REAGAN ACCUSED OF DISRESPECTING LAW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000404350012-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 2010
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: May 2, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/17: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404350012-4
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WASHINGTON POST
2 May 1984
Meagan accused of Disrespecting haw
By Dan Balz
Washington Poet Staff Writer
SOUTH BEND, Ind., May 1-
Walter F. Mondale today accused
President Reagan of disrespect for
the law and said he will make the
president's conduct a central issue in
the campaign.
"Sometimes I think this admin-
istration believes executing the laws
means shooting them," Mondale said
in a Law Day speech at the Univer-
sity of Notre Dame. "From the day
the president entered office, .he and
his people have been reading selec-
tively from the U.S. Code and pick-
ing and choosing the laws they wish
to enforce."
, Sounding like a candidate who
has turned his attention from the
race for the Democratic presidential
nomination toward the Nov. 6 gen-
eral election, Mondale said Reagan
has failed four tests of leadership
with respect to law and social justice.
"Today I serve notice on Mr. Rea-
gan that I intend to make his lack of
presidential leadership on matters of
law and justice a fundamental issue
in this campaign," Mondale said to
the audience of law students.
In his speech, Mondale detailed a
long and familiar list of charges
against the. Reagan administration
that he said demonstrate the pres-
ident's failure to respect the law.
Among them were the CIA's covert
operations in Central America, the
administration's rejection of World
Court jurisdiction over U.S. actions
in that' region, the administration's
opposition to denying tax breaks to
segregated schools and what Mon-
dale called. a retreat on women's
rights and civil rights and reduced
enforcement of environmental and
occupational-safety laws.
Mondale also attacked Reagan for
running an administration in which
numerous appointees have resigned
or come under fire because of ethical
and legal conflicts of interest.
"There's a long list of officials in
this administration,, from [former
national. security affairs adviser]
Richard Allen to IU.S. Information
Agency Director] Charles Wick, who
are mired in conflicts ... ; he said.
Mondale indirectly referred to the
controversy over Reagan's nomina
tion of Edwin Meese III to be attor-
ney general by saying, "My appoin-
tee
for attorney general ... will not
be subjected to allegations that he or
she traded financial favors for gov-
ernment positions." . _ I
Mondale said Reagan has tried to }
avoid accountability.,"In a range of
ways, this administration has tried
to neutra'ize public criticism and
debate by drawing a curtain of si.
lence between citizens and the gov-
ernment," he said. .
He attacked the Reagan admin-
istration for trying to exempt the
CIA from Freedom of Information
Act requirements, for barring the
news media from the invasion of
'Grenada and for seeking regulations
"that might have required ,~me" to
have today's speech cleared by gov-
ernment censors.
Mondale ignored his two Demo-
cratic opponents during the speech,
but in other appearances today in
Indiana and Ohio he went after Sen.
Gary Hart (D-Colo.) for opposing
the Chrysler Corp. bailout and do-
mestic-content legislation.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/17: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404350012-4