FBI and White House give differing Donovan stories

Both the FBI and the White House deny responsibility for Raymond J. Donovan's not being questioned about alleged organized crime ties before he was confirmed as labor secretary.

At a rare news briefing Wednesday, FBI Director William H. Webster said his agency advised the Reagan transition team on Jan. 11, 1981, that Mr. Donovan's name surfaced in a wiretap telephone conversation of a reputed mobster. But he said the transition team told his agency there was no need to interview Mr. Donovan.

Several hours after the briefing, the transition official involved issued a statement saying the FBI never told him the Donovan information came from a telephone wiretap.