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FBI File Reveals Ted Kennedy Received Death Threats

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The FBI has released a file containing about 2,000 pages of previously secret information about the late Sen. Ted Kennedy on its website. The file reveals that the senator received death threats in 1985, five years after his failed presidential bid. The threats came from a Michigan woman who sent letters of warning to the Secret Service, and whom the agency considered "armed and dangerous."

Other threats began in the years following the assassinations of his two older brothers. President John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was shot in Los Angeles on June 6, 1968.

According to the FBI website, the bureau's file on Sen. Kennedy contains no incriminating evidence about the late senator. "At no point do these files suggest that the FBI investigated Senator Kennedy for a criminal violation or as a security threat," the FBI said in its summary. "The bulk of this material concerns FBI investigation of threats of violence and other extortion claims against Senator Kennedy and other public officials."

The file also reveals that Kennedy's father, Joseph P. Kennedy, called then-FBI director J. Edgar Hoover to warn him of a false rumor that Ted Kennedy was connected to communists. Hoover replied that the bureau had no evidence to support the claim and no intention to investigate Kennedy.

The documents, highly anticipated by historians and scholars, were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Associated Press.

Ted Kennedy died on Aug. 26, 2009 after a long battle with brain cancer and just before the release of his memoir, "True Compass." He was 77.

(Go here to dig through the files with Politics Daily's Byron Tau.)
Filed Under: Ted Kennedy

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Carl A. Johnson

""The threats came from a Michigan woman who sent letters of warning to the Secret Service, and whom the agency considered armed and dangerous"".

Michigan seems to be a real hotbed and epicenter for disgruntled, angry, aggressive anti-government militia types. When you examine history, Michigan has been that way for at least 150 years. I'm not sure why.

June 15 2010 at 6:39 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Freddy Valdivia

All Americans should be proud of Mr Kennedy,unless you never watch his speeches at Senate,he was a real defendant of american workers,soldiers,senior citizens,children , the poor , and minorities,somehow everybody will fit in one or more of those categories,think about it , we need more Kennedy's in this country,rest in peace my hero !!

June 15 2010 at 6:34 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
rasfanta

Yes, Ted Kennedy was very short sighted when it came to the 1964 Immigration Act. Americans had already begun loosing their jobs, being displaced by the computer. Nothing was done to retrain these workers before the gates of this country were threw open to the world. Americans were going thru a transition in the sixties: Civil Rights, the Viet Nam war; womens rights. This was no time for mass immigration. We needed to resolve internal problems. Somebody was concerned that there be no cohesiveness among american people. I know there are a group of people in this country that do not want to see americans come together as one people. They want to keep us divided so it is easier to perpetrate self-interest. Immigration is responsible for the depressed wages american workers have been experiencing over the last 30 years and all these people coming into the country caused us all to work like slaves, boosting the profits of corporations without realizing monetary gain. I hold Teddy Kennedy personally responsible for the condition we find ourselves in today. Americans are suffering while immigrants have jobs, medicaid, ssi, foodstamps, medicare, etc. Then, they will turn around and tell americans there is no money in social security for them after all the increased productivity over the last thirty years. I am disgusted with Kennedy.

June 14 2010 at 10:59 PM Report abuse +8 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to rasfanta's comment
Georgephotoman

Yes, Ted Kennedy was very short sighted when it came to the 1964 Immigration Act. Americans had already begun loosing their jobs, being displaced by the computer. Nothing was done to retrain these workers before the gates of this country were threw open to the world. Americans were going thru a transition in the sixties: Civil Rights, the Viet Nam war; womens rights. This was no time for mass immigration. We needed to resolve internal problems. Somebody was concerned that there be no cohesiveness among american people. I know there are a group of people in this country that do not want to see americans come together as one people. They want to keep us divided so it is easier to perpetrate self-interest. Immigration is responsible for the depressed wages american workers have been experiencing over the last 30 years and all these people coming into the country caused us all to work like slaves, boosting the profits of corporations without realizing monetary gain. I hold Teddy Kennedy personally responsible for the condition we find ourselves in today. Americans are suffering while immigrants have jobs, medicaid, ssi, foodstamps, medicare, etc. Then, they will turn around and tell americans there is no money in social security for them after all the increased productivity over the last thirty years. I am disgusted with Kennedy.

Exactly i agree 100%

June 15 2010 at 1:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
elaineen

I assume he received numerous death threats after Chapaquiddick. Especially after no charges were filed in the death of Mary Jo Kepechne.

June 14 2010 at 10:54 PM Report abuse +9 rate up rate down Reply
ddan8719

I have no idea on the death threats..but i do remember mr kennedy appearing on television assuring citizens there small towns would not be over-ran with immigrants..After, the new kennedy immigration bill took effect in 1966..

June 14 2010 at 3:11 PM Report abuse +5 rate up rate down Reply
braun1994

No kidding ?

June 14 2010 at 2:02 PM Report abuse +5 rate up rate down Reply
Michele

I really miss him . He tried to help Senior citizens.

June 14 2010 at 1:44 PM Report abuse -7 rate up rate down Reply
greatonenonly

What famous person has not gotten death threats....My brother won 500,000 on a slot in vegas and he got death threats...My wife's father ran for mayor of Appleton,Wi and he got death threats.....Goes with territory

June 14 2010 at 12:28 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to greatonenonly's comment
Dorothy

Get over yourself greatone! Your wife's father, and your brother, aren't exactly famous. Although I do wish them well, and that they receive no future death threats.

June 14 2010 at 9:39 PM Report abuse -5 rate up rate down Reply

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