Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) Swearing in of William Webster of Saint Louis as FBI director reported; film shown. Presence of President Carter and Vice President Mondale at ceremonies held in new FBI building, named after 1st director J. Edgar Hoover. FBI's difficult times reported.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

(DC) Report on present FBI training and methods and period of changes Bureau has gone through in past few years Training center at Quantico, Virginia, mentioned. [Retiring FBI director Clarence KELLEY - talks about period of change in Bureau during his directorship.] Recent FBI morale problems, because of indictment of former agent John Kearney on illegal surveillance charges, revelations from Justice Department with regard to alleged abuses of power by J. Edgar Hoover and Bureau's inability to solve Jimmy Hoffa disappearance case and some other major cases described. Films shown. View of former FBI agent and House FBI oversight subcommittee mbr., Representative Don Edwards, on Bureau morale noted. [EDWARDS - thinks surreptitious activity not going on presently and younger agents know they won't be asked to do anything illegal.] Remaining problems of possible restrictions on FBI authority by Congress and possibility of further agent prosecutions mentioned.
REPORTER: Vic Ratner