FBI releases files on late "60 Minutes" correspondent Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace / CRAIG BLANKENHORN

The FBI has released its files on the late "60 Minutes" correspondent Mike Wallace, detailing their scrutiny of a 1970 trip Wallace took to Cuba. There is also an investigation of a threatening letter sent to Wallace in 1977 by a World War II veteran titled "Communist Control of the Press."

The files were dug up from the bureau's records vault and were requested via the Freedom of Information Act. Read the documents here.

Wallace died on April 7, 2012, at the age of 93 and was widely recognized for his aggressive style in television interviews.

In the summer of 1970, Wallace and the late "60 Minutes" creator Don Hewitt traveled to Cuba. The FBI documents detail the luggage and travel information of the two men, but do not provide much other information. At first mention, the documents misspell Hewitt's name.

30 Photos

Remembering Mike Wallace, 1918-2012

The documents also include a rambling letter sent to Wallace in 1977, in which the sender claims to "have solid proof that you are a pro-communist anti-America traitor."

An FBI investigation into the letter identified the sender as Donald P. Hale, a disabled World War II veteran and former prisoner of war, according to the files. The U.S. Attorney's office decided against prosecuting Hale for extortion, saying it did not appear to have criminal intent and the fact Hale admitted to "emotional problems."

CBS News spokesman Kevin Tedesco said it was not uncommon in the days of the Cold War for the feds to keep tabs on prominent journalists.

"Mike would surely get a laugh about this but he wouldn't be surprised: a journalist doing his job back then could certainly catch the attention of the FBI," he said.

[oxymoron101]

I'm proud that some of my haters have called me those same names because I'm a moderate and do not believe in what they spout off because it originates from the TRL of the Republican Party, Fauxnews.
I question both leaders all the time by using Factcheck, Sourcewatch and Opensecrets.com and really have no issue with either side, just the rhetoric. What happened to the moderates of the both parties that somehow managed to get things done in Washington like John Glenn or Sam Nunn?
Simple truth is congress writes laws and presents the to the president to sign or veto, any kid who takes a civics class will tell you. The supreme court decides whether the law is legal. So if congress can't get the job done enough to pass a law, how can you blame Obama, if it never gets to him?
Simple truth is this, you don't like him for whatever reason, so it is easy to blame whoever and whatever for what reason you don't like him. It's easy to blame what you hate or don't know as opposed to looking at what you think you love and say "get it together".

[modeloman]

Brian_Connelly replies: linkicon reporticon emailicon Nah. I like to question authority. Unlike you liberals, we question leaders in BOTH political parties.
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that is one of the funniest lies I have seen in some time

[modeloman]

I almost forgot to mention you have limbaugh breaking ouit in a cold sweat
hahahahaha

[informedsources]

Rush Limbaugh always breaks out in a sweat, got nothing to do with politics.

[modeloman]

Brian_Connelly says: Always knew Wallace and his leftist ilk were communists. He and his old school leftist types in the media won't be missed, except perhaps by old liberal scrooges like some in this forum. Too bad.
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yes sir
just goose step and dont rock the boat....right
or you might be commie. or worse yet

"a RINO" aaaaaggghhhh.
no mystery why right wing fascists dont care for the light of day....or a dissenting opinion
deep down they admire a strong controlling hand like Saddam or Stalin

[Brian_Connelly]

Always knew Wallace and his leftist ilk were communists. He and his old school leftist types in the media won't be missed, except perhaps by old liberal scrooges like some in this forum. Too bad.

[raybree1]

Senator McCarthy would be proud of you. You and paranoid anti-Communists could have the biggest threat to the health of this country... EVER!

[tangousted]

If anyone (except the Democrat communists) don't believe where the news orgaizations stand as far as being against the U.S. constitution then just read "Witness" by Whittaker Chambers. The dems STILL deny Alge Hiss was a communist. Communism came to the U.S. via German elite Jewish professors.

[Jaylah54200]

So I guess now, instead of sending letters to highly respected journalists, the right-wing conspiracy theorists are posting all of their media conspiracy blather on web-sites.

[quincytodd]

Mike Wallace guilty of treason? Hardly! This goes to show how deeply right-wing fanaticism, fueled by widespread ignorance has wormed it's way into all echelons of this government! Just more proof of what a sick society that we're living in nowadays! In fact, the right-wing news media is guilty of misinforming the general public by taking advantage of it's ignorance.

[informedsources]

Since when is truth treason? Just because you don't want to hear it? Switch to FOX, they'll tell you what you want to hear.

[answerman1949]

Wallace was the guy who scolded Peter Jennings when Jennings said he would warn the US military if he were covering a hostile armed group and learned they plan to ambush US troops. Wallace said that would be "unethical".

Under the Patriot Act and the NDAA Wallace would be locked up forever without due process. I oppose both laws, but would have no problem having Wallace tried and convicted for treason if he behaved "ethically" according to his "standards" in such a circumstance.

[modeloman]

I would certainly warn them but then again, i am not a completely objective joirnalist.

[folma7]

This can't your entire report on a journalist w/60+ years in the public eye! This is it? Try again, please

[spacecoasttjim]

I'd much rather see the FBI files on Dan Rather!