It’s been 553 days. At this point you can usually tell whether or not something is going to happen. Take the Segeway, for example; the first one was delivered on March 3, 2003, a scant 29 days afters Henry’s letter.
A more parallel event, though, also occured on Feb 2, but it happened 23 years earlier. On Feb 2, 1980, the FBI released details of ABSCAM, an effort to uncover corruption in Congress. More than a few congressman were expelled or resigned. One was even videotaped stuffing 25,000 dollars in his pockets. (This congressman is the only one to overturn his conviction).
Shortly after the release of the ABSCAM documents, the FBI received quite a few letters expressing every imaginable reaction.
Here’s one:
Dear Director (William Webster):
Just a note to let you know that the FBI’s Abscam efforts are appreciated by the general public. These tactics should be used again with Members of Congress, the Executive Branch, and the Courts. Moreover, they should be extended to other levels of government and to private sector activities where appropriate.
I have no sympathy whatsoever for those Congressmen who have been implicated, although it is unfortunate that the information was released as soon as it was. I am very disappointed in the actions of the House Judicary Committee in its criticism of the FBI’s efforts in this area.
Keep up the good work.
My favorite is this one:
Dear Sir:
My friends, associates, and relatives seem to be quite concerned over the recent revelations of the ABSCAM scandal involving various members of Congress being compromised through bribery. Since I have been out of town for the past several months while this scandal was being hatched, would you kindly bring me up to date as to which members of Congress are involved and details thereof. (sic)
Of course, there were supporters of the eventually convicted men: (This is reproduced verbatim. The grammar difficulities belong to the author. I have enough of my own to contend with to take credit for someone elses.)
Gentlemen
Following story seems logical and possibly true however, the names were not changed in order to protect the innocent.
It’s not hard to visualize how Abscam started, one day a top FBI executive, dedicated to his job, came to work one morning and saw a few crime investigators (CI’s) loafing around on tax dollars and he asked, “Don’t you have anything to do?” and the CI’s replied “No”, and as quick as the crack of a whip the top executive said “Well then find something.”, so the CI’s saw there was plenty of money in the budget and decided they would try to entrap and rot a few shiny-apple-congressmen take bad money (and of course, who is to say they didn’t get a little for themselves).To make a long story short:
The Abscam deal leaked out and one of the shining-apple-congressmen (Richard Kelly) had a really crazy excuse for why he went along with Abscam. He said, “I was doing my own investigation…”
He (a congressman of our great nation) wanted to find out who was behind such a criminal offense to our great country.
Well, if you do not know Richard Kelly you would probably think he was crazed and out of his mind, but if you know Richard Kelly you would know he is about the only congressman that still believes in “the impossible dream”, that he takes care of his people (Floridians), that he means what he says, and says what he means (it’s a wonder Chrysler didn’t have him bumped off).
Certainly doesn’t seem fair that Abscam didn’t last a little longer so congressman Kelly could complete his investigation and indict the FBI for bribing congressmen.
I can hear the FBI’s reply to the indictment now… “We were doing our own investigation….”