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BLACK PANTHER PARTY Investigation of Seattle Chapter

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BLACK PANTHER PARTY Investigation of Seattle Chapter BLACK PANTHER PARTY PART 2 Investigation of Seattle Chapter HEARINGS COMMITTEE ON 'BEFOREINTERNAL ,(THE SECURITY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FIRST CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MAY 12, 13, 14, AND 20, 1970 (INCLUDING INDEX) Printed for the use of the Committee on Internal Security U.S. GOVERNMV.'T PRINTING OFFICE 44-M25 WA87INGTON t 1970 For sale by the Superintendent of Doouments, U.S. Government Printing Office N Washington, D.C. 2040O- Price 55 cents COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL SECURITY UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RICHARD H. ICHORD. Missouri, Chairman CLAUDE PEPPEjR, Florida JOHN M. ASHBROOK, Ohio EDWIN W. EDWARDS, Louisiana RICHARD L. ROUDEBUSH. Indiana RICHARDSON PRAYER, North Carolina ALBERT W. WATSON, South Carolina LOUIS STOKES, Ohio WILLIAM J. SCHERLE, Iowa DONALD G. SANDERS, Chief 009ut86 RiCHARD L. SCHULTE, As$ooate Chief Counsel ALFRED M. NITTLE, Legislative Counsel JoHN P. Lswls, Coordinating Editor GLENN H. DAVIS, Editorial Direotor ROBERT M. HORNER, Chief Investigator WILLIAM G. SHAW, Research Direotor (1I) CONTENTS May 12, 1970: Testimony of- Page Archie J. Porter ---------------------------------------- 4298 May 13, 1970: Testimony of- Stanley K. Fridell ..... 4-----------------------4321 May 14, 1970: Testimony of- Elmer James Dixon III ------------------------------------ 4342 Richard A. Shaw --- ------------------------------------- 4344 Thomas Q. Simmons --------------- ----------- 4360 May 20, 1970: Testimony of- Thomas Q. Simmons (resumed) ----------------------------- 4365 Appendix A: Additional material concerning Black Panther Party hear- ings, part 1, Kansas City Chapter, submitted by Phillip C. Lawson ... 4377 Appendix B: Committee exhibits ------------------------------- 4379 Appendix C: Telegram and response thereto from Hon. Albert Watson to Hon. Clifford M. Hardin, Department of Agriculture, concerning Seattle food stamp program----------------------------------------- 4423 Appendix D: Summary of executive testimony on May 13, 1970 ----------- 4424 Index ------------------------------------------------------- i (M) The House Committee on Internal Security is a standing committee of the House of Representatives, constituted as such by the rules of the House, -adopted pursuant to Article I, section 5, of the Constitution of the United States which authorizes the House to determine the rules of its proceedings. RULES ADOPTED BY THE 91ST CONGRESS House Resolution 7, January 3, 1969, as amended by House Resolution 89, February 18, 1969. RESOLUTION Resolved, That the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 90th Congress, together with all applicable provisions of the Legislative Reorganiza- tion Act of 1946, as amended, be, and they are hereby adopted as the Rules of the House of Representatives of the 91st Congress *** * * * * * .* * RULE X STANDING 'COMMITTEES 1. There shall be elected by the House, at the commencement of each Congress, (k) Committee on Internal Security, to consist of nine Members. * * * * * * * RULE XI POWERS AND DUTIES Or COMMITTEES 11. Committee on Internal Security., i ofO the(a) UnitedCommunist Statens and other subversive activities affecting the internal security (b) The Committee on Internal Security, acting as a whole or by subcommittee, is authorized to make investigations from time to time of (1) the extent, charac. ter, objectives, and activities within the United States of organizations or groups, whether of foreign or domestic origin, their members, agents, and affiliates, which seek to establish, or assist in the establishment of, a totalitarian dictatorship within the United States, or to overthrow or alter, or assist in the overthrow or alteration of, the form of government of the United States or of any State thereof, by force, violence, treachery, espionage, sabotage, insurrection, or any unlawful means, (2) the extent, character, objectives, and activities within the United States of organizations or groups, their members, agents, and affiliates, which incite or employ acts of force, violence, terrorism, or any unlawful means, to obstruct or oppose the lawful authority of the Government of the United States In the execution of any law or policy affecting the Internal security of the United States, and (3) all other questions, including the administration and execution of any law of the United States, or any portion of law, relating to the foregoing that would aid the Congress or any committee of the House In any necessary remedial legislation. The Committee on Internal Security shall report to the House (or to the Clerk of the House if the House Is not In session) the results of any such investigation, together with such recommendations as it deems advisable. For the purpose of any such Investigation, the Committee on Internal Security, or any subcommittee thereof, Is authorized to sit and act at such times and places ,4 - i(IV) within the United States, whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned, to hold such hearings, and to require, by subpena or otherwise, the attendance and testimony of such witnesses and the production of such books, records, correspondence, memorandums, papers, and documents, as it deems necessary. Subpenas may be issued under the signature of the chairman of the committee or any subcommittee, or by any member designated by any such chair- man, and may be served by any person designated by any such chairman or member. 28. To assist the House in appraising the administration of the ,laws and In developing such amendments or related legislation as it may deem necessary, each standing committee of the House shall exercise continuous watchfulness of the execution by the administrative agencies concerned of any laws, the subject matter of which is within the jurisdiction of such committee; and, for that pur- pose, shall study all pertinent reports and data submitted to the House by the agencies In the executive branch of the Government. J! A 4, BLACK PANTHER PARTY Part 2 Investigation of Seattle Chapter TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1970 UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCO.501ITTEE OF THE COMMITrEE ON INTERNAL SECURITY, Washington,D.C. PUBLIC HEARING A subcommittee of the Committee on Internal Security met, pursu- ant to recess, at 10 a.m., in Room 311, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C., Hon. Richardson Preyer, chairman of the sub- committee, presiding. (Subcommittee members: Representatives Richardson Preyer of North Carolina, chairman; Richard H. Ichord of Missouri, chairman of the full committee; and John M. Ashbrook of Ohio.) Subcommittee members present: Representatives Ichord, Preyer, and Ashbrook. Committee member also present: Representative Albert W. Wat- son of South Carolina. Staff members present: Donald G. Sanders, chief counsel; Stephen H. Romines, assistant counsel; and Thomas Q. Simmons and Richard A. Shaw, investigators. Mr. PREYER. The committee will come to order. The hearing today is a continuation of tht series of hearings con- cerning the Black Panther Party. The subjects of inquiry are the origin, history, organization, character, objectives, and activities of the Black Panther Party in Seattle, Washington. I might add that this is a part of a series of hearings that have been long scheduled, and no special significance in Seattle should be read into the fact that hearings are being held at this time. The initial hearing was concerning the Black Parither Party ac- tivities in Kansas City, Missouri. Today we are directing our atten- tion to Seattle, Washington. The witnesses who have been subpenaed from Seattle and committee investigators who were assigned to the Seattle area will testify pertaining to the development of the Black Panther Party chapter in Seattle, its membership strength, its leader- ship, certain of its demands and activities in the Seattle area, its ob- jectives, and the general reaction of the Seattle community to the Black Panther Party. An individual who may feel aggrieved by the nature of the testi- mony or its personal effect on him may request that he be heard. Every I For additional information concerning those hearings, see appendix A, pp. 4377, 4378. 4297 4298 BLACK PANTHER PARTY consideration will be given by the committee to afford him an oppor- tunity to testify if he so desires. However, it will be on condition that he will be sworn, that he will conduct himself with propriety and decorum, and that he will be available for cross-examination. The hearing this morning may recess a little earlier than 12 o'clock because of some scheduling problems, but we will go forward tomor- row and we will make up any lost time tomorrow or later in the week. Mr. Counsel, you may call your. first witness. Mr. RomINEs. Sergeant Archie Porter. Mr. PREYER. Will you stand and raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you are about to give before this committee will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so llp you God? Mr. PORTER. Y do. Mr. PREYER. Proceed, Mr. Counsel. Mr. RomINEs. Mr. Chairman, this first witness, Sergeant Archie Porter, is present this morning to answer any questions that the com- mittee members may have pertaining to the Seattle Police Depart- ment's policies, practices, and procedures. To facilitate the commit- tee questioning of the sergeant with respect to those policies and pro- cedures, I intend to first ask tie sergeant a number of questions to outline the general activities of the Black Panther Party in Seattle, Washington. Subsequent witnesses will go into more specific detail with those activities.
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