1984 Indictment Attempt
Although DOL had begun investigating Presser in 1981, DOJ's failed 1981 prosecution as well as retractions of newspaper stories led many to believe that allegations of criminal wrongdoing by Presser were unfounded. Presser's close political ties to the Reagan administration convinced some that the Republicans were protecting Presser and the Teamsters from prosecution.
The publicity of the Commission hearings, however, led to pressure on elected leaders to get tough on labor racketeers. On May 31, 1984, attorneys with the U.S. Department of Justice sought approval to prosecute Presser for payroll padding based on DOL reports.
Five days later, the Los Angeles Times named Presser as a U.S. government criminal informant. The report quoted unnamed FBI officials, making this the first time that government leaders had confirmed the unverified accusations of mob informants and other reports. Both the FBI and Presser declined to refute the allegations, although FBI officials publicly complained about the report and said they were concerned for Presser's safety.
Read more about this topic: Jackie Presser Indictment Scandal
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