REAGAN FIRES U.S. ATTORNEY IN SAN DIEGO FOR CIA 'LEAK'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000303200018-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 29, 2010
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: April 6, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/29: CIA-RDP90-00552R000303200018-6
LOS ANGELES TIMES
6 April 1982
Reagank-ires U.S. Attorney
ego fo- f"'A Teak'
,in San V1 Ir %A
-"'By RON OSTROW'V, Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON--President Rea-
gan Monday fired. U.S. Atty. Wil-
liam H. Kennedy of San Diego for
his role in publicly identifying a for-
mer high Mexican government offi-
cial as a key source for the CIA on
-Mexico and Ce-::r al America.
.-.;;..Atty. Gen. William French Smith
said the action was taken because
. Xennedy had made improper cor.-
;ments about a pending criminal case
,.that involved the former official,
Ttiguel Nassar Haro.
The comments were highly pre-
-judicial to the interests of the Unit-
ed States," Smith said.
,',.,The announcement of Kennedy's
dismissal was made by the Justice
Department, presumably to sepa-
Tate Reagan as much as possible
from the potentially embarrassing
action.
.;;rrhe announcement said that
Kennedy, who had drawn strong
support from federal judges and the
law enforcement community in San
Diego since he became embroiled in
the controversy, had been advised
by. E. Pendleton James, director of
White House personnel, that he had
been dismissed.
he controversy stemmed from
Kennedy's confirmation for the San
Diego Union last month that the
CIA and Justice Department were
holding up the indictment of Nassar
Haro in connection with an interna-
tional car-theft ring that Kennedy's
office was investigating.
Kennedy confirmed that Nassar
Haro, who until January headed
Mexico's Directorate of Federal Se-
curity, was regarded by the CIA as a
top source.
Smith said Kennedy had been
given "every opportunity.to fully
explain his conduct" in meetings
here last week with Deputy Atty.
Gen. Edward Schmults and Associ-
ate Atty. Gen. Rudolph W. Giuliani.
The attorney general said Kennedy
had refused an opportunity to. re-
sign, and that Schmults, Giuliani
and two other unnamed department
officials all recommended that he be
fired.
The- announcement said Smut,
studied the matter carefully and
recommended to Reagan Monday
that Kennedy be dismissed.
"It's the type of action the attor-
ney general will take when a de-
partment official makes prejudicial
comments," said Arthur-P. Brill, the
Justice Depar tmeht's deputy direc-
tor of public affairh.
In San Diego, kennedy issued a
statement confirrr1~ "lights dismissal
and saying he vroitld "comply with
the President's order."
"As a matter f principle," the
statement said. "I-made the decision
not to resign. Marty people I respect
support me in than decision."
As to the state ent attributed to
him in the San Diego Union, Kenne-
dy said it was accurate and that he
had "nothing more to add or apolo-
gize for."
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/29: CIA-RDP90-00552R000303200018-6