ALLEN-SCOTT REPORT ATTORNEY GENERAL PONDERS TRICKY QUESTION OF GRAND JURY PROBE OF BOBBY BAKER AFFAIRS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000100250016-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 1, 1999
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: April 12, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For RjppO/05/06: CIA
LAS VEGAS SUN.
By ROBERT S. ALLEN and PAUL SCOTT
Attorney General Ponders Tricky Question of
Grand Jury Probe of. Bobby her Affairs
. - y. ,cn. o Der Kennedy is acing
what could be the most crrtic.il decision of his career-??.`
,whether to authorize the. convening of a' grand jury to
'consider charges against "Bpbby" Baker.
Assistant Atty. Gen. fJcrbert Miller, head of the,
criminal division, has indic't1,tcd he will be ready to?pre
sent such a case around niid= ay.
Justice Department insiders;,predit Miller as favoring taking
such action. But before he can' proceed, it will he necessary for'
him-in the highly politics-charged Baker affair-1o get the approval,
of his boss, the attorney general.'
With no formal recommendations yet before him, -Kennedy.
.I.% portrayed as having "an open mind" on initidting legal action.
zgainst the one-time influentipl $19,500-a-year secretary of the
SE i ate Democrats. But Justice' Department authorities are taking'
it?ftr granted that if Miller advocates grand jury action, Kennedy
willtkay it.
''It has long been an open secret that no love was lost between
the young attorney general and the equally youthful Baker.
However, the backstage word is that Deputy Atty. Gen. Nicholas"
Katzenlrach is reputedly "dragging his feet." He is said to be
counseling a "go slow".policy.
Behind the scenes, the question also is being.raised of possible
intense White House interest.
Waiter Jenkins, among' President. Johnson's closest assistants
and until recently an official of the LBJ (radio-TV) Co., was in-
volved in the stormy'Senate investigation of Baker. Ripublicans
made repeated efforts to have Jenkins summoned for direct in-
terrogm.ion; but were'voted down by the Democratic majprity.
Whether a grand jury probe of Baker would affect 'Jenkins
or others close t.o the President is not known. But .this point is
being avidly'discussed by politicos in both parties.
Privately apprised of the. 'possible grand jury proceediiigs,
they are iniently watching what happens In' both the Justice"
Department and the White House.
OTHER PUZZLERS
Involved in the issue of making charges against Baker to
special federal grand jury is where that should lie dotie--in the
District of Columbia or the adjoining state of Maryland.
The former potent Senate official's actiyities covered both
jurisdictions, and a decision. would. have to be made where to
proceed against him. .
Another,, potential'problem is the report of the Senate Investi
gating committee. This is now slated for some time in May, and,
is certain to be as furiously,
partisan as the probe has been
The six Democratic committeemen will have a so-called ma-
jority report, and 'the three ? Republicans ? will. haver their own
report. The two are certain to differ widely, with the Democrats'
soft-pedaling, and the Reptablieans ..castigating' and 'excoriating:
right to the doorstep:of the, White. );ouse~-,? ,
bPYRGHT
What effect, if any, these clashing findings would have on d.
grand jury investigation is conjectural. They are sure to 'have loud
rpolitical impact.
Also still-tobe heard from are two other potentially decisivs..
forces.
One is the ,internal :RCvetin~. Service which is probing Baker's
tax returns. I ik-intderstood 'the IRS-expects to submit, its findings:
,1n. the justice`-T)epartment -ill ?a'few.weeks, in ample time fpr. Miller to consider them in making his recommendation to" the
attorney.general'. .
The other factor is Son. John Williams, R-Del., the veteran
"one-man ?investigating committee," who ' precipitated the Baker 1
investigation.
Williams is telling colleagues he has 'considerably more to'
say about the. Baker case, and will make a series of Senate?a
speeches.' He will also make 'public
correspondence he has had
with various government agencies on the matter. r t
BIG FLOP
That tax on gamblers Congress voted 12.years ago has had.'i
no effect on gambling and produced very little revenue. When this'"
anti-gambling law was enacted (requiring gamblers to get s''
$50 license and turn over 10 per cent of their profits), the Treasury;
estimated,, it would produce $400 million annual revenue. But after:`;
12 years, the Treasury's total "take" is $86.9 million-an average%
of. approximately $7 million a 'year. That's a far cry from $400
million. Also, of the several hundred or more- thousand professional,
gamblers, only some 10,000 have admitted that' by buying the $50,,
stamps and paying- federal betting taxes. Meanwhile, Treasury?
authorities estimate gambling Is now, a $10 billion "industry" as
compared to .$4 billion ,when this ineffectual law' was adopted Lit'
1952. , h' , d
Approved For Release 2000/05/05: CIA-RDP75-00149R000100250016-0