US: UFO researcher urges Carter on cover-up
On February 6, 1977, UFO researcher Larry W. Bryant sent a letter to President Jimmy Carter urging investigation into intelligence agencies' roles in UFO secrecy. He received a standard USAF denial stating no ongoing UFO probes.
Background
Event
On February 6, 1977, the well-known UFO researcher Larry W. Bryant wrote directly to President Jimmy Carter. He called on the President to examine the involvement of military and civilian intelligence services in the alleged concealment of UFO sightings. The step reflects Bryant's sustained effort to press government bodies for transparency, particularly after Carter's campaign promise to release UFO data.
Response
Bryant received a formal rejection from the US Air Force, which stressed that investigations into UFOs had been discontinued. This standard reply illustrates the official position of the authorities at the time and contrasts with Carter's earlier statements about his own sighting in 1969.
Significance
The episode marks an attempt by civilian UFO researchers to influence the Carter administration politically. It documents continuing tensions between researchers and the authorities and was later recorded in Bryant's book "UFO Politics at the White House" (2001). No further official response followed; it remains an example of citizen initiative in ufology.