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CNN Live Today
His Brother's Keeper
Aired June 19, 2003 - 11:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: University of Massachusetts President William Bulger testified today before a House Government Reform Committee. They want to question him about his brother, Whitey Bulger, a former high-level FBI informant, who is now on the agency's 10 most wanted list.
CNN national correspondent Bob Franken following that story and joining us now with the details.
Hello, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATL. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.
This is an incredibly entangled story. As you pointed out, Whitey Bulger is accused in connection with 21 different murders. He has disappeared. He has been gone since 1995. His brother, William Bulger, is now the president of the UMass, University of Massachusetts, a longtime Democratic politician in Massachusetts, and he has been called on by Republicans to step down. He refused to testify before this Congressional committee in December, saying that he wanted to claim his Fifth Amendment protections, But Brother William Bulger was ordered by a judge to testify, and today, the moment finally came.
What he told the committee in his opening statement was he really didn't really have much information for them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not know where my brother is. I do not know where he has been over the past eight years. I have not aided James Bulger in any way while he has been a fugitive. Do I possess information that could lead to my brother's arrest? The honest answer is no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: This is more than just a story about the brother, it is a story about the FBI's relationship with informants, particularly in the Boston area. Bulger was considered a member of what the committee members call La Cosa Nostra, of course meaning the Mafia, but he was, nevertheless, somebody who has an informant to the FBI. In 1995, he was about to be charged with some crimes when he suddenly disappeared.
One of the FBI agents, who is now retired, John Connelly (ph), was subsequently arrested, and is serving time now after being convicted in connection with that case. Connelly is also an old friend of William Bulger who has refused to step down, continues as the president of the University of Massachusetts. As I said, Heidi, this is an extremely tangled web, as so many of these cases are, complicated to say the least.
COLLINS: Bob, I am wondering if there is any talk among the FBI as to changes it might come about when they decide and choose who their informants will be.
FRANKEN: Well, that's something that's been ongoing. This has been a controversy for some time, and FBI officials have said that they want to try and clean up the act. Of course, one of the problems Congressional people have with this is that the FBI is allowed to operate, in their opinion, in such secrecy that often time there can be abuse of conduct like this, and it really stay business low the radar screen. It is an ongoing controversy. William Bulger is the focus of it, but of course the real focus is his brother and the relationship his brother had with the FBI. Of course, James Bulger, Whitey Bulger, has been missing, literally missing, since 1995.
COLLINS: Thanks for clearing that up for us. Bob Franken, appreciate it very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 19, 2003 - 11:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: University of Massachusetts President William Bulger testified today before a House Government Reform Committee. They want to question him about his brother, Whitey Bulger, a former high-level FBI informant, who is now on the agency's 10 most wanted list.
CNN national correspondent Bob Franken following that story and joining us now with the details.
Hello, Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATL. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.
This is an incredibly entangled story. As you pointed out, Whitey Bulger is accused in connection with 21 different murders. He has disappeared. He has been gone since 1995. His brother, William Bulger, is now the president of the UMass, University of Massachusetts, a longtime Democratic politician in Massachusetts, and he has been called on by Republicans to step down. He refused to testify before this Congressional committee in December, saying that he wanted to claim his Fifth Amendment protections, But Brother William Bulger was ordered by a judge to testify, and today, the moment finally came.
What he told the committee in his opening statement was he really didn't really have much information for them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not know where my brother is. I do not know where he has been over the past eight years. I have not aided James Bulger in any way while he has been a fugitive. Do I possess information that could lead to my brother's arrest? The honest answer is no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: This is more than just a story about the brother, it is a story about the FBI's relationship with informants, particularly in the Boston area. Bulger was considered a member of what the committee members call La Cosa Nostra, of course meaning the Mafia, but he was, nevertheless, somebody who has an informant to the FBI. In 1995, he was about to be charged with some crimes when he suddenly disappeared.
One of the FBI agents, who is now retired, John Connelly (ph), was subsequently arrested, and is serving time now after being convicted in connection with that case. Connelly is also an old friend of William Bulger who has refused to step down, continues as the president of the University of Massachusetts. As I said, Heidi, this is an extremely tangled web, as so many of these cases are, complicated to say the least.
COLLINS: Bob, I am wondering if there is any talk among the FBI as to changes it might come about when they decide and choose who their informants will be.
FRANKEN: Well, that's something that's been ongoing. This has been a controversy for some time, and FBI officials have said that they want to try and clean up the act. Of course, one of the problems Congressional people have with this is that the FBI is allowed to operate, in their opinion, in such secrecy that often time there can be abuse of conduct like this, and it really stay business low the radar screen. It is an ongoing controversy. William Bulger is the focus of it, but of course the real focus is his brother and the relationship his brother had with the FBI. Of course, James Bulger, Whitey Bulger, has been missing, literally missing, since 1995.
COLLINS: Thanks for clearing that up for us. Bob Franken, appreciate it very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
