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AREA coDg] CALIFORNI b TELEPHONE ¢ May 17, 1982 cee. The President : | THE PRESIDENT The White House OUTSIDE SOURCE THE WHITE HOUSE ! Washingt D.C. 20500 i neren WASHINGTON, D.C. 20500 ; Dear Mr. President: CPublic Re Spe It was with shock and dismay that I read that U.S. District Judge William Bryant threw out the Abscam bribery conviction of former Representative Richard Kelly. Mr. Kelly's statement that the FBI took "advantage of a Congressman in trouble financially" is beyond belief. It seems to me that just because Mr. Kelly was “in trouble financially" does not excuse him from accepting a bribe from whatever source. By his actions, it is clear that Mr. Kelly is a crook and would have taken money from any bribe-payer no matter what the source. It just happens, thankfully so, that the bribe was offered by the FBI and they were able to expose the dishonest congressman. Mr. Kelly seems to say that it is all right to take a bribe as long as you have turned it down twice. The judge, who apparently agrees with Mr. Kelly, makes a mockery of the judicial system in the United States and leaves the door open for anyone, whether it be an official of the government or a private citizen, to accept illegal money if they are financially in trouble. If this type of justice is allowed to continue, I believe that th: values which we were all instilled with will be destroyed ang the//~ ; country will disintegrate along with them. It is important LF “ that justice be served however we must have judges who will 4 uphold the law rather than make their own law by allowing \ ——S/ criminals who are obviously guilty go free.