In January, The Washington Post printed a story about investigations that Edgar J. Hover did on several people of interest, including UH’s own Jack Valenti.
The Washington Post didn’t go into much detail about the investigation. They mentioned Valenti and a few others were investigated by the FBI for homosexual behaviors. The GOP’s investigation of Valenti was also revisited briefly. Hoover’s investigation, as well as that of the GOP was fruitless.
The Post failed to put the story in any type of context, or attempt to search out why such an investigation was worth the FBI’s time. They just reported what had happened and left it at ‘he was investigated’ and ‘here are a few other names’ oh and by the way ‘the GOP had a similar investigation on Valenti.’
Valenti had graduated from UH and started an advertising and political agency Weekley and Valenti. Valenti wrote Lyndon B. Johnson’s speech when Kennedy was assassinated. Valenti also became part of Johnson’s special assistants.
They didn’t go into reasons why Hoover needed information on LBJ’s ’special assistant.’ It would have taken further digging into Hoover’s past and his relationships with sitting presidents. Hoover had files on many influential people such as Martin Luther King, Elvis Presley and any one who was considered Communist. Hoover had information about Kennedy’s womanizing and embarrassing details about Johnson.
Hoover’s own men were terrified of him, he fired or reassigned several agents for trite reasons, an out of place uniform collar for example. Hoover got rid of FBI agents who he considered pinheads. Agents thought Hoover was a tyrant.
LBJ, along with JFK, wanted to fire Hoover. He was using his power as Chief of the newly formed FBI to blackmail high ranking politicians, including the two presidents.
Hoover was a young man when he was appointed to the Bureau of Investigation by Calvin Coolidge. After a few years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation was formed.
Hoover was a paradox. Investigating men for homosexual behaviors while engaging in questionable behaviors of his own. Whether he was homosexual himself is still in question. Many authorities claim his relationship with Clyde Tolson was ‘brotherly,’ while others say they were a homosexual couple. Although, there are reports that he was involved romantically with actress Dorothy Lamour.Still, Tolson and Hoover being as close as they were did raise some speculation.
The Washington Post failed to take the story as far as it needed to go. There were no other articles devoting time to the Valenti investigation.
If the story wasn’t important enough to thoroughly report, then why run it at all?
