only part of the picture. Hoover was also extremely moralistic. He did not use sexually oriented profanity, preferring at worst phrases like "13 karat son-of-a-bitch." He once said of Martin Luther King, "I don't like the man. I've said so publicly and I had him up here for 45 minutes and I told him so privately. I don't think he is a good man." Training sessions for special agents included numerous stories of recruits who had lost their jobs because of marital infidelity or alcohol abuse. He opposed undercover operations for fear his agents would be corrupted. In the case of one, a New Orleans case officer, his fears were justified.
An unerring Presbyterian, in his youth he taught Sunday school and sang in the choir, hoping some day to become a minister. Counted as a friend was Dr. Edward L. R. Elson, Senate and National Presbyterian chaplain. This man was to later eulogize him at his death in 1972. His favorite Bible verse was Micah 6:8, "He hath shown thee, O Man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to lose mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" This is telling. If you read Micah in total you will, I believe, gain an insight into Hoover's personality. Micah deals with the dual concepts of an avenging God striking down a sinful man, and predictions of the Christ child; vengeful self-righteousness, messianic presence, and an absolute adherence to the concept of predestination. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), he rarely attended church in later years, and was not afraid of publicly attacking any religious sect that opposed his views on law and order.
Politically Hoover was thoroughly conservative. Elements of the public and press with moderate to extreme left viewpoints were "pinkos, gadflies, pseudo-intellectuals and liberal eggheads." He considered left-wing radicals mentally disturbed. In contrast, Marine Corps discipline was to be admired. Two guiding commandments for special agents were, "Never embarrass the Bureau" and "Look like an agent." He believed that a person convicted of premeditated murder should always get the death penalty. Rhetoric for those opposing his ideas on order in society included, "bleeding heart judges, sobsister parole boards, sentimental yammerheads, pseudo-intellectuals, so-called liberals and enemy [sic] of law and order." General adversaries were "scavengers, garbage collectors, bums, rats, craven beasts, misfits, pinkos, vermin from the jails, slobs, kooks, rabble rousers and commies." Any who suggested psychologically oriented treatment programs for juvenile delinquents were "muddleheaded sentimentalists." A very close friend to Joe McCarthy, he distanced himself publicly only after the politician fell into disgrace. His view of minorities was basically nineteenth century, as evidenced by his use of blacks as servants, chauffeur, and office bodyguard. Not coincidentally, he felt all blacks were easily manipulated.
Hoover's need for control of others was absolute. He intentionally structured the FBI bureaucracy in pyramid shape so as to ensure complete obedience from all employees. He kept a plaque in his office demanding absolute loyalty from all who worked for him. Most considered him unpredictable, adding to their fear and willingness to cooperate. "Defections" were rare. This bureaucratic system also guaranteed that all information of any political value eventually crossed his desk. Ultimate decision-making authority lay exclusively with him, to the extent of overruling the collective judgment of his eleven assistants. Through his efforts, the Bureau was exempted from the rules of the Civil Service Commission. This was very significant. It meant that he could fire with prejudice, transfer without notice, demote, censure, or suspend without pay anyone in his organization, leaving employees with no effective redress of grievance. The courts almost always backed his personnel decisions. He used this power with considerable regularity. Favorite places to transfer agents (and thereby frustrate careers) who had in some way displeased him were Omaha, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans. Most employees referred to him as "the Director," calling him "sir" when in his presence. Memos were sometimes circulated to all agents to make a collective point. A typical opening attack on an employee who had incurred his wrath was as follows: "I am amazed and astounded and completely at a loss to understand how a supposedly rational human being could commit an act of such colossal stupidity." A former lieutenant colonel in the army reserve, Hoover labeled FBI headquarters "SOG," for Seat of Government. Only scheduled visitors were allowed to see him. Before these people were brought in, he had any file on them pulled and placed before him. He would then skim their dossier, picking up minute facts to use in conversation. If he had someone in his office whom he was unsure of, he would launch into a rapid-fire, staccato monologue, dominating the conversation until the individual's time was up. He tended to rant when discussing things he felt strongly about. Any criticism of the FBI was taken personally. Agents and others regularly sent him flattering memos, letters, and cards, which he reportedly enjoyed reading. In arguments, even with superiors, he would stand his ground, displaying a short, volatile temper. He perceived congressmen and senators as potential adversaries, keeping dossiers on those he did not trust. Nearly all insiders in Washington considered him more powerful than the President, and many politicians lived in fear of him. To control those he was unsure of, he used various forms of political blackmail. For example, if an investigation of any sort unearthed political dirt or information damaging to an individual or his family, Hoover would, through an intermediary (he always used intermediaries to accomplish tasks he felt were too risky to handle personally), confidentially brief the official, while simultaneously assuring him his secret was "safe" with the Bureau. Some nicknamed him "the Librarian" because of the many dossiers he kept. He regularly bypassed technical superiors and dealt directly with the President. JFK was the first to prevent this practice.
Hoover was also a consummate opportunist, providing derogatory information to public officials whenever they needed such to win reelection, ensure support on legislation, or obtain advantage in personal matters. He was often apolitical if cooperation meant an opportunity for safely improving the Bureau's position. He was considered very good at light talk, knowing at least a little about many subjects. Any help or information provided by local and state police on investigations was usually readily accepted. And yet, he would not provide information in return, apparently feeling that local agencies were either too corrupt or inept to trust. Selection for specialized course work at the FBI Training Academy, highly valued by police organizations, was used by Hoover to ensure the allegiance of the IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police). Intelligence data was routinely withheld from other federal, state, and local agencies if it served to benefit him or the Bureau. He developed a tradition of acquiring as much damaging information as possible on a President, his family, and friends. The fact that a Chief Executive had the technical power to simply replace him, without Congressional cooperation, did not prevent him from attempting blackmail. The disciplining of an employee was often used to make a point to others working for the Bureau. Favorable news stories, fed to him from the field and AP/UPI tickers at SOG, were automatically followed up with a personal letter thanking the editor. Unfavorable stories earned a hostile reply or placement on the "no-contact" list. Visitors to his office were always photographed with him and given an autographed print. The presence of well-known or influential people in a tour group of FBI headquarters would be communicated to the Director, who would then invite them up for a personal meeting. When public "threats" or "crises" arose, Hoover would not hesitate to "develop" them, ride forth to protect the masses, and thereby meet its need for heroes. He clearly understood the power and potential value of film as a form of evidence, and more than once manipulated it to create a totally false impression in the public mind. During the 1960 House Committee on Un-American Activities summer protest in San Francisco, considerable footage was taken. After the demonstration was broken up by police, Hoover, in conjunction with HUAC, used media coverage to create a "documentary" entitled Operation Abolition. This film asserted that communists had manipulated American youth, inciting them to assault the authority of the federal government. A jury of twelve did not agree. Oddly, both Hoover and Tolson regularly allowed others to pay their dining tabs. For many years the two ate almost daily, sometimes twice daily, at a local restaurant called Harvey's, apparently never once paying for a meal. When on vacation, it was the same. Expenses incurred during inspection tours of field offices were paid for by local agents.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Act of Treason"
by .
Copyright © 2011 Mark North.
Excerpted by permission of Skyhorse Publishing.
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Table of Contents
Title Page,
Copyright Page,
Dedication,
Author's Note,
Acknowledgments,
Epigraph,
Introduction,
I - The Man: Biographical profile of Hoover on 11/8/60,
II - The Bureaucracy: Structure of FBI during Kennedy administration,
III - The System: FBI record keeping,
IV - Means to an End: FBI intelligence-gathering techniques and programs,
V - The Elements of Treason,
VI – Chronicle — 11/8/60 to 5/8/64,
VII - Epilogue: Crisis in Government,
VIII,
IX - Note on Sources,
X - Bibliography,