   "MORMON MAFIA" CITED IN FBI DISCRIMINATION CASE.


   Three hundred-eleven Hispanic FBI agents won a class action suit 
against the agency on September 30.  A central argument in the suit was 
that their careers were stymied by the religious bias against non- 
Mormons of ranking FBI officials who are MORMON (LDS).

   Charges of a "Mormon Mafia" in the FBI's Los Angeles office have 
been circulation for years, but no one had taken the FBI to court on 
the matter until Matt Perez, an agent working out of El Paso, initiated 
the suit.

   In ruling in favor of the plaintiffs, Judge Lucius Bunton of the 
U.S.  District Court, Western District of Texas, El Paso Division, 
agreed that the Hispanic agents' careers were affected by 
discrimination in hiring practices and promotions.  
Bunton said there was insufficient evidence for him to rule the agency 
had discriminated against the plaintiffs in issuing assignments.

   The plaintiffs sued for $5 million in damages and retroactive 
promotions and back pay.  At press time the judge had not yet made a 
decision on the damages award.

   The FBI, admitting the discrimination practices and pledging to end 
them with the recent appointment of a new director, had no plans to 
appeal the ruling.

   Just after the case was filed, Richard T.  Bretzing, 49, head of the 
Los Angeles division of the FBI since 1982, retired to become the 
Managing Director of the LDS Church's security department, according to 
the LDS Church News.  Bretzing retired after 27 year's service (three 
years short of the 30-year government retirement plan).

"Christian Research Journal"
Volume 11 Number 2 Fall 1988  

Christian Research Institute
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