Letter to Kerry
calls for acknowledgment of possible criminal action

In a letter to presidential candidate John Kerry, the Center for Individual Freedom asks that Kerry condemn his campaign manager's roll in memogate.

April 8, 2004

U.S. Senator John Kerry
John Kerry for President, Inc.
901 15th Street, NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005

Dear Senator Kerry:

In a news story published April 6 by the Center for Individual Freedom on its website — www.cfif.org — (attached), we disclosed that Olati Johnson and Melody Barnes, two former aides to Senator Edward Kennedy, were responsible for the April 17, 2002, memo (attached) recommending he delay confirmation proceedings for Judge Julia Smith Gibbons in an effort to manipulate the outcome of the University of Michigan affirmative action cases then pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6^th Circuit.

In a follow-up story published today in The Washington Times (attached), Charles Hurt reported that the memo was carbon copied to five other Kennedy aides, including his Chief of Staff, Mary Beth Cahill, now your Presidential Campaign Manager.

As someone who holds civil rights issues among the most important in our country, you must certainly agree that the disturbing plot to stack the judicial panel to affect the outcome of the most important civil rights cases in more than a generation transgressed all ethical and legal boundaries espoused by the U.S. Senate and America’s legal profession.

If the revelation that one of your most trusted advisors was in any way involved in the above mentioned plot is true, that presents you with an obvious obligation to disclose the details of Ms. Cahill’s involvement and call for her immediate resignation.

Moreover, we ask that you immediately and publicly condemn the unethical and possibly criminal actions of Senator Kennedy’s office and his former aides who worked to manipulate the outcome of a case that will impact the lives of so many Americans seeking higher education for many years to come.

Senator Kennedy and his current staff continue to stonewall respected journalists and the public as he refuses to answer the most basic questions surrounding this issue. It is incumbent upon you, as the standard bearer of your party seeking the highest and most respected office in the land, to rise above such stonewalling and bring the details of this scandal to light.

The American people hold their leaders to the highest standards of integrity and honesty. Your willingness to immediately and publicly address this issue, including Ms. Cahill’s involvement, will undoubtedly raise the public’s trust in your ability to lead.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Mazzella
Executive Director

Attachments

cc: Ms. Mary Beth Cahill
cc: U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy

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