FBI RUSHES TO END DODD INQUIRY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000200300103-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 20, 1999
• Sequence Number: 103
• Publication Date: April 14, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

WASHINGTON POST
AND TIMES HERALD
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RDP75
APR 14 1966
0.
The Washington Merry-Go-Round
P131 leashes to fined Dodd Inquiry
By Drew Pearson
And Jack Anderson
The FBI has leaked out
word that it intends to wind
up its quickie probe of Sen.
Tom Dodd (D-Conn.) and his
unethical conduct by this
weekend-with a whitewash.
Members of the Senate
Ethics Committee, after much
handwringing,' have confided
to friends that the protective
club spirit will be maintained
and that they will have a re-
port out within 30 days up-
holding their colleague.
Despite these reports, we
can state that the surface. has
!only been scratched regarding
the financial manipulations
land lobbying of the statuesque
Senator from Connecticut.
This column has already re-
'ported on the money raised by
Dodd's 1961 campaign dinner
and traced where the money
went to. That dinner was sup-
posed to pay off a 1958 cam-
paign debt and raise money
,for his 1964 campaign-even
though it was three years be-
fore he would be up for eleo-
,tion. Instead, all of the money
'went into Dodd's personal ac-
count.
Here Is the Inside story of
another dinner, on Oct. 26,
? 1963, called "Dodd Day,"? ,and
how the proceeds from 'the
.dinner were., used, among
other things, Ito repair the
Senator's home and pay ? a, members, whose salaries are
liquor bill and the vacation paid by' the taxpayers, to sell
expenses of his family, tables for the Dodd Day tes-
timonials. One Senate em-
Came to Dinner ploye, Joe Flynn, was in-
Actually ' three different strutted to go through all the
meals were held on 1963 Dodd Senator's case work files and
Day - breakfast in Hartford, list everyone whom Dodd had
luncheon in Woodridge, and helped in Washington. More
dinner in Bridgeport -- with than 1000 names were sent to
the Democratic faithful, in- Ed Sullivan, another Senate
eluding Lyndon B. Johnson, employe, who directed the
then Vice President, leading solicitation in Connecticut.
the tribute. There could have The Senator later complain-
been no doubt about the pur- ed to friends that Dodd Day
pose of Dodd Day. It was to had been "no howling finan-
raise funds for the Senator's cial success." , He collected
1964 campaign, not pay his $22,000 in Hartford, $15,000 in
personal expenses. Dodd made Bridgeport; and $10,000 in
this clear in a "Dear Lyndon" Woodridge-total $47,000.
letter dated Aug. 5, 1963. . Most 'of the money was,de-
"First of all," wrote the posited in Hartford's Con-
Senator, "allow me to thank necticut Bank land Trust In a
you again for your generous special account labeled "Tes-
offer to come to Connecticut tinionial for U.S. Senator
to assist me In my forthcom- Thomas J. Dodd."
ing campaign. I wish I could
convey to you how enthusias- A check for $8000, covering
tic everyone is about your the net receipts front Wood-
visit and how much it will ridge, was mailed directly to
assist me in getting my cam- Dodd in Washington. Some-
paign drive under way . how the check was misplaced
Your visit means more to me and became the object of an
than I can say, Lyndon, and I intensive search. There is' no
shall never forget it." trace of what finally happen-
The Senator neglected to ed to the $8000.
tell the Vice President that Liquor Bills Paid
most of the money he helped
to raise would pay Dodd's per- After Dodd Day, the Sena-
sonal'bills. He also neglected tor 'suddenly began sending
to report -this use of political all his office bills to Hartford
contributions, on his income to be paid out of the testi-
tax returns, though , the law menial account. These were
clearly states that campaign mostly personal Items,.Includ-
funds. diverted to personal ing his liquor and country
use are taxable. club bills;, which came tq; his
They had amounted to $14,-
974.28 in 1961 and $11,075.12
in 1962. In 1963, 'all but $742.04
was paid out of political con-
tributions.
The bills had been allowed
to accumulate until after Dodd
Day. Then the Senator's ac-
countant, Michael O'Hare, be-
gan mailing the bills to Ed'
Sullivan in Hartford to he
paid out of the testimonial
dinner account.
"Enclosed arc' some of the
bills," wrote O'Hare, "which
the Senator would like you to
pay out of the Hartford ac-
count . . . The American Air-
lines bill ($3018.43) is quite a
bit overdue, so that should be
paid as soon as possible."
This bill included a number
of personal flights by Dodd
and his family. Among them
was the return fare from a
Miami vacation on Feb. 13,
1963-$78.12, for the Senator's
ticket, $56.39 for Mrs. Dodd's
ticket, and $32.10 for excess
baggage.
The Senator's son, Tom Jr.,
made a number of flights that
were paid out of political con-
tributions. These included
trips from Washington to
Akron on April ' 18 ($59.43)
Washington to C h i c a g o on,
June 24 ($91.77) and Washing-
ton to Asheville on June 261
($68.36).
It will be interesting to see
whether the Senate Ethics'
Committee,. considers Dodd's
personal use of campaign
funds and. failure to pay taxes
on them to be ethical.
m 1966, Sen-McClure Syndicate, Inc.
Sanitized.- Approved For Release CIA RDP75-00149R000200300103-6