Past+Abuses


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=Past Abuses=

court cases:
 * Watkins v. United States

In the past, J. Edgar Hoover was said to have abused his power. He investigated people and orginizations not because of their criminal actions, but because of their political beleifs. These people and/or groups that were investigates were Martin Luther King Jr., Black civil rights groups, and even the Ku Klux Klan. Hoover used his power illegaly to wiretap and get informations about these groups. During Hoover's time as the FBI's director, the FBI used such actions as burgleries and other illegl actions to gather information about groups. This invades people's civil rights; people no longer are able to keep personal information personal. Furthermore, Hoover fired people who had displeased him or were "dumb like truck drivers." An example of this would be Melvin Purvis. Many people beleive that Hoover was jelous of the publicity Purvis received and manuvered him out of the FBI. It is these abusive action that were made by the FBI, that invaded American's civil rights.

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