Vol.16 No.24 - June 14,1982 - Editorial Comment

Sep 30, 2026

A June 14, 1982 editorial comment discusses the public dispute involving FBI Executive Assistant Director Bud Mullen Jr. after his Senate testimony tied to the background of nominated Secretary of Labor Raymond Donovan. The editorial argues Mullen is not receiving a fair hearing in the pages of the Washington Post and urges awareness of a recurring “post-Watergate syndrome” among journalists. It also introduces a separate editorial on Congress supporting a bipartisan anti-crime bill.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Editorial Comment

Mullen Not Getting Fair Shake

Editorial: President Reagan Urges Support Of Bi-Partisan Anti-Crime Bill

Vol.16 No.24 June 14,1982 Editorial... MULLEN NOT GETTING FAIR SHAKE By Richard J.O'ConnellEditor and PublisherWashington Crime News Services Last Sunday morning,after I had my twocups of coffee and my wife had attached thebattery cables to jump-start my heart,I reachedfor my Washington Post and was slightly startledto read an interview with Francis M."Bud"Mullen,Jr.who is an Executive Assistant Directorof the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)andActing Administrator of the Drug EnforcementAdministration(DEA). In the interview,Mullen attempted to clarifyhis testimony before the Senate Labor Committeeregarding the investigation of the background ofnominated Secretary of Labor,Raymond Donovan. Outside of Washington,D.C.,this may notbe what you would call a big story.To those ofus who have been around this town for awhile,it is a very big story-not because it has greatnews value,but because the Washington Post andsome staff members of the Senate Labor Commit-tee made it a big story.The target is SecretaryDonovan and ultimately President Reagan,notBud Mullen. Nevertheless,Mullen finds himself beingdrawn and quartered in the pages of theWashing-ton Post.In his interview,which appeared onJune 6,he admitted he made some mistakes inhis testimony about Donovan.When I read that,I just about went into cardiac arrest.The mis-takes,Mullen said,were honest mistakes that Page 1 IN THIS ISSUE- EDITORIAL:Mullen Not Getting Fair Shake...1 EDITORIAL:President Reagan UrgesSupport Of Bi-Partisan Anti-Crime Bill .....2 DEALING WITH INFLATION: FDLE:Commissioner YorkResigning To Join Sheriffs.........4 WAR AGAINST CRIME:NATB PresidentSays Coordinated Public/Private Effort Needed..4 INSTINCT SHOOTING:Free Report Available ...........6 CALEA:Draft StandardsApproved For Field Testing.........6 JOB LISTING LOW-COST TRAINING:Florida SheriffAnd Air Force Cooperate OJJDP:Better Plans NeededTo Remove Kids From Jails..... ..10 CRIME CONTROL DIGEST came about because he did not have all the datain his head,perhaps misunderstood what he wasbeing asked and an assessment,in his professionalopinion,that the Committee had all the materialit had requested.It is a long and confusing storyand Washington Crime News Services doesn'thave enough paper to recap it all.Mullen admitshis testimony may have been too “positive”and“sweeping”when he stated that nothing indi-cated that Donovan was"mobbed-up." The point we are trying to make here is thatBud Mullen is not getting a fair shake when thePost and members of the Senate Labor Commit-tee staff personally attack him to get to theirultimate targets and embarass the FBI.SenatorOrrin Hatch(R-Utah)is the chairman of theSenate Labor Committee and he has been verycareful about his words regarding Mullen.Atthe moment,Senators Ted Kennedy(D-Mass.)and Thomas Egleton(D-Mo.)have asked Hatchfor a full investigation of Mullen and White HouseCounsel Fred Fielding.Hatch has been quotedas saying he wants to wait until the investigationof Donovan has been completed. Mullen told the Washington Post that,"Itestified honestly,forthrightly and to the best ofmy knowledge at the time.” It is not our intention to defend Bud Mullenand his interactions with Capitol Hill.He certainlyis more than capable of doing that himself.It isour intention to point out to our subscribersthat we have seen this game played before.Welike to term it the “post-Watergate syndrome”that many journalists in Washington suffer from.This too will pass.And perhaps Bud Mullen andhis long-distinguished career will not suffer toomuch.He displayed tremendous courage in hisinterview with the Post and we think he deservesbetter treatment. That interview was historic.Fifteen yearsago you would never have seen such an interview.Mullen would have been shipped to Butte,Mon-tana.We think it is indicative of the kind oforganization that Judge Webster is running-onethat is forthright,candid and can admit it makesmistak

FAQs

Who is the central figure discussed in the editorial comment?

The editorial centers on Bud Mullen Jr., an FBI Executive Assistant Director, and his Senate testimony related to the Donovan nomination.

What is the editorial’s main claim about Mullen’s treatment?

It argues that Mullen is not getting a fair shake, with attacks from the Washington Post and Senate staff aimed at broader political targets.

What does the second editorial urge Congress to do?

It urges Congress to give prompt and favorable consideration to a bipartisan package of anti-crime proposals introduced by Senate leaders.

Sep 30, 2026

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