The Sacramento Bee Editorials
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Letters to the Editor (Published Dec. 22, 1999)

'Political witch hunt'

Re "Nuke-lab engineer indicted," Dec. 11: The indictment of Dr. Wen Ho Lee is a political witch hunt and denying bail to Lee makes him a political prisoner. Robert Vrooman, former head of counterintelligence at Los Alamos, said in August that Lee had been unfairly singled out because of his race. Lee has been under investigation for years, yet he never fled. He even surrendered his passport voluntarily. So how could the government say he is a flight risk? The indictment is just another coverup of the mistakes made by Secretary Bill Richardson when he fired Lee without due process and the FBI bungling of the Chinese espionage investigation.

--Guy M. Wong, Sacramento
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Now that the FBI and U.S. attorney have jailed Lee in Albuquerque with no bail -- just as we'd treat a drug lord, or a serial killer -- we might reflect on whether Lee was given justice equal to that provided to former CIA Director John Deutch. While serving as director, Deutch took classified CIA computer disks home in clear violation of security laws. His only punishment was the suspension of his security clearance for an indefinite period. So why is it that Deutch has not been indicted on at least 31 counts and jailed without bail?

--Kent G. Dedrick, Sacramento
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The Organization of Chinese Americans, Greater Sacramento Chapter, firmly believes that Dr. Wen Ho Lee should be free on bail pending trial. Lee cooperated with the government during the investigation. He voluntarily relinquished his passport and notified the government when he traveled outside Los Alamos. He is not a flight risk. As an alleged spy, Lee was merely placed under constant surveillance. Now that he is indicted, by all accounts on lesser charges, he is held without bail pending trial. Does the government consider him, to quote Judge Don Svet, such a "clear and present danger to the United States" that constant surveillance is judged inadequate now that he is indicted for something less serious than spying? We can only conclude that Lee's pretrial treatment is an arrogant act on the part of the government in blatant defiance of due process.

--Ivy Lee, Sacramento
Co-Chair of Advocacy of Organization of Chinese Americans, Greater Sacramento Chapter
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