The Sinatra files_ the secret FBI Dossier Part 11

TO: Mr. DeLoach DATE:7-13-60 DATE:7-13-60.

FROM: M. A. Jones

SUBJECT: SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY.

OF Ma.s.sACHUSETTS.

SYNOPSIS:.

This memorandum prepared to briefly summarize high lights of pertinent available data concerning Kennedy in view of strong possibility he will be Democratic candidate for President.* Bureau and Director have enjoyed friendly relations with Senator Kennedy and his family for number of years. Kennedy's father, Joseph P. Kennedy, former Amba.s.sador to Great Britain, is SAC contact of Boston. Director sent autographed copy of "The FBI Story" and "Masters of Deceit" to Joseph Kennedy, John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy.

Kennedy family is known to SA David J. Murphy, Jr., of Was.h.i.+ngton Field Office and SA William H. Carpenter, Resident Agent at Hyannis, Ma.s.sachusetts, as well as SAC's at Boston. SA Carpenter attended Senator Kennedy's wedding in 1953. Director has seen Robert Kennedy several times in recent years-particularly in connection with McClellan Committee (labor-management) matters.

Director and Senator Kennedy have exchanged friendly correspondence concerning such matters as operation performed on Senator Kennedy in 1954 to correct crippling effects of World War II PT boat crash; awarding of Cardinal Gibbons Medal to Senator Kennedy in 1956; and re-election of Kennedy to Senate in 1958.

Robert Kennedy has advocated establishment of Federal Crime Commission, and Senator Kennedy has expressed opposition to loyalty oaths for students getting Federal scholars.h.i.+p loans. Senator Kennedy was cosponsor of bill designed to deal with hate bombings. Allegations have been received concerning immoral conduct on the part of Kennedy and hoodlum connections of Kennedy.

RECOMMENDATION:.

None. For information.

*Subsequently nominated on first ballot.

DETAILS.

The purpose of this memorandum is to briefly summarize high lights of pertinent available information concerning Senator John F. Kennedy and his favorable att.i.tude toward the Bureau in connection with the strong probability that he will be nominated as the Democrat candidate for the Presidency.

FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH BUREAU:.

The Bureau and the Director have enjoyed friendly relations with Senator Kennedy and his family for a number of years. The Senator's father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy, is an SAC contact of the Boston Office. He has expressed deep admiration for the Director. Joseph Kennedy is an outstanding financier and industrialist. Known to the Director as "Dear Joe," he was U.S. Amba.s.sador to Great Britain at the time World War II broke out. In June, 1939, the "Foreign Observer" quoted remarks from a London publication which stated that the British were bewildered as to why Amba.s.sador Kennedy was allowed to remain in his post considering his record as an appeaser and apologist for Chamberlain.

In 1957, the Director sent autographed copies of "The FBI Story" to Joseph Kennedy, John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. In 1958, the Director sent autographed copies of "Masters of Deceit" to these three prominent members of the Kennedy family.

In January, 1953, SA David J. Murphy, Jr. (Was.h.i.+ngton Field Office, now in GS-13), called Mr. Holloman in the Director's Office and advised that he was a personal friend of Senator Kennedy; that the Senator had expressed to him (Murphy) a desire to tour the Bureau and meet the Director later in January. Mr. Holloman telephoned Senator Kennedy's Administrative a.s.sistant whom Holloman had known for some time. Holloman mentioned the matter of Kennedy's visiting the Bureau, and Reardon said that as soon as things quieted down on the Hill, he and Kennedy would come over for a tour.

In September, 1953, SA William H. Carpenter (Resident Agent at Hyannis, Ma.s.sachusetts, now in GS-13) attended the wedding of Senator Kennedy and the wedding reception. SA Carpenter is well-known to the Kennedy family. SA Carpenter stated that Senator Kennedy was very complimentary of the Director and the Bureau and stated he was anxious and willing at all times to support Mr. Hoover and the FBI. This statement was made to SA Carpenter in the presence of Senators Saltonstall, Green and Smathers, as well as the Reverend John Cavanaugh of Notre Dame and Joseph Kennedy.

In October, 1953, SAC James Kelly (then at Boston, currently at Baltimore) met Senator Kennedy at Joseph Kennedy's home. According to SAC Kelly, the Senator said he felt the FBI to be the only real Government agency worthy of its salt and expressed admiration for the Director's accomplishments. He said that upon returning to Was.h.i.+ngton in January, 1954, he would enjoy meeting the Director at the Bureau. The Director wrote Senator Kennedy about the remarks he made to SAC Kelly and told him to visit the Bureau any time it was convenient.

In the Fall of 1954, Senator Kennedy underwent a painful operation to correct the crippling effects of the PT boat crash he had been involved in during World War II. In November, 1954, the Director wrote both Joseph Kennedy and Senator Kennedy to wish the Senator speedy and complete recovery.

In October, 1956, the Director wrote Senator Kennedy to congratulate him upon his being selected to receive the Cardinal Gibbons Medal for 1956. (The Director also has received this Medal, presented by the Catholic University Alumni a.s.sociation.) In November, 1958, the Director wrote John Kennedy to congratulate him upon his re-election to the Senate, and Senator Kennedy sent the Director a friendly reply stating "if I or my office can be of any help to you, do not hesitate to call upon me."

With regard to Senator Kennedy's staff members, it is noted that at the suggestion of Joseph Kennedy, the Director sent a copy of "Communist Illusion and Democratic Reality" to the Senator's Legislative a.s.sistant, Theodore Sorensen, in November, 1959.

In July, 1959, Uniform Crime Reports material and other data containing crime statistics were sent Pierre Salinger, a.s.sistant Chief Investigator for the McClellan (Labor-Management) Committee, following receipt of a call from Salinger advising that Senator Kennedy desired FBI data concerning crime-possibly for use in speeches.

Kenneth O'Donnell (who managed Kennedy's last Senatorial campaign, was Administrative a.s.sistant of the McClellan Committee on labor-management racketeering, and is very close to Senator Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy) is well-known to Inspector Courtney Evans of the Investigative Division. In March, 1959, O'Donnell spoke to Inspector Evans regarding Senator Kennedy's suspicion that there might be a tap on one of his telephones. O'Donnell inquired whether it would be possible for the FBI to check Kennedy's phones; however, within a matter of minutes, he again called Inspector Evans to request that the Bureau forget the entire matter since he, O'Donnell, could make arrangements to handle the matter himself. Additionally, in March, 1959, O'Donnell discussed with Inspector Evans the publicity being given remarks made by Robert Kennedy concerning alleged offers of political support for Senator John Kennedy if Robert Kennedy would "go easy" on certain witnesses before the McClellan Committee. O'Donnell advised that Robert Kennedy stated the press had unduly enlarged on his remarks, and O'Donnell said he did not believe the Kennedys have the facts necessary to back up Robert Kennedy's reported statements.

Kenneth O'Donnell also advised Inspector Evans in March, 1959, that he had been informed that Cardinal Cus.h.i.+ng was extremely displeased at the reaction of some Catholic Church publications to statements made by Senator Kennedy regarding the separation of church and state. O'Donnell said that Senator Kennedy's position that no public tax money should be used for parochial schools was the position of the Church and that Cardinal Cus.h.i.+ng felt the critical remarks of the Church publications regarding Kennedy's statements were unwarranted.

John Kennedy is acquainted with former SA J. Philip O'Brien, whose resignation[image] was accepted at Oklahoma City in May, 1960, following was accepted at Oklahoma City in May, 1960, following[image] In this regard, O'Brien wrote the Director in June, 1960, to request reinstatement and/or acceptance of his resignation without In this regard, O'Brien wrote the Director in June, 1960, to request reinstatement and/or acceptance of his resignation without[image] In his letter to the Director, O'Brien stated that Senator Kennedy had written him (O'Brien) as recently as 11-2-59 to state, "Dear Phil... I am certainly glad to hear that you are doing so well in Oklahoma.... " In his letter to the Director, O'Brien stated that Senator Kennedy had written him (O'Brien) as recently as 11-2-59 to state, "Dear Phil... I am certainly glad to hear that you are doing so well in Oklahoma.... "

ROBERT KENNEDY: ADVOCATE OF FEDERAL CRIME COMMISSION:.

Robert Kennedy, the Senator's 34-year-old brother, has seen the Director on a number of occasions in recent years. In September, 1959, he called upon the Director to advise that he was resigning as Chief Counsel of the McClellan Committee and to express appreciation for the excellent cooperation which the Bureau had extended him. He specifically mentioned the help of Inspector Courtney Evans. The Director addresses him as "Dear Bob."

Early this year, Robert Kennedy published a book, "The Enemy Within," dealing with graft, corruption and criminal influences in the labor movement-particularly James Hoffa's Teamsters Union. In this book, Kennedy makes special mention of the advice and a.s.sistance given him by the Director.

Although he has displayed a very friendly att.i.tude toward the Bureau, Robert Kennedy has been an outspoken advocate of the establishment of a Federal Crime Commission. He has stated, "In my opinion our first and most urgent need is for a national crime commission. This commission would serve as a central intelligence agency, a clearinghouse to which each of the seventy-odd Federal agencies and the more than ten thousand local law enforcement agencies throughout the country would constantly feed information on the leading gangsters. The commission would pool and correlate all its information on underworld figures and disseminate it to the proper authorities."

WEST VIRGINIA PRIMARY ELECTIONS:.

In connection with the recent hotly contested primary elections in West Virginia, several charges of improper actions were made to the Bureau, including allegations that votes were bought, that a polling place in Logan County was moved to prevent qualified West Virginians from voting, and that voting officials in Logan County pulled voting machine levers for local citizens. With regard to Senator Kennedy's religion, improperly labeled anti-Catholic literature was distributed by a nonexistent organization called the "Protestant Information Center."

POLITICAL VIEWS:.

In a syndicated column datelined Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., 1-14-57, Fulton Lewis, Jr., described Kennedy as "conscientious and sincere" in his Senate duties and stated, "Kennedy tempers his political liberalism with enough realistic conservatism that the Walter Reuther-Americans for Democratic Action leftists mistrust his independence. That was the real reason they threw the No. 2 (Vice Presidential) nomination to Kefauver in Chicago (at the Democratic National Convention) last August."

The 3-11-59 issue of "Human Events" made reference to the "wrist-slapping labor-reform bill" which Senator Kennedy had placed before the Senate. "Human Events" stated that Kennedy claimed the bill would "virtually put (James) Hoffa and his a.s.sociates out of business;" whereas Utah Senator Wallace Bennett exposed the falseness of this a.s.sertion. Senator Bennett stated that far from putting Hoffa out of business, the Kennedy bill "would fall far short of correcting the evils brought out by the McClellan committee."...

With regard to subversive matters, it is interesting to note that in March, 1960, Governor Wesley Powell of New Hamps.h.i.+re (a staunch Nixon supporter) accused Senator Kennedy of "softness toward communism." Kennedy called upon the Vice President to repudiate Powell's accusation, and Nixon's press representative issued a statement in Was.h.i.+ngton saying "the Vice President has known and worked with Senator Kennedy since they served together on the House Labor Committee in 1947. While they have differences on some issues, they have always been in complete agreement in their unalterable opposition to communism at home and abroad."

MISCELLANEOUS:.

As you are aware, allegations of immoral activities on Senator Kennedy's part have been reported to the FBI over the years. These allegations are not being treated in detail in this memorandum. They include, however, data reflecting that Kennedy carried on an illicit relations.h.i.+p with another man's wife during World War II; that (probably in January, 1960) Kennedy was "compromised" with a woman in Las Vegas; and that Kennedy and Frank Sinatra have in the recent past been involved in parties in Palm Springs, Las Vegas and New York City. Regarding the Kennedy-Sinatra information, "Confidential" magazine is said to have affidavits from two mulatto prost.i.tutes in New York.

Allegations also have been received concerning hoodlum connections of Senator Kennedy. Again, in the interest of brevity, no effort is being made to list these allegations in full detail-much of the information being unsubstantiated. In March, 1960, for example, it was reported that Frank Sinatra has purposely cultivated Kennedy's brother-in-law (actor Peter Lawford) and that Sinatra would a.s.sist in Kennedy's campaign so that Joe Fischetti and other notorious hoodlums could have an entre to the Senator.

Regarding Kennedy's book, "Profiles in Courage," George Sokolsky advised L. B. Nichols in May, 1957, of a rumor circulating in New York to the effect that Arthur Krock actually wrote the book. According to Sokolsky, a group of New York people were attempting to verify whether Krock did, in fact, write the book-and if Krock did, they were going to charge fraud in connection with the awarding of a Pulitzer Prize to Kennedy.

Though the previous memo mentions questions about the integrity of Kennedy's crucial breakthrough victory in the West Virginia primary, books by biographer Kitty Kelley and Sinatra's daughter Nancy tell a fuller story.

Kelley's biography reported that Sinatra's pals, Chicago boss Giancana and a.s.sociate Paul "Skinny" D'Amato, exerted influence on local political machines in the state to deliver votes for Kennedy. Nancy Sinatra's book said Joseph Kennedy himself suggested to Sinatra that he enlist Giancana's help, though she contends her father made sure his friend knew that his a.s.sistance was "not a quid pro quo" with the future president. Seymour Hersh's The Dark Side of Camelot The Dark Side of Camelot alleges that Giancana also helped deliver Chicago votes to secure Illinois in the general election alleges that Giancana also helped deliver Chicago votes to secure Illinois in the general election.

Giancana's motives were transparent: In 1957, Hoover had begun a "Top Hoodlum Program" that targeted, among many others, Giancana and his Chicago operation. He desperately wanted to get the FBI off his back. His agreement to help was all the more remarkable in that Jack Kennedy had served on Senator John McClellan's rackets committee, which relentlessly investigated the mob for years. Robert Kennedy served as the panel's chief counsel-and publicly ridiculed Giancana when he invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying panel's chief counsel-and publicly ridiculed Giancana when he invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying.

At some point, Hoover became aware of dealings between Joseph Kennedy and the mob, as evidenced by this entry in a June 8, 1964, summary of information in Sinatra's FBI files. The information came from a source whose name the FBI redacted. A visit by Giancana to the hotel mentioned here would later cause Sinatra considerable difficulty.

[image]advised that he had heard from numerous sources that prior to the last presidential election, Joseph Kennedy (father of John F. Kennedy) had been visited by many gangsters (not identified) who had gambling interests. A deal was made which resulted in Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and others obtaining a lucrative gambling establishment, the Cal-Neva Hotel, at Lake Tahoe, California. Joseph Kennedy was staying at the Cal-Neva at the time of the meeting.

Two weeks after the Democratic convention, DeLoach got more s.e.x tidbits on Kennedy and Sinatra.

TO: Mr. DeLoach DATE:7-26-60 DATE:7-26-60.

FROM: M. A. Jones

SUBJECT: POTENTIAL CRIMINAL INFORMANT (PCI).

[image]HOLLYWOOD, CALIF., CALL GIRL The captioned individual is a high-priced Hollywood call girl and[image] of Fred Otash, private detective in Los Angeles who has been convicted of horse race fixing. She advised Agents of our Los Angeles Office on July 11, 1960, that Otash contacted her on 7-10-60 requesting information relating to her partic.i.p.ation in s.e.x parties involving Senator John Kennedy, his brother-in-law, movie actor Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. of Fred Otash, private detective in Los Angeles who has been convicted of horse race fixing. She advised Agents of our Los Angeles Office on July 11, 1960, that Otash contacted her on 7-10-60 requesting information relating to her partic.i.p.ation in s.e.x parties involving Senator John Kennedy, his brother-in-law, movie actor Peter Lawford, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr.

[image]said she told Otash she had no knowledge of such activities involving these men. He then asked her to name any girls who might have been present at parties with these men. She told the Agents that she was unaware of any indiscretions or girls involved with the four men specified by Otash.

On July 11, 1960, Los Angeles Agents had occasion to talk to Otash in his office. During the conversation he inadvertently-or his actions indicated inadvertence-[indicated] that some operator, unnamed and unidentified, was attempting to spy on Senator Kennedy's hotel room. He inferred to the Agents that "Confidential" magazine is "looking for dirt on Kennedy or Lawford" for use in a series of articles planned for publication before the November election.

In the evening of 7-11-60[image] told Agents that Otash had telephoned her wanting to know if she could arrange to be introduced to Senator Kennedy. He suggested that he would like to equip her with a recording device for taking down any "indiscreet statements" the Senator might make. She said she refused this suggestion and invitation. told Agents that Otash had telephoned her wanting to know if she could arrange to be introduced to Senator Kennedy. He suggested that he would like to equip her with a recording device for taking down any "indiscreet statements" the Senator might make. She said she refused this suggestion and invitation.

RECOMMENDATION:.

For information.

Later, the FBI overheard a bugged subject (identified only as Eddy M.) discussing Sinatra and Kennedy's s.e.xual exploits while complaining that agents had questioned an a.s.sociate's wife about her husband's caddish ways. (This 1962 transcript, edited here for clarity, was obtained from the National Archives, not the FBI files released in 1998.) EDDY M: What is this, Russia? You know what they did? They went over to Gil Beckley's and said to his wife, "Do you know that Gil is living with a girl in NYC?"

Why don't they come in and say this to me? I'll say, "One minute, I'll call up the newspaper, see, and I'll say, 'Now, here's an FBI man who said I'd been sleeping with a girl. Since when is [having s.e.xual intercourse] a federal offense? And if it is a federal offense, I want the president of the U.S. indicted, because I know he was whacking all those broads Sinatra brought him. And I can mention some names. And do you want me to mention some names? You know, this will really kill him. Is that a federal offense? And if it is, I want to get it straightened out.' "

What I'm going to say is, "Say, well, one minute, let's put this down on record. I want it down that [s.e.xual intercourse] is a federal offense, and I want to see what the president has to say about that, because I know he's been [having s.e.xual relations] with [a woman] in Palm Beach. And I know a couple of other girls that Frank Sinatra flew out there, flew from California to Palm Beach, and I can prove it. Now, let's-why don't we investigate it." [Laughter]

You know what will happen? They'll run, they'll hide, they'll get with their heads down under the rocks. All I'll say is, "Let me have your card, I want to talk to your boss. I don't want to answer this question. Just let me have your card." That's all a girl has to say: "A crime? Let me have your card," because they're Boy Scouts.

After Kennedy won the presidency in November 1960, he asked Sinatra to take control of the festivities surrounding the January 20, 1961, inauguration. America's very own Camelot had begun, and Sinatra was leading the orchestra.

A pair of FBI memos suggests that the inauguration wasn't the only thing that kept Sinatra busy that week. The first, between top FBI officials Alex Rosen and Alan Belmont, recounted an incident two days before the inauguration. (Note that the price of such services hadn't increased markedly since Sinatra's encounter with the too-drunk hundred-dollar prost.i.tute in 1947, an incident recounted by Rosen in an earlier memo, in chapter 3 chapter 3.)

TO: MR. BELMONT.

DATE: October 23, 1961 DATE: October 23, 1961 FROM: A. ROSEN.

SUBJECT: WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC ACT.

PURPOSE.

This memorandum is to advise you concerning an investigation by the Was.h.i.+ngton Field Office concerning possible violations of the White Slave Traffic Act and involving several prominent individuals as customers, who may possibly be called upon to testify before the Federal Grand Jury in the near future.

SUMMARY OF FACTS.

This case involves[image] The activities of The activities of[image] have been primarily concerned with s.e.x parties, which involve commission of various natural and unnatural s.e.x acts simultaneously by three or more partic.i.p.ants, both male and female. Several female victims have furnished signed statements admitting their partic.i.p.ation in these orgies. Other victims have involved have been primarily concerned with s.e.x parties, which involve commission of various natural and unnatural s.e.x acts simultaneously by three or more partic.i.p.ants, both male and female. Several female victims have furnished signed statements admitting their partic.i.p.ation in these orgies. Other victims have involved[image] as individuals who arranged numerous prost.i.tution dates for them. as individuals who arranged numerous prost.i.tution dates for them.

CONTEMPLATED PROSECUTION.

The a.s.sistant U. S. Attorney handling this case has advised that he plans to present the facts to the Federal Grand Jury, possibly in early November, 1961. He requested interviews of several customers of the victims to obtain necessary corroborating testimony of victims' statements and he has indicated a possibility that these individuals may be subpoenaed before the Federal Grand Jury. The a.s.sistant U. S. Attorney pointed out that travel within the District of Columbia const.i.tutes a violation of the White Slave Traffic Act and it is possible that the male customers have committed a technical violation of the law. Conceivably they could be indicted by the Federal Grand Jury, but this action is not contemplated.

PROMINENT PERSONS INVOLVED.

[image]an employee in the office of[image] and a victim in this case, has furnished a signed statement setting forth her prost.i.tution activities, which include s.e.x parties with subject and a victim in this case, has furnished a signed statement setting forth her prost.i.tution activities, which include s.e.x parties with subject[image] and on separate occasions with and on separate occasions with[image] An interview with An interview with[image] is not contemplated. is not contemplated.

[image]One prost.i.tute has admitted several prost.i.tution dates with[image] the dates having been arranged through subject the dates having been arranged through subject[image] In connection with a separate investigation concerning James Riddle Hoffa, it has been learned that In connection with a separate investigation concerning James Riddle Hoffa, it has been learned that[image] has contacted Hoffa on several occasions to obtain loans granted by the Teamsters Pension Fund. has contacted Hoffa on several occasions to obtain loans granted by the Teamsters Pension Fund.

FRANK S SINATRA.

Well-known entertainer was a guest at the Statler Hotel on the night of 1-18-61.[image] one of the victims in this case, has stated that she went to the Statler Hotel after receiving a telephone call from one of the victims in this case, has stated that she went to the Statler Hotel after receiving a telephone call from[image] and she filled a prost.i.tution date with Sinatra, receiving $110 for her services. and she filled a prost.i.tution date with Sinatra, receiving $110 for her services.

[image]will be interviewed at the request of the a.s.sistant U. S. Attorney, but he (a.s.sistant U. S. Attorney) has stated that interview with Frank Sinatra is not necessary.

The following customers have been interviewed and orally substantiated allegations by victims to the effect that victims filled prost.i.tution dates with them after arrangements for the dates had been made by the subject1.2.3.4.5.In connection with the above individuals, the prost.i.tution dates with them included only the victim and the customer.[image] is the only customer who allegedly partic.i.p.ated in the s.e.x orgies of three or more persons previously referred to. is the only customer who allegedly partic.i.p.ated in the s.e.x orgies of three or more persons previously referred to.

ACTION.

The prosecutive action in this case will be closely followed.

Three weeks after the inauguration, Hoover caught wind of another incident involving Sinatra's visit to Was.h.i.+ngton that week. This time, he used the incident to inform the president's brother and new attorney general, Robert F. Kennedy, in a "personal" note that his brother the president was hanging out with an "a.s.sociate of well-known hoodlums" who also had ties to "communist fronts." Hoover, always on the lookout for any advantage to make himself hard to fire, wasn't one for subtlety.

TO: The Attorney General DATE: February 10, 1961 DATE: February 10, 1961 FROM: Director, FBI PERSONAL PERSONAL.

SUBJECT: FRANK SINATRA.

I thought you would like to know that recently a highly confidential source in Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., stated that Frank Sinatra is regarded as having control of the entertainment industry in Las Vegas, Nevada. The source indicated that when someone in Las Vegas desires entertainment, arrangements must be made through Sinatra who negotiates for this entertainment to his financial benefit.

A confidential informant of our Was.h.i.+ngton Field Office has advised that on the weekend of January 21, 1961, the Spartan American Club, 1016-A 14th Street, Northwest, Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., was visited by Frank Sinatra and George Raft. The Spartan American Club is operated by Joseph Nesline, a notorious Was.h.i.+ngton, D.C., gambling figure.