Mr. Rankin. I would like to have you answer the question, if you would.
Mr. Lane. You decline to answer my question?
Mr. Rankin. Yes; I am examining you.
Mr. Lane. Of course, I did not give them any documents in my possession. When I deal with any agencies of the Government, I expect that they will write to me, and if they wish to secure information from me they will do that in a dignified manner. I am an attorney with an office in New York. I don't expect to be accosted in front of my house by agents of the police, Federal, State, or local authorities. Those are the actions not of a democratic society, but of a police state, and I decline to believe for one moment that we live in a society where that behavior is going to be countenanced by any members of this Commission or by counsel to this Commission.
Mr. Rankin. Did you offer to furnish them copies if they would write to you in the manner you suggested?
Mr. Lane. I suggested to those two agents that someone in the office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation might write to me and that I would respond courteously, and make available whatever information I could. I told them, also, as I told you, since I wrote a letter to you covering this entire matter on May 18th—I told them also that I had testified fully before this Commission. If they wanted to secure any information I had, they might contact the Commission. They indicated they were not interested in the Warren Commission.
Mr. Rankin. Now, to return to the tape recording——
Mr. Lane. I would like to add one more point, if I may. It is a matter which I discussed with you on the telephone 2 days ago.
Mr. Rankin. Is that in regard to the tape recording?
Mr. Lane. No; it is not.