Nov. 10, 1964 - Walter Jenkins (pictured right with Bill Moyers), a former assistant to President Johnson, was discharged from the George Washington University Hospital today after nearly five weeks of treatment for hypertension and exhaustion.
Jenkins, it was learned, is considerably improved and is now with his wife and six children in their northwest Washington home. Friends who have seen him said that he seems to be doing very well. They also said that while he was in the hospital he had an operation for bursitis in one arm.
Jenkins resigned his White House post Oct. 14 after it was revealed that he had twice been arrested in Washington on morals charges. In a telecast Oct. 26, President Johnson had this to say about Jenkins: “It seems to be a very unfortunate, unpleasant, and distressing situation that probably resulted from intense overwork. He has my sympathy and my understanding, and his wife and their lovely family have my prayers and my best wishes.”
The revelation during the election campaign that Jenkins had been arrested twice raised questions about White House security procedures.
On order from the President, the FBI interviewed more than 500 persons and examined the life of the former aide from Johnson’s Texas boyhood to the moment he was arrested in a Washington YMCA washroom.
The FBI report said no evidence had been found to show that Jenkins, who held a top security clearance, had compromised the security of the United States. It said that neither President Kennedy nor President Johnson had any knowledge of Jenkins’ 1959 arrest.
The report indicated that there had been a breakdown in communication between law enforcement agencies and Government security officials.
All White House aides were subsequently required to resubmit security clearance applications.
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