Documents detail phone tap on former AG Flowers

Former Alabama Attorney General and Dothan resident Richmond Flowers discovered a bug on his office phone in 1965 and temporarily withheld the discovery from local, state and federal authorities because he indicated he wasn’t sure he could trust them.

Flowers attempted to investigate the phone tap through a personal friend in Florida, but eventually asked the FBI to take over the investigation. However, no documents were produced to reveal the tap’s source despite a monthlong investigation.

The FBI’s phone tap investigation was part of 152 pages of records released by the FBI to the Dothan Eagle through a Freedom of Information request. Flowers passed away Aug. 9, 2007, at the age of 88.

Flowers’ phone tap discovery came during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, which put Flowers at odds with many state government officials, including Gov. George Wallace. Flowers was a vocal supporter of the movement and was often critical of Wallace’s segregationist stance and reluctance to follow federal directives.

About two weeks after the discovery, Flowers notified the Montgomery Advertiser. In the story published March 2, 1965, Flowers said he suspected no one specifically, but everyone in general.

“It could be the federal or state governments, it could be an individual or it could be a crank. It is not so serious that Richmond Flowers’ conversations are tapped, but it is very serious when someone comes in and taps the phone of the Attorney General of the state. Something ought to be done about that,” Flowers told the Advertiser.

Flowers told the FBI he asked a personal friend from Columbus, Ga., to come to his office and check his phone line. The friend, whose name and occupation were redacted from the FBI documents, found a small device in the phone. Flowers removed the device and sent it to a friend who was a police officer in the Pensacola, Fla., Police Department for inspection. The officer told Flowers he suspected the device was planted by a professional because there appeared to be residue of tissue or cloth on the device, indicating it had been wiped clean of fingerprints.

After that, Flowers contacted the FBI about the bug. An internal FBI memo indicated the bureau’s relationship with Flowers had always been “cordial”, but appeared to indicate frustration over not being contacted earlier.

“Flowers stated that he did not desire to have the device checked by the local police, sheriff’s office or state agencies as he does not know just who he can trust and he did not at this point desire to turn the matter over to the FBI as he felt he might be able to conduct a successful private personal investigation,” an internal FBI memo stated.

The FBI’s Mobile office sent copies of the Advertiser story to FBI headquarters along with a memo noting his mention of federal authorities as a possible source of the tap. The FBI interviewed Flowers’ friends in Columbus and Pensacola and indicated an Atlanta man was questioned. His name was redacted also. No documents were released that indicated the FBI ever developed a source of the tap. The FBI did state that it appeared the device was either hooked up incorrectly or did not work at all.

Flowers went on to run for governor in 1966, but was defeated by Lurleen Wallace, wife of the governor. He was convicted in 1969 along with two others on federal charges of extorting payments from life insurance companies in return for being allowed to do business in the state. On appeal, Flowers claimed the charges were politically motivated. He served less than two years in federal prison before being paroled in 1974. He was later pardoned by President Jimmy Carter in 1978.

Much of the remainder of the FBI documents released dealt with Flowers’ application for pardon. Among those he listed as references were Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey, Sen. Ted Kennedy and then-Attorney General of Minnesota Walter Mondale. State references included Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and local references included Dothan Mayor James Grant, Probate Judge Robert Stembridge and Rev. George W. Gilbert Jr., pastor of Dothan First United Methodist Church.