(Testimony of Winston G. , Accompanied By Fred B. Smith, Lawson)
Mr. Lawson.
or anything like that that we might not know of yet. They put out lookout notices, send us a notification of people who have lost their White House Passes, etc.
Representative Ford.
Now, when you actually went to Dallas, who in the Secret Service' was under your jurisdiction, or what individual did you work with down there in the Secret Service?
Mr. Lawson.
I worked with Mr. Sorrels. He wouldn't really be under my jurisdiction because he was the local agent in charge, and he had various agents, also. On the day of the event his agents would be under my jurisdiction, and also his, because he is normally their boss.
Representative Ford.
Howlett; what is his responsibility?
Mr. Lawson.
He is an agent of the Dallas office.
Representative Ford.
Responsible to Mr. Sorrels?
Mr. Lawson.
To Mr. Sorrels; yes, sir.
Representative Ford.
You got to Dallas when?
Mr. Lawson.
The evening; Tuesday evening, the 12th.
Represenative FORD. When did you make the decision to investigate this group of extremists down there?
Mr. Lawson.
I heard that there were films available, I believe, on Wednesday, or Thursday. I believe it was Wednesday. Representative FORD. That would be November 13?
Mr. Lawson.
The 13th; yes, sir. And I kept it in mind so that I could talk to the local office about that. I asked individuals in the local office, Mr. Sorrels and also Special Agent Howlett, if they had any knowledge, if they had done any informant-type work, if they had any knowledge of anything that was going to go on that we might not know in PRS, because PRS would only know of definite trips by the President. But they might know of something else that might occur. And also at another time I talked to Special Agent Howlett and asked him if he would view the films of this.
Representative Ford.
You arrived there on the 12th, Tuesday?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir.
Representative Ford.
You met with Sorrels when?
Mr. Lawson.
On Wednesday morning.
Representative Ford.
Wednesday morning?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir.
Representative Ford.
Did you bring up, or did he bring up, the problem of so-called extremist groups?
Mr. Lawson.
I believe I brought them up, but I am not sure I brought them up that morning. It was sometime later.
Representative Ford.
Sometime that day?
Mr. Lawson.
It was that day or the next day that we talked about it. We talked about these extremist groups off and on, of course, all the time that I was there.
Representative Ford.
Did you limit it to so-called rightwing groups, or did you have a broader view than that, about groups that might be a problem on this trip?
Mr. Lawson.
I believe that I specifically talked about the rightwing groups; yes.
Representative Ford.
Did you ever have any responsibility for a trip to New York at any time?
Mr. Lawson.
No; I did not. I just assisted in one, the World's Fair opening yesterday, but at that time I had not.
Representative Ford.
This would have to be hypothetical under the circumstances, but if in the time prior to November 22 you had the responsibility of a Presidential trip to a community where you knew the Fair Play for Cuba Committee was active, would you have taken any special interest in that group?
Mr. Lawson.
I don't know. If at that time I had ever heard that they were particularly, might be any threat to the President, a particular group, if I knew that there was a particular group that advocated the killing of the President, yes. If it was just a political group of one kind or another, no, I probably wouldn't unless I had definite information.
Representative Ford.
Did you have any evidence that the groups you investigated
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