Mr. Hoover. That is correct. I couldn't make it more emphatic.
Representative Ford. And Mr. Belmont testified to the same last week when he was before us.
Mr. Hoover. Yes, sir.
Representative Ford. Both you and he would be fully familiar with all of the records of the FBI in this regard?
Mr. Hoover. We would, and we would not only be fully familiar with it because while Mr. Belmont is in charge of the Investigative Branch of the Bureau—we have two assistants to the Director, one in charge of administrative work and the other in charge of investigative work—we have also checked the administrative records where vouchers or payments would have been made and there is no indication that any money was ever paid to Oswald. We have obtained, and they are on file with the Commission, the affidavits of the agents, who at various times were in contact with Oswald, to the effect that he was not an informant; that they had never paid him anything; that he was being questioned as to possible recruitment by the Soviet intelligence; so there was no evidence at any time indicating employment by the FBI.
Representative Ford. And you were not under any limitation or restriction from any other authority in this regard?
Mr. Hoover. Absolutely not. I have the entire control of whether a man shall be an informant or shall not be an informant. That comes under my chain of command from the local office which has the matter at hand. They can't just put on an informant without our approval. The recommendation on security informants comes to the Bureau; it goes through the Assistant Director of the Domestic Intelligence Division, and, in significant cases, goes to Mr. Belmont, and then to my desk for my specific approval. So I, or my seat-of-government staff, have to approve every one of those who are used as informants in all classes of cases, not only in intelligence cases but in white-slave cases, automobile thefts, and all of these cases.
Representative Ford. There is no limitation on what you can tell us about this situation?
Mr. Hoover. None whatsoever.
Representative Ford. No limitation; no restrictions?