Asian Leaders Decry Blocking Of Lee Honors

[JAT]

SACRAMENTO—Nearly 100 Asian leaders from across California joined Monday in blaming “racist, right-wing zealots” for cancellation of Assembly honors for former accused spy Wen Ho Lee.

But both a patriotic group and some Republican legislators said they remained opposed to the state honoring Lee.

Those were the latest developments in a clash that came after Oakland Tribune reports on plans by the Asian legislative caucus, and its Bay Area members, to honor Lee, whose case ended in uncertainty.

Asian leaders said during a news conference that the caucus dropped its plan to award Lee a resolution for courage after a patriotic group voiced opposition and GOP lawmakers signaled they would speak out during the ceremony, embarrassing Lee.

“The fact that the GOP caucus felt it had to placate these right-wing zealots shows that there remains many in this Capitol who have very little regard for the truth,” said Ted Wang of San Francisco-based Chinese for Affirmative Action.

http://www.amren.com/news/news04/06/10/leeceremony.html