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William H. Webster

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William H. Webster

William Hedgcock Webster (March 6, 1924 – August 8, 2025) was an American attorney and jurist who served as chair of the Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2005 until 2020. He was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit before serving as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from 1978 to 1987 and director of Central Intelligence (CIA) from 1987 to 1991. He is the only person to have held both positions.

Infobox

President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Deputy
James B. Adams
Preceded by
Harry Richards
Succeeded by
Jeff Lance
Appointed by
Richard Nixon
Born
William Hedgcock Webster(1924-03-06)March 6, 1924St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political party
Republican
Spouses
mw- Drusilla Lane (m. 1950; died 1984) Lynda Clugston (m. 1990)
Children
3
Education
Amherst College (BA) Washington University in St. Louis (JD)
Branch
United States Navy
Service years
1943–1946 1950–1952
Rank
Lieutenant
Conflicts
World War II Korean War
Died
August 8, 2025(2025-08-08) (aged 101)Warrenton, Virginia, U.S.
Party
Republican

Tables

· External links
New seat
New seat
Legal offices
New seat
Legal offices
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri 1970–1973
Legal offices
Succeeded byJohn Francis Nangle
Preceded byMarion Charles Matthes
Preceded byMarion Charles Matthes
Legal offices
Preceded byMarion Charles Matthes
Legal offices
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 1973–1978
Legal offices
Succeeded byTheodore McMillian
Government offices
Government offices
Legal offices
Government offices
Preceded byJames B. AdamsActing
Preceded byJames B. AdamsActing
Legal offices
Preceded byJames B. AdamsActing
Legal offices
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 1978–1987
Legal offices
Succeeded byJohn E. OttoActing
Preceded byRobert GatesActing
Preceded byRobert GatesActing
Legal offices
Preceded byRobert GatesActing
Legal offices
Director of Central Intelligence 1987–1991
Legal offices
Succeeded byRobert Gates
Preceded byJoseph J. Grano Jr.
Preceded byJoseph J. Grano Jr.
Legal offices
Preceded byJoseph J. Grano Jr.
Legal offices
Chair of the Homeland Security Advisory Council 2005–2020
Legal offices
Succeeded byWilliam Bratton
Legal offices
New seat
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri 1970–1973
Succeeded byJohn Francis Nangle
Preceded byMarion Charles Matthes
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 1973–1978
Succeeded byTheodore McMillian
Government offices
Preceded byJames B. AdamsActing
Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation 1978–1987
Succeeded byJohn E. OttoActing
Preceded byRobert GatesActing
Director of Central Intelligence 1987–1991
Succeeded byRobert Gates
Preceded byJoseph J. Grano Jr.
Chair of the Homeland Security Advisory Council 2005–2020
Succeeded byWilliam Bratton

References

  1. Department of Homeland Security
    https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/08/18/acting-secretary-chad-wolf-announces-new-homeland-security-advisory-council-members
  2. Washington University School of Law
    https://law.wustl.edu/alumni-friends-and-philanthropy/webster-scholars/
  3. Department of Homeland Security
    https://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-advisory-council-members
  4. CIA
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070613143336/https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/directors-of-central-intelligence-as-leaders-of-the-u-s-intelligence-community/chapter_10.htm
  5. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/08/politics/cia-fbi-scammer-william-webster
  6. "Interview of Judge William H. Webster"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112553/http://www.nleomf.org/assets/pdfs/nlem/oral-histories/FBI_Webster_interview.pdf
  7. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1978/01/20/archives/a-cautious-fbi-nominee-william-hedcock-webster-man-in-the-news-a.html
  8. William Hedgcock Webster at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
    https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389516
  9. Presidential Studies Quarterly
    https://www.jstor.org/stable/27550666
  10. "Interview with William H. Webster"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20160304230016/http://millercenter.org/president/bush/oralhistory/william-webster
  11. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1978/01/19/carter-chooses-st-louis-judge-as-fbi-director/210fdbed-f067-45e5-88e4-b58db7b6420b/
  12. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/15/weekinreview/wanted-by-fbi-a-new-director.html
  13. Amherst College
    https://www.amherst.edu/news/magazine/issues/2022-summer/the-many-years-of-william-webster
  14. International Spy Museum
    https://www.spymuseum.org/support-spy/webster-award/william-h-webster/
  15. Middle East Institute
    https://www.mei.edu/profile/william-h-webster
  16. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/06/business/sec-s-embattled-chief-resigns-in-wake-of-latest-political-storm.html
  17. Stout, David (November 12, 2002). "Webster Ends His Brief Stint on S.E.C. Oversight Board". The New York Times.
    https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/12/business/12CND-ACCOUNT.html
  18. Defending Democracy Together
    https://www.defendingdemocracytogether.org/national-security/
  19. RBMR Alumni for Harris
    https://rbmralumni4harris.substack.com/p/over-100-republican-national-security
  20. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/18/election-harris-endorsement-republicans?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1
  21. Institute of World Politics
    https://www.iwp.edu/about-iwp/our-leadership/william-h-webster/
  22. W.U. Record
    https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/70378649.pdf
  23. "National – Jefferson Awards Foundation"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20101124043935/http://jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national
  24. www.achievement.org
    https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#public-service
  25. "They love Cauthen, 'No great student' is among greats honored at Golden Plate awards"
    https://achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/The-Kentucky-Press-June-24-1978.pdf
  26. National Intelligence University
    https://web.archive.org/web/20150915075744/http://ni-u.edu/wp/iconic-leader-honored-2015-graduation/
  27. OSS Society
    https://www.osssociety.org/award.html
  28. OSS Society
    https://www.osssociety.org/leadership.html
  29. "Former FBI chief picked to lead review"
    https://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/12/08/fort.hood.review/index.html
  30. Atlantic Council
    https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/about/board-of-directors/
  31. CIA
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170123113314/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP90B00017R000500120012-4.pdf
  32. Capitol File
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011410/https://capitolfile-magazine.com/getting-to-know-former-cia-and-fbi-director-william-webster
  33. "Armstrong Teasdale to Recognize Prominent Alum Hon. William H. Webster, Dedicate Executive Conference Room"
    https://www.armstrongteasdale.com/news/armstrong-teasdale-to-recognize-prominent-alum-hon-william-h-webster-dedicate-executive-conference-room/
  34. AP News
    https://apnews.com/article/7eaddeaebd51b9e25bcd0f7a90caa59a
  35. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/us/william-h-webster-dead.html
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