A U.S. 'STAR CHAMBER' TO COMBAT LEAKS?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00561R000100020146-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 17, 2012
• Sequence Number: 146
• Publication Date: February 3, 1984
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/21 : CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100020146-8
fRT~1.E APPEARL-D
NEW YORK TIMES
ON PAGE -1? 3 February 1984
Letters
A U.S. `Star Chamber'
To Combat Leaks?
To the.Editor:
The Congress flatly rejected the
proposal drafted by Richard K Wil- f
lard at the Department of Justice to
put 127,000 or so Government em-
ployees under the same type of
prepublication review as former
Q&A. employees.
Now, Anthony Lewis reports that
Mr. Willard has been testing an-
other scheme on Capitol Hill ["A
Lead Balloon," column Jan. 19].
This one would provide for $5,000
fines for leaks of classified informa.
tion, plus awards of damages to the
Government, etc.
The determination of guilt would
be made, not by.judges, but in ad-
ministrative bearings, to which only,
lawyers with security clearances
could be admitted.
I am a formerC.LA. employee and
a writer, and I agree that there has
to be some sanction against those
who could truly undermine our na-
tional security. But in his latest
Proposal, Mr. Willard has reached
back to tactics that smack of the
Court of Star Chamber in England,
where libelers had-their ears cut off.
Mr. Willard proposes to cut out our
tongues and maim our fingers be-
hind closed doors.
I am more saddened than angered
that such a,proposal could-be consid-
ered for even one minute. The now
you bear is Thomas Jefferson rolling
over. RICHARD C. RBODES
. - , Dallas, Jan. 24,1984
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/21 : CIA-RDP91-00561 R000100020146-8