ATTORNEY TO BE QUESTIONED ON CIA DISCLOSURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000404520045-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 45
• Publication Date: March 29, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404520045-9
ASSOCIATED PRESS
29 March 1982
17~r! )
R H BYLVYX# Y L Rl1i Jb
ti3SPY CAs4I0
+ATTORNEY 10 SE QUESTIONED ON C"i
BY iILML L J. SNIFF.
TASSOCIRTED PRESS WRITER
1 HP1 - A U. S. ATTORNEY FROM CALIFORNIA HAS
l: , T.
CARPET MONOAY BY TOP JUSTICE VEPRRTMENT OFFICIALS AMID
CALLED ON THE
THE
POSSIBILITY THEY HILL RECOMMEND HE BE FIRED FOR PUBLICLY DISCLOSING
THE IDENTITY OF A KEY CIA SOURCE IN MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA.
DEPARTMENT SOURCESV WHO DECLINED TO BE IDENTIFIEDi SAID .WILLIAM H.
KENNEDY, THE U. S. ATTORNEY IN SAN DIEGO, HAD BEEN SUMMONED TO
WASHINGTON. THE SOURCES SAID KENNEDY WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE A1:1
EXPLANATION FOR DISCLOSING LAST WEEK THAT CIA AND TOP JUSTICE
OFFICIALS HAVE BLOCKED AN INDICTMENT OF THE SOURCES MIGUEL WA_SAR
HARO.
ASSRR HEADED MEXICO'S FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY UNTIL JANUARY.
KENNEDY TOLD THE SAN DIEGO UNION LAST WEEK HE HAD RECOMMENDED
PROSECUTION OF NASSAR IN NOVEMBER FOR AN ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN A
CAR-THEFT RING.
THE INCIDENT PRESENTS PARTICULAR PROBLEMS FOR THE REAGAN
RDt4INISTRRTION. ONE OF ITS MAJOR LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGNS SUCCEEDED
EARLIER THI= MONTH IN OBTAINING CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL FOR A LAP;
IMPOSING FINES OF UP TO $15,TIT AND PRISON TERMS OF UP TO THREE YEARS
FOR PUBLICLY DISCLOSING THE IDENTITY OF U.S. INTELLIGENCE AGENTS!
EVEN IF THE INFORMATION CAME FROM PUBLIC SOURCES.
THE LEGISLATION! NOT YET SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE PRESIDENT, WOULD
APPLY TO ANYONE WHO HAD "REASON TO BELIEVE,, THE DISCLOSURE MIGHT
HARM U.S. INTELLIGENCE AND WHO HAD ENGAGED IN A PATTERN OF ACTIVITIES
DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY COVERT AGENTS.
'' KEIININEDY's ACTIONS ARE GETTING A QUICK AND THOROUGH REVIEW. WE'RE
VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR HIS JUSTIFICATION FOR THISiii SAID ONE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT SOURCE, WHO ADDED THAT IT WAS STILL RN OPEN DUESTIOH
MHETHER KENNEDY WOULD BE FIRED.
KENNEDY, 5O WAS AN ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY IN SAN DIEGO UNTIL
NOMINATED FOR THE TOP POST IN NOVEMBER BY PRESIDENT REAGAN. HE SERVES
AT REAGAN'S PLEASURE.
SPOKESMEN TOM DECRIR OF-THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND 'VALE PETERSON OF
THE CIA DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE CASE. KENNEDY COULD NOT BE REACHED
FOR COMMENT.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000404520045-9