FBI File No.: 62-116151-71
May 10, 1985
[Return address redacted]
Senator Lawton Chiles
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510Dear Sir:
There is a situation of grave threat to the constitutional rights of United States citizens which I wish to bring to your attention. Recent investigations have uncovered the fact that there are currently modern day domestic intelligence operations being carried out by both the IRS and the FBI with cooperation from individuals within the Department of Justice.
It was recently reported in the New York Times and other media that the IRS and FBI were involved in harassing certain individuals and groups involved in Central American activities. It has been alleged that federal undercover agents are engaged in disruptive actions similar to those conducted in the now discredited COINTELPRO operations directed by the FBI in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
More recently, the Church of Scientology has revealed videotapes of an undercover “sting” operation involving a disaffected ex-employee of the Church. In the tapes it is obviously seen that there is a multi-agency plan to disrupt the Church internally with hopes of getting rid of current Church management and replacing it with individuals under the control of the government agents involved.
The FBI falsely claimed in 1971 that it had ceased all COINTELPRO operations. However, the Bureau allowed that counter-intelligence operations could be approved by National Headquarters. No one seems to have thought that the IRS Criminal Investigations Divisions would run covert operations against American citizens as seems to be the situation in the Scientology matter and has been alleged in the Central American group’s harassment.
I strongly urge you to support a call for hearings into agency domestic intelligence operations. I don’t want us to go back to the days of recklessly destructive agency actions taken against American citizens and groups for ideological purposes. Please write the IRS and FBI and demand an explanation of the cases cited above and for a full accounting of all their current domestic intelligence activities.
Sincerely yours,
[name redacted]