Carl Lidbom

Carl Gunnar Lidbom (2 March 1926 – 26 July 2004) was a Swedish jurist. He served as

Lidbom was known in certain circles by the nickname "Calle Batong", and his tough legislative approach also gave rise to the term "Lidbomeri," which refers to hastily drafted laws often driven by political motives.^[5]

External videos
Björck and Lidbom clash
Complete 5 hour hearing

After the assassination of Olof Palme, Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson asked Lidbom to lead an investigation into Säpo's role in, among other things, the Palme assassination. With the help of his close friend Ebbe Carlsson, a book publisher but also a private investigator, Lidbom began to examine the so-called PKK lead. In 1988, Expressen reporter Per Wendel exposed the collaboration and dubbed it the "Ebbe Carlsson affair," triggering a political scandal that forced Justice Minister Anna-Greta Leijon to resign. Some time later, on 9 March 1989, Carl Lidbom was called to account for his actions before the Committee on the Constitution.^[6] The committee's vice chairman Anders Björck questioned the Paris ambassador and Säpo investigator Carl Lidbom. Lidbom accused Björck of coming up with insinuating questions. In interviews, Lidbom had stated that the letter of recommendation (from Leijon to Carlsson) and the secret Säpo documents that Carlsson had acquired were a "trivial matter" and a "minor offense on par with a parking violation." Björck asked if Lidbom had his wife read secret documents. Lidbom snorted at the question:^[7]

• Lidbom: That question is just nonsense. You won't get an answer because it's nonsense.
• Björck: You have allowed your wife to read classified documents.
• Lidbom: You won't get an answer because what you're doing is nonsense.
• Björck: I don't think it's up to Carl Lidbom to make such statements here. You should know your place when you're here! Period!

In 1950, Lidbom married Lena Hesselgren (1927–1992), the daughter of district judge (häradshövding) Ove Hesselgren and Malin (née Lundblad). They had two children: Helen (born 1951) and Mona (born 1954).^[1] His wife, who suffered from polio for many years, died in 1992.^[4]

Lidbom's personal life was at times the subject of various writings. In 1989, the media aroused interest when he took his mistress aboard a military ship during an official visit to France. Lidbom later came to write a book about the love of his handicapped wife where he also told openly about his infidelity.^[5]

Lidbom died on 26 July 2004 and was buried at Kungsbrolunden next to Turinge Church in Turinge-Taxinge Parish (Turinge-Taxinge församling).^[8]

• Lidbom, Carl (1994). Lagstiftningsmaktens gränser (in Swedish). Stockholm: Juristförl.
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• Lidbom, Carl (1990). Ett uppdrag (in Swedish). Stockholm: Wahlström & Widstrand.
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• Lidbom, Carl (1989). SÄPO: Säkerhetspolisens arbetsmetoder : rapport. Statens offentliga utredningar, 0375-250X; 1989:18 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Allmänna förl.
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• Lidbom, Carl (1982). Reformist (in Swedish). Stockholm: Tiden.
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• Lidbom, Carl (1981). Frihet, rättssäkerhet och effektiv samhällsstyrning: ett dilemma för lagstiftarna (in Swedish). Stockholm.
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• Lidbom, Carl (1976). Näringslivet och den nya ekonomiska världsordningen. Företag och samhälle, 0348-7830; 1976:2 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Studieförb. Näringsliv och samhälle (SN&S).
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• Ahlin, Per; Bergstrand, Mats (1997). Den godhjärtade buffeln: en bok om Carl Lidbom [The kind-hearted churl: a book about Carl Lidbom] (in Swedish) (1st ed.). Stockholm: Juristförl.
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• Börjeson, Per-Olov (1989). Carl Lidboms mest bevingade ord (in Swedish). Malmö: Galerie Börjeson.
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• Lidbom's hearing in the Committee on the Constitution (in Swedish)