U.S. EXPECTED TO ASK ATTORNEY TO RESIGN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000303200035-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 29, 2010
• Sequence Number: 35
• Publication Date: April 1, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/29: CIA-RDP90-00552R000303200035-7
ON PAGE_?3.,~
1 APRIL 1982
WASHING i ON-Justice'"De first= reported -by- the San ':Diego`. aY s resignation retiectea two ma)or_..I
partment officials will ask. William Union last Friday .- I factors, the Administration source!
' H. Kennedy, U.S.' attorney in San Kennedy, in the sto ry, confirmed' said. One was the Justice.De
CCI
Diego; to resign because of his role that since . November the Cen ment's desire to convince the IA?
tral that the department could be.trtist-
in divulging the identity of an im- . Intelligence Agency and the Justice.
' poi-tant CIA source, in Mexico" and_ Department had been blocking the ed with intelligence secrets as . it
Central America, an Administration indictment of Miguel Nassar Ha o carries out.its function of monitor
mg the conduct of the nation's in=:1
quest?has; not already, been trans- 1977. -until January,- Nassar Haro:
-mitted>, to' Kenney headed ' Mexico's- Department...-Of
niisent."'#~ - -* Federal Security:
Kennedy who -returned- to Sang Justice Department officials ac-"
Diego ester being chastised'by Jus- ? knowledged that Nassar Haro had
rice Department officials Monday, been an -extremely valuable source
said Wednesday that he has heard _ for the CIA, sharing intelligence. in-
shout any request for:his formation on Mexico and Central
nothin
Under executive- orders dating
back to the administration of Pres-
ident Gerald R. Ford, the attorney
general has the responsibility of en-
suring that intelligence agency ac-
tivities do not violate constitutional
rights of citizens in the -United
SStates.'?
g
..Asa presidential appointee, Ken-' The car theft ring was suspected, Justice- Department) -as a sieve;'d
nedy, 50, can be fired only-by Pres- of stealing between .30.million and .one official said.:::
Y~A
ident Reagan. The Administration is $40 million worth of new luxury
Disclosure Ina Felony
trying to avoid such action because . `..cars . from Southland dealerships
it could be read as government con= and turning them over to high Meal- The other factor in seeking
Vie-. of Kennedy's comments, . ; ican government officials. Fourteen resignation `-was 'the Administra-
t :people, Including' several Mexican tion's sponsorship of a bill, enacted
security agents and a Mexican cus ; ? by Congress in March, that makes it
atoms official, hav'e'been sentenced a felony for government officials or
'-to prison in the United States after ordinary citizens I to _ disclose -the
-pleading guilty in the case. Accord ' identity-9f U.S. intelligence sources.
-' ing to an FBI affidavit, Nassar Harp Kennedy was a prosecutor with
accepted a stolen van from one-of tine San Diego district attorney's of-
his agents involved'in the car theft five - for ? 23 years, . until - Reagan-.
sring..fs ;~ named him to the federal post last
In the Union story, Kennedy was November.: r, si
';... III the county office,'Kennedy had {
quoted -as-saying._"We repeatedly..
b have. voiced the view that prosectY risen to the second-ranking position
lion must proceed &No one has -sai'd of assistant district attorney. He en-'
"th
ese indictments" cannot- be re-. joys a reputation as a low-key, effi-- i
turned, but it is still a' matter of coin-I cient administrator, with strong ties .
?cern and debate iri Vlashington." t`= and friendships throughout the le-
Kennedy also said -he realiieii' gal community.
Administration officials said Ken= -
: that -the -CIA's =concern "must. t-e
:. factored in," : -but . he- added: " I'aY. nedy's defense when discussing his
":concerned about the victimscar action with Rudolph W. Giuliani,.)
owners or the inst>rance companies. associate attorney general, was that
'that paid off claims." he had confirmed facts gathered by
-The decision to push for Keniie-; the San Diego' Union rather than
protiding theinformation:.
resi ation: America with the United States.. - "The CIA Iooks on this place (the
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/29: CIA-RDP90-00552R000303200035-7