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Baten ak et Bete oe ae ones exec. ADIny,__ Exec. AD-Adm. _._ Exec. AD-LES_—___— Asst. Dir.: Adm. Servs. Crim. inv. ident. intel. Laberatory _._ Legal Coun.__ Plan & Jasp. Rec. Mgnt. Tech. Servs. __- Training Public Affs. Off. ___- I had the opportunity to see portions of your Telephone Rm. testimony on Abskam before Peter Rodino's committee on tele~| birectors secy vision last night. ; Co TRUE COPY eC) | March 5, 1980 Dear Mr. Webster Itwas my impression that you were being attacked and that the integrity of the FBI was seriously questioned by the kind of interrogation that took place. Was it the purpose of the Committee to elicit information regarding the methods used and the purposes served by your investigation? I seriously doubt that and I add that I believe they were entitled to nothing more at this time. Formality would require that we address these Congressman as "The Honorable" Mr so and so but the only impression I could get was that they were trying to show that "there is honor among thieves" and they were determined to rescue those thieves among them. a I do not like the legal shackles that have been put upon the FBI and other Law Enforcement Agencies. Every conceivable right and protection is given to the criminal today, and to the innocent victim, none. You have done a superb job to build a case within such a restrictive framework of laws that will stand up in our courts that are so severely biased in favor of "every possible right to be made available to the criminal." I think the Federal Exclusionary Evidence Rule, for example, has operated to imperil the survival of our law-abiding society and provide unthinkable refuge to the criminals we all are menaced by. I approve of the methods you have used in Abskam. This was the only realistic way to operate to get inside the criminal conspiracy. I think you have taken every possible procedure to protect your investigation from the taint of. entrapment and to meet the current requirements of the Courts. You have my wholehearted approval of your methods, purposes and actions in conducting the Abskam investigation. I believe you are a truly fine man to head the F.B.I. Congratulations on a good job, and I hope you continue to do these probing investi- gations. Sincerely, - Le eed corks dkg TRUE COPY -~_ otf