thursdby, novsmbsr 11, 1976
third dimension
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Photos by Kevin Higloy
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new federal building, apparently works closely with local
law enforcement agencies. The bureau ia Lincoln covers
the southeast quadrant of Nebraska, including Grand
liand, North Flatte, and Scottsbluff.
; . Lir. Tzn (he wouldn't give his first name), one cf three
or four FBI agesii ix&igzzd to Lincoln, said the Bureau's
direction has been "cyclical. . .in 1960, Bobby Kennedy
(then US. attorney general) directed the FBI to fight
organized crime. Now we are concentrating mostly on
white-vSar crime. But we are dropping a lot of investi
gative work, because the Department of Justice has de
cided that the individual cases should be handled by local
agencies, if possible.
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C.t.:-a Ilrcf Ed Zcray
Today the FBI goes after only those cases where prose
cution is possible, Tag ' '
-We are in one sense looking for cases, but we are not
basket shooters looking for statistics," he said. . ,
The investigations the FBI is undertaking now deal
with security, especially in areas where other government
agencies are hiring people for classified or security-rated
work, according to Tagg.
"But we stOl investigate people committing acts of vio
lence, acts towards violence, or acts committed with the
purpose of overthrowing the government"
Tagg added, The FBI has been accusal of haying
dossiers on hundreds of thousands of people-this isn't
true. We have kept files on subversive groups like the
Weathermen and Black Panthers, and some Selective Ser
vice deserter investigations."
. The Department of Justice has two divisions in
Lincoln; one is the Assistant United States Attorney's
office, and the other is for the United States Marshal.
' (There is also a department of Immigration and Naturali
zation in Omaha.)
Mr." Nckn, who works in the VS. Attorney's office in
Lincoln, said- that the department represents all other
government agencies in federal and state courts. In prose
cution of federal crimes, the department uses information
gathered by the FBI, IRS, Postal Inspectors and other
agencies. . .
Nokn said the Justice Dept M other federal agencies
have to be sprets? ?ut in the nt.- .
"Citizens want federal services delivered without any
wrinkles, and on a closer basis. -In the area of criminal
justice, we have to be where courts are because of the
caseload, and the courts have to be dose to witnesses. I
think it has to be split up for the system to function."
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has about 30 em
ployes in Lincoln, with a wioe range cf activities, accord
ing to Dan SeOecki of the Tax Information Service in
Omaha. The IRS helps taxpayers with questions on forms
or payments and refunds, runs a selective audit on returns,
collects on delinquent returns and nonpayment cf taxes,
ar.i hv:;t:2tes frtuiulsnt returns.
. The IRS is removed from local government. We have
had very few occasions to work with city government, be
cause the federal . tss law? are separate," Seklecki ssid.
They do Occasionally work in standard law enforcement
with local officials in criminal investigations.-
The IRS works with the FBI, VS. customs, the Feder
al Criminal Strike Force, and state tax officials in investi
gations of "underworld" criminals, drug dealers and cor
rupt politicians. Both Al Capone and former Vice Presi
dent Spiro T.'Agnew were "nailed" with criminal fraud
on their tax returns bv the IRS.
Seklecki said that records are kept on individuals who
have had an audit, collection or Investigation case against
them, but the records are eventually destroyed on the
basis of a timetable. The IRS cannot k-?p records of un
successful leads on criminal investigations.
IRS records can be given to state tax agencies or the
United States Attorney. The Freedom of Information Act
and Privacy Act declissified internal documents and made
- IRS records accessible to individuals, Seklecki said. IRS
information can be obtained in Lincoln by calling 475
3611, and elsewhere in the state by a toll-free number.
The Interstate Commerce Ccnmission (ICC), also in
. the Federal Eidg., is basically a consumer protection agen
cy, according to District Supervisor Max Johnston. The
relation nf the ICC cover interstate transportation of
tracks, buses, trains, property and passengers.
Its main concern with the public is in helping to head
off problems with movingcompanies. The ICC also aids
the business sector with lost shipments and damage
claims.
There is a current national trend of "anti
Washingtonism" as shown in the recent national election,
and to some extent in our own local election. But for
tunately, the government is a pyramid-like structure, and
the top may crumble and be replaced, but the base re
mains. The federal officials on the local level seem to be
competent, friendly, and trying to do their job welL Of
course, this means that local administrators will follow the
guidelines and laws coming down from hiier levels, re
gardless of whether the rules are straight-forward or
contradictory, reasonable or unreasonable.