The Sinatra Files (54 page)

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As Watergate closed in on the president, Sinatra stood by his friend. During his January 30, 1974, State of the Union message, Nixon defiantly declared to Congress and the nation, “One year of Watergate is enough!” Minutes after it ended, Sinatra sent Nixon a congratulatory telegram from Las Vegas, where he was playing Caesars Palace, which prompted another letter from the president. (This document is from the National Archives.)

February 12, 1974

Dear Frank:

Very shortly after delivering my State of the Union address to the Congress, I received your telegram, and this is just to let you know how much I appreciated your comments. As I stated that evening, this is a time of great challenge and great opportunities for America. I believe the measures outlined in my message can set the agenda for truly significant progress for this Nation and the world in 1974, and it is heartening to know I may continue to count on your support.

Again, my thanks and warm best wishes.

Mr. Frank Sinatra
1041 North Formosa Avenue
Hollywood, California 90046

    P.S. Incidentally, I have received reports about your very kind remarks during one of your Las Vegas appearances. I understand you expressed your love for, and your belief in, our country, and your continuing confidence in me. For this public expression of your support, and of your pride in our great Nation, I am deeply grateful.

    
Sinatra’s friendship with Agnew lasted long after the vice president and Nixon resigned in disgrace. Agnew was one of only 130 guests invited to the singer’s wedding to Barbara Marx on July 11, 1976. Agnew at the time had become pointed in his criticism of Israel, and Sinatra drew some of the resulting flack in the form of letters from outraged citizens, including several fans. A particularly threatening one prompted Milton A. (Mickey) Rudin, Sinatra’s longtime attorney, to call the FBI. Federal agents interviewed him about it on August 9, 1976
.

    MILTON A. RUDIN, also known as, “The Judge,” attorney, 9601 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, business manager for FRANK SINATRA, was contacted concerning RUDIN’s previous telephonic contact with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Los Angeles, California, concerning a threatening letter received by SINATRA.

RUDIN furnished an envelope which was postmarked (?) shing, New York, on July 29. The envelope was typewritten, addressed to Mr. FRANK SINATRA, Palm Springs, California. RUDIN also furnished the letter received in the aforementioned envelope which states in part, that unless SINATRA arranges a well publicized press conference no later than August 15, 1976, in which he denounces his friendship with SPIRO AGNEW, that a chemically treated prickle will perforate one of his, SINATRA’s eyes transmitted by an African Bushmen’s blowing tube. RUDIN stated that the envelope and letter were received by SINATRA at Palm Springs, California, on Thursday, August 5, 1976. Upon receipt RUDIN stated SINATRA wrote on the front of the envelope, “Sarge—Important for The Judge.” RUDIN further stated that the address label affixed to the front of the envelope beneath the typewritten address is a label that the Palm Springs Post Office put on the envelope when it was received at the Palm Springs Post Office. RUDIN stated that SINATRA advised him that he would not hold a press conference as advised on August 15, 1976. A copy of the envelope and letter are attached.

RUDIN stated that the only persons to handle the aforementioned letter and envelope were:

    RUDIN then furnished one Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Digest, July/August, 1976 issue, and one ADL memorandum dated May 26, 1976. RUDIN stated ADL memorandum and digest furnished gives background concerning SPIRO AGNEW, in that they feel AGNEW’s statements to the American Press and on the Today Show are “irresponsible, anti-Semitic, and are shocking and unplausible.” RUDIN stated that based on AGNEW’s recent statements, a number of people have written SINATRA concerning his association with AGNEW and have recommended that his association be severed. RUDIN furnished six letters that had been received by SINATRA recently concerning SINATRA’s association with AGNEW. Copies of the six letters are attached.

RUDIN telephonically contacted SINATRA on August 9, 1976, at SINATRA’s residence in Pinyon Crest, California, and it was determined that SINATRA had no suspects in this matter. RUDIN stated that he had no suspects in this matter although one letter furnished above to the FBI was postmarked at Flushing, New York, July 31, 1976, from
Queens, New York. RUDIN then furnished SINATRA’s itinerary, which reflects that SINATRA will be in Vancouver on August 20 and 21, 1976, and that from August 21 through 27, 1976, SINATRA will be at the Waldorf Astoria while performing during that period at Saratoga, New York, and Holmdel, New Jersey. SINATRA is currently in Palm Springs, California, and will remain there until August 19, 1976.

    
The letter:

To Frank Sinatra!

You will arrange a well publicized press-conference not later than
August 15, 1976
. You will denounce your good friend Spiro Agnew because he sold himself to the Arabs in order to be their spokesman and official anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic propagandist in the USA.

If you do not comply [with] this demand your life is
NOT
in danger. Death is not a punishment, it is a sudden end of life without suffering. Your famous Blue Eyes are in jeopardy.

Study the method of African Bushmen’s blowing tubes. The prickle can be targeted very exactly from a distance of 100 feet or further. The tube could be a cigarette holder, could be a part of a photo camera, a binocular, a trompet or a dozen of other objects. It is absolutely undetectable.

No poison will be used but a chemically treated prickle perforates one of your eyes and a sympathetic ophtalmia follows. Consult your doctor, he will convince you.

Think about it which is better: keep the friendship of Agnew or spend the rest of your life in complete darkness.

    
The FBI undertook an extensive four-month investigation to determine the identity of the writer for a possible extortion prosecution. Agents checked the letter for fingerprints and took fingerprints from Sinatra employees known to have handled the letter. They did a detailed analysis of the letter’s typing. They took precise measurements, including the thickness of the paper down to the ten-thousandth of an inch. They compared it to two other letters sent to Sinatra around the same time, an unsigned one warning him of imminent danger and a signed one from a woman criticizing his friendship with Agnew. They compared the letter to missives in the FBI’s vast Anonymous Letter File. They came up dry
.

Copy to: USA [U.S. Attorney], Los Angeles
(Attention: AUSA [Assistant U.S. Attorney] EARL E. BOYD)

Report of:    
       Office: Los Angeles, California

Date: 12/1/76

Title: UNKNOWN SUBJECT;
FRANK SINATRA—VICTIM

character: EXTORTION

    Synopsis: On 8/9/76, Attorney and Business Manager of FRANK SINATRA, Beverly Hills, California, furnished a threatening letter which was addressed to SINATRA in Palm Springs, California. Envelope was postmarked at shing, New York, on 7/29/76. Attorney also furnished other communications received by SINATRA in the recent post concerning his association with SPIRO AGNEW and one of those was an envelope and letter postmarked 7/31/76, at Flushing, New York, from
, Queens, New York. AUSA, Los Angeles, contacted and advised he would consider prosecution of sender of letter contained in envelope postmarked 7/29/76, for violation of the Extortion Statute. Elimination fingerprints taken at SINATRA’s office of employees that handled the threatening letter. FBI Lab reports set forth, which identified character of typewriting. FBI Identification Division reported no latent fingerprints developed on threatening communication. By a letter dated 8/30/76, from SINATRA’s business office, FBI Los Angeles, was forwarded a communication which had been forwarded to SINATRA’s business office by Secretary and Corporate Counsel, Caesars World, Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada. The letter had as enclosures an envelope postmarked at Chicago, Illinois, 8/20/76, addressed to Caesars Palace, Strip on the, Las Vegas, Nevada, and enclosed letter was addressed to FRANK SINATRA. The letter advised SINATRA to be careful of his food and medicine, etc. as individuals were planning to get rid of him. FBI, New York, determined threatening communication mailed in Flushing and a review of New York indices determined
could be
identical to
telephonically advised she was in Europe with her husband during the period June-September, 1976. On 12/1/76, AUSA, Los Angeles, declined prosecution as all investigation has been conducted in an attempt to identify sender of threatening communication received by SINATRA.