◆ SpookStack

Iman named Nel Weinberg, viho had been convicted in a fraud of two Valuable lepalntves from the loading’ platform of the United Nations Plaza aparte sation with Weinberg’s s in- formation,anundercoveragent ves lon ise Buréau ‘of In- cessful: The. paintiigs were recovered, arid thethieves were foci net gan to snowball. le “When Tniddlemén: ‘came i) \indercover- agents-and:, ‘said hey: cant deliver political: 1Ser- vicesastw ellas other goods; we didnot stepback, Itwassortota igh lniside| pitch, and wédidnot ck away,” “sald “Philip2B. Heymann, the assistantattor- “ney” génitral in charge. of ‘the Yustice Department’ scriminal division, i. Weinberg led the authorities foMayor AngeloJ. Errichettiof Camden, NJ. He,.-in’ turn, were the investitgators to enneth N.:MacDonald, a member of ‘the New- Jersey Casino Control Commission, and Howard L. Criden, alavyer, ‘from Philadelphia, He. } Errichetti_ also introduced the undercover agents to Sen. \Harrison’ A. Williams Jr, D- IN. J:, and Criden brotght four congresssmen, all Democrats, into.the operation:, Michael.O. Myers and Raymond ‘F, Lederer of Pennsylvania, John: M. Murphy of New York and Frank Thompson Jr..of -New ~ Jersey. Criden also, brought three members of the Philadelphia City Council into the picture. -Uthermiddlemen, working like Criden, introduced the un- dercover: agents to-theother- public officials who are- under investigation: By this point, the undercover. agents had rented an expensive house in Washington, a yacht, a hotelsuitein} NewYork, abeach condominium. and private air- planes .as covers for their operations. WHY’ WAS.‘the esting” method ‘used: Heymann ‘sald that he’ Was enthusiastic “about +such operations ‘for’ three reasons: PyaeE No person's civil liberties are violated,. “there t can bel no imis- take ‘about guilt: or: ‘Innocence because of the videotape” and there is a’ “chilling effect’*’on further corruption. . a) ‘the last point, Heyniann gave the example of 4 “sting” operation | in Boston last year in. which tindercover agents \rented a wa & warehouse and bought large loads % bf gdous™ hifackec from trucks: around New England., -Since- the operation was concluded about nine months‘ago, the aésistant attor- ney general said, there hasbeen ‘only one such truckhijacking in all,of New England, ‘HOW WERE ihe targets of this latest investigation selec ted? The authoritiés s pease ing as wealthy Arabs and their} representatives were really un- dercover agents, | ‘The authorities said that they were completely at the mercy; of the ‘middlemen, some of whom’ were felons, , + No one associated with the, United States ever picked any politician. for the in- vestigation,”* “The . middléman did all of that. ty closed last.weekend? =. Heymann sdid:y- > HAD THE investigation been: concludedby thetimeit wasdis- As recently. as,the middle’ of, last month, the operation was moving at full steam. Between Jan,'15 and-Jan.-17, the three Philadelphia city.councilmen, George-X. Schwartz, Harry-P, (Jannottiand Louis | C. Johanson, were, taped receiving bribes in the Barclay ‘Hotel -in ‘Philadelphia, according. to in- vestigators. -However, the evidenceis that by: last. weekend the operation had been brought to an ends Ex- actly, why, it was. Stopped I is not clear: :> There. is: :speculation in Washington. ‘that. the operation had become..too; expensive to continue; . .especially-. _the demands of buying stock in the transaction with Williams... | - Heymann would not confirm that- “speculation, but: he acknowledged - -that.there: “were, budgetary limitations onanyin, vestigation, . : There has,also been a sugge; tion that.a. federal _judge,: who : had” beén. approving telephone wiretaps ‘refused to extend the authority. ” . ‘ | WHY: WOULD! law, enforce! ment ‘officials: *disclose:/infor: mation*to ‘reporters before*it twas presented toa ‘grand jury?, The reporters who broke thi pafticularsstorytwilt not dis? close -their- Sources, ‘Bat, - in general; ‘there are several reasons:why. investigators: are willing.to talk about the fruit of their. work beforeit canofficial ly, be.made’ public. : One reason ‘is: the belief? ‘of some: ‘law enforcement officers in the field that charges against politicians: tend to be watered i down or. negotiated away by oxi pensive legal ‘talent once: the reach the Justice Department's headquarters in Washingtons If the case is known to the public} it is felt; there-will bé ireeh| on, the: department for strong action: Moré- ominous, some jaw enforcement: authorities .may-have-a-grudge™ against-at politican and wantito punish him with publicity evenif anin- dictment is not.warranted:.