Mini-post: I think I know what Ron’s 10s signify on his FBI docs

The last time we talked, I posted (among other things) a bunch of FBI documents that have the number 10 written in the top righthand corner, just like Ron’s. There were potential assassination attempts against Vice President Spiro Agnew as well as Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau; bomb threats against Prince Charles and Princess Diana as well as a federal building in Madison, Wisconsin; the alleged use of brainwashing and kidnapping by religious cults; the unlawful flight of mass murderer Richard Speck; the latest intel on soldier-of-fortune Frank Sturgis and mobster Santo Trafficante, both of whom were involved in efforts to overthrow Fidel Castro; and the use of extortion against high-profile victims, including congressmen, senators, heads of federal agencies, and Frank Sinatra. Granted, it’s a hodge podge, but you have to admit that there’s an elevated level of danger associated with them. On a scale from one to ten, with ten being the most serious crimes you could ever be charged with, I’d say these were definitely up there. 

But then there was also Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. His Southern Christian Leadership Conference was granted its fair share of 10s too, even though their principal activities were hosting meetings and planning sit-ins and marches, which, the last time I checked, are one hundred percent legal.

You may recall from my last post that I’d also hypothesized that the numbers in the righthand corners referred to FBI agents whose job responsibilities involved communicating with certain federal agencies. These agents were called FBI liaisons, and they were housed in the Division of Domestic Intelligence during the 1950s to early 70s. I’m still holding onto that hypothesis.

This brings us to today’s announcement. Today, I’m going to reveal the federal agency whose FBI liaison, I believe, was alerted to Ron’s documents along with all of the other documents that were given 10s in their righthand corners. But before I do, I’m going to share several more 10s with you.

Assassination of Senator and Presidential Candidate Robert Kennedy

Bomb threat against the U.S. Supreme Court

Bomb threat against Frank Sinatra and the Fontainebleau Hotel

Extortion/death threat against Secretary of State Dean Rusk

Memo from Secret Service Director James Rowley to the FBI seeking info about Frank Sturgis

That last one was a clue, because, you guys? I think the 10s signify the United States Secret Service, aka USSS. In other words, I think whoever put the 10s on Ron’s missing person docs felt it was necessary that the FBI’s liaison to the Secret Service have a look at them.

Why do I think this? I believe this based on the other documents we’ve found with 10s on them. Clearly, the Secret Service needs to be in the loop regarding potential threats to a U.S. President, Vice President, President-elect, Vice President-elect, and immediate family members. They also protect major presidential candidates, former Presidents and Vice Presidents, visiting foreign heads of state, and so on. According to Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 3056, protecting these people are the primary responsibility of the Secret Service.

But did you know that, over the years, the FBI has provided the Secret Service with additional information too? In the July 1973 Agreement Between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service Concerning Protective Responsibilities, which was updated at roughly the same time that FBI agents were passing around Ron’s missing person documents, this information might have included:

1. Information concerning attempts, threats, or conspiracies to injure, kill, or kidnap persons protected by the USSS or other U.S. or foreign officials in the U.S. or abroad.
2. Information concerning attempts or threats to redress a grievance against any public official by other than legal means, or attempts personally to contact such officials for that purpose.
3. Information concerning threatening, irrational, or abusive written or oral statements about U.S. Government or foreign officials.
4. Information concerning civil disturbances, anti-U.S. demonstrations or incidents or demonstrations against foreign diplomatic establishments.
5. Information concerning illegal bombings or bomb-making; concealment of caches of firearms, explosives, or other implements of war; or other terrorist activity.
6. Information concerning persons who defect or indicate a desire to defect from the United States and who demonstrate one or more of the following characteristics:
   • Irrational or suicidal behavior or other emotional instability.
   • Strong or violent anti-U.S. sentiment.
   • A propensity toward violence.
7. Information concerning individuals who may be considered potentially dangerous to individuals protected by the USSS because of their background or activities, including evidence of emotional instability or participation in groups engaging in activities inimical to the United States.

Obviously, they made some judgment calls. 

The one that convinced me that we were dealing with the Secret Service was #5, illegal bombings or bomb-making, since so many bomb-related FBI docs of this time period carry 10s on them.

So there you have it. In addition to the FBI, DOJ, and CIA, I think the Secret Service had an interest in Ron Tammen. If we’re right about this, what do you think it was about Ron that they could have found so interesting?

Thanks to the Mary Ferrell Foundation and The Black Vault for access to these records.