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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkerton_(detective_agency)

In 1871, Congress appropriated $50,000 to the new Department of Justice (DOJ) to form a suborganization devoted to "the detection and prosecution of those guilty of violating federal law." The amount was insufficient for the DOJ to fashion an integral investigating unit, so the DOJ contracted out the services to the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.

However, since passage of the Anti-Pinkerton Act in 1893, federal law has stated that an "individual employed by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, or similar organization, may not be employed by the Government of the United States or the government of the District of Columbia.

The Act : from http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section3108&num=0&edition=prelim

§3108. Employment of detective agencies; restrictions

An individual employed by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, or similar organization, may not be employed by the Government of the United States or the government of the District of Columbia.
(Pub. L. 89– 554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 416.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code
5 U.S.C. 53.

Revised Statutes and Statutes at Large
Mar. 3, 1893, ch. 208 (5th par. under "Public Buildings"), 27 Stat. 591.

The prohibition is restated in positive form.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

An exegesis from 1980's
http://www.gao.gov/assets/180/171215.pdf

What if the Anti-Pinkerton Act was never signed? :eek:
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