COINTELPRO
* In the 1950’s, J. Edgar Hoover, longtime director of the FBI, began the Counter Intelligence Program, or COINTELRO. The program went after the Civil Rights Movement, anti war activists, feminists, environmentalists, Puerto Rican independence supporters, and later the Black Power, Brown Power, and Red Power movements. Activists were spied on, harassed, and targeted in numerous illegal ways.
* The FBI spread rumors through the media, publishing false publications claiming to be from these groups, set up false front movements, broke into homes and offices, and forced employers and others to cause problems. FBI informers pushed organizations into crimes that could discredit their movements, gave perjured testimony, falsified evidence, and used the law to intimidate. Some were wrongfully imprisoned. Perhaps the most notorious action was the FBI sending a letter to Martin Luther King urging him to kill himself before accepting the Nobel Peace Prize or they would reveal his extramarital affairs.
* To this day, the FBI and COINTELPRO are dogged by accusations they assassinated Dr. King and numerous other figures. However, in spite of conspiracy theories, there is still no credible proof of complicity.
* So why wasn't COINTELPRO included? Some deaths clearly resulted from it. The Black Panthers alone suffered from dozens of assassinations under mysterious or unjust situations. Most of those deaths were from police and police or FBI informers, and COINTELPRO was clearly culpable for many deaths.
* Some presidents clearly benefited from COINTELPRO, using the FBI intelligence for their own needs. The Kennedy administration, Robert Kennedy in particular, received intelligence on Martin Luther King. Lyndon Johnson asked for FBI spying on Barry Goldwater's staff, his Republican opponent in 1964.
* But both the FBI and COINTELPRO were clearly under J Edgar Hoover's control, not any presidents. For over 40 years, Hoover was unchallenged, beyond the control of any president or congress. Hoover gathered intelligence on everyone, every major politician, entertainers, intellectuals, scientists, artists, activists, and public figure, including presidents. Some presidents were intimidated by Hoover. Others found it convenient to use his intelligence. Some, Nixon in particular, deeply admired Hoover. Hoover remained untouched because of fear that a president could be ruined or exposed should they try to bring him under control.