TWO GROUPS RAISE $500,000 FOR FBI AGENTS' LEGAL DEFENSE FEES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01315R000400420012-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 12, 2004
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: August 15, 1977
• Content Type: NSPR

I R S
Approved For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP88-01315R000400420012-2
LOS AI;c ,> S TI ES C'k
15 AUGUST 1977 0 fc`_
Teo Groups Raise
9'1 e e se"F
:WASHING'T'ON (in-Political con-
servativcs and former FBI agents
3rave raised nearly a half million dol-
lars to pay legal fees for John J.
J{earney, the onetime tureau supex-
visor who faces trial in October, and
dozens of other FBI men.
;.Only two groups are soliciting con-
tributions specifically for the legal
defense of Kearney and other present
or,former FBI agents involved in the
Justice Department investigation of
Ji'f3I, 'burglaries, mail-opening and
wiretapping..
?. But other organizations, such as the
American , Legion and the Young
,Americans for Freedom, have de-
"The overlapping and duplication., dens.
in solicitation letters has caused us'a The fund president is retired Am-
little bit of a problem, but we hope bassador Elbridge Durbrow, and the
we're working it out,"' he said in an secretary-treasurer is -' retired - Air`
interview. Force. Brig. Gen. Robert C. Richard.-
- Through its regular newsletters, son; The three makeup the fund's
the society has solicited contributions board of directors.
from its members, who have donated "Kearney's defense is our defense,"
$200,000 so far, O'Beirne said. "We've.' the solicitation letter-said. "We've set
already paid out over $110,000 of that -,..up the. Security and Intelligence Fund
to cover the defense of some 47 indi: to defend John.Kearney and any oth-
,viduals." ers in . the intelligence. community
The Ad I-loe Citizens Legal Defense who have served their country in the
- Fund for the FBI has raised $180,000 line of duty and may now'be forced to
from about 10,000 persons during the use their. life savings.to defend them-
last seven weeks, its administrative iselves.
hirector, Marvin Liebman, said; `. , But Richardson said the letter was
Blared support for Kearney. Liebman operates the' fund out of designed to solicit public support and
And the newly formed Security and his New York public relations office. money for establishing the group as a
Intelligence Fund has solicited con- The fund was created by three prom- ? permanent effort: to campaign` for
tributions with a letter implying that inent conservative Republicans-for` strong intelligence agencies.
the money will be used for Kcarney's moo Treasury. Secretary- William, Et. "We will. donate.to the Kearney
defense, although that's not neces- Simon, former Son. James L. Buckley defense fund if they ask us and.if it's.
sarily so:. (Cons. R-N.Y.) and former Ambassa necessary," Richardson added.;.
'1'his 3 has caused' consternation dor. Clare Boothe Luce. .Richardson, O'Beirne: and' Liebman
among potential contributors who Liebman said the money he collect- net, last week todiscuss the confu-
}iaye received three different appeals ed, minus mailing and other co'sts,-: sion the. intelligence. fund letter had -
far' money, john O'Beirne, chairman Would be turned over to the society of.crumted.? They agreed that the. next
of the Washington chapter of the So- ex-agents. intelligence fund- letters would nqt-
ciety of Former Special Agents of the Confusion arose frorn a solicitation stress the Kearney ease.
FBI, said. ? . ? letter mailed by the Security and in- . ?-. Richardson described the fntel P
The 7,000-member national *society telligencc Fund to more than 100,000 Iigence fund as an outgrowth of the lias a legal defense fund, and this is persons since early June. American Security Council, and it
the. only organization that actually James Angleton, the former coon-ti. operates out of the council's Wash-
receives and pays the legal bills. tcrintclligcnce chief of the CIA whoa.'; ington office. The council. Is aright-_
O'13eirrte has been organizing the ef- was ousted in the wake of disclosures .i: wing group that. urges a strong mill
fort and acting as liaison with the of improper CIA activities, is chair-, tary. Richardson and Durbrow have
nihc'rgrorps. man of the fund and one of its foun- been affiliated with the council for
For FBl Agents'
Approved For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP88-01315R000400420012-2