REAGAN FIRES CALIF. U.S. ATTORNEY FOR IDENTIFYING CIA SOURCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000404520023-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: April 6, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404520023-3
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ARTICLE AP?EAP.ED
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Reagan fires Calif. U.S. attorney for identifying
CIA source
K'ashirgton (AP)-. President Rea.
gall yesterday fired a U.S. attorney in
California-who haf' publicly identified
a key intfuigen-e source in Mexico
and Centrftl p. uerica.
~illia'- A. Kennedy, the U.S. at
, tn.i n in San Diego, was dismissed
after "he was given an opportunity to
resign and refused," said Arthur Brill,
a Justice Department spokesman.
In San Diego, Mr. Kennedy re-
leased a statement through his secre-
tary.
"The statement attributed. to me in
the San Diego Union article dated
March 26, 1982, was an accurate con-
firmation, There is nothing more to
add or apologize for,,, Mr. Kennedy
said. "I will comply with the presi-
dent's order."
The firing was announced at the
Justice Department last night, hours
after Mr. Kennedy was called and
told of the decision by White House
Personnel Director E. Pendleton
James.
Justice Department sources had
said that they preferred to have Mr. i
Kennedy resign rather than be fired
to avoid what might be viewed as of-
ficial U.S. government confirmation
of his identification of the Central In-
telligence Agency source.
In any case, they said, any an-
nouncement would be handled at the
Justice Department rather than the
White House to minimize the embar-
rassment to President Reagan, who
nominated Mr. Kennedy. to the job
last November.
Almost two weeks ago, Mr. Kenne-
dy confirmed to the San Diego news-
THE BALTIMORE SUN
6 Anril 1992
paper that CIA and Justice officials
had been blocking an indictment since
last November of a CIA source, Mi-
guel Nassar Haro, former head of
Mexico's federal security agency.
Sources said that Mr. Nassau had
been implicated in a theft ring that
stole $8.4 million worth of cars in
southern California and smuggled
them into Mexico.
The Justice Department has strict
rules against disclosing grand jury in-
formation.
Moreover, the incident has been
particularly sensitive for the Reagan
administration since a stream of its
officials have testified in" Congress
that foreign sources for the CIA are
drying up because the United States is
perceived as being unable to keep in-
telligence secrets.
The administration used that argu-
ment to support proposed amend-
ments restricting the Freedom of In-
formation Act and on behalf of a
major legislative campaign to make
it a felony for officials or citizens to
disclose the identities of U.S. intelli-
gence agents.
Both the House and Senate have.
passed agent-identity bills, but a con-
ference committee still has to iron
out minor differences between the
two.
Congressional and Justice Depart-
ment sources have said that had the
bill been law, Mr. Kennedy might
have been liable to prosecution and
up to 10 years in prison.
The Justice Department announce-
ment carefully avoided confirming
details of the Kennedy affair.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404520023-3