ABSCAM FILES Series Overview,, 1972 - 1987 (bulk 1980 -1983).

ABSCAM FILES includes correspondence, clippings, legal filings, transcripts, and other material related to HAW's indictment, trial, appeals, conviction, and imprisonment stemming from the FBI's Abscam operation; the Senate investigation into HAW's conduct and the resulting expulsion proceedings; and the Senate and House's inquiries into the FBI's undercover investigative tactics. Much of the material in this series, particularly in the Correspondence sub-series, was obtained from HAW's office when he left the Senate in 1982. The bulk of the balance was received from HAW in 1990.

ABSCAM FILES is organized into twelve sub-series following either form of material or subject area. Correspondence contains HAW's files of mail - from both supporters and critics - that he received while the Abscam matter played out. Subjects includes the original files of Abscam-related documents maintained by HAW and/or Jeanette Williams through the late 1980s. Clippings contains a wide variety of clippings collected from local New Jersey papers and national publications.

National Democratic Policy Committee is a small sub-series containing files related to Lyndon LaRouche's NDPC and its support of HAW during Abscam. Legal Defense Fund contains information on contributions donated for HAW's legal defense.

Senate Investigation and Expulsion Proceedings documents the Senate's response to Abscam and its subsequent investigation of HAW. The sub-series contains HAW's defense before the Senate, as well as correspondence amongst Senators. Court Filings contains filings from HAW's Abscam-related trials, especially US vs. HAW, and hearings on various motions. Other Trial Related Material contains materials other than court filings relevant to the Abscam judicial proceedings, both those of HAW and other Abscam defendants. This sub-series includes information on FBI informant Melvin Weinberg and the FBI's investigation.

Hearings on Constitutional Rights and FBI Tactics consists of transcripts and statements made by those involved with the House and Senate investigations regarding FBI tactics and possible entrapment techniques. Allenwood/Prison Documents were created during HAW's stay in Allenwood Prison. The sub-series consists primarily of a screenplay entitled "Target" which documents HAW's Abscam experience. Media/Public Relations covers material dealing with the media as well as press statements made by HAW and staff concerning Abscam. Miscellaneous contains documents that did not fit in any other sub-series; it consists mostly of handwritten notes, perhaps taken by HAW or Jeanette Williams during meetings, at the trials, or reflecting on events. Miscellaneous also includes documents added to the collection by Jeanette Williams in 2008, after the series had been processed.

ABSCAM FILES provides a rich, multi-faceted view of Abscam, including the perspectives of HAW, his staff, Jeanette Williams, New Jersey constituents, the media, and the Senate. However, all these perspectives date from after Abscam became public in early 1980; there are no materials produced by HAW related to the Abscam events that gave rise to his eventual conviction.