The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith said today that it was “most troubled” to learn that U.S. Attorney General-designate Griffin Bell is a member of two private clubs that exclude Blacks and Jews from membership and urged him “to immediately withdraw” from them.
Bell, whose nomination to head the Justice Department was announced yesterday by President-elect Jimmy Carter, reportedly confirmed through a Carter spokesman that he belonged to the Piedmont Driving Club and the Capital City Club in Atlanta, Ga. He acknowledged, through the spokesman, that the Piedmont Driving Club did not accept Jews or Blacks for membership but allowed them to use the club facilities as guests.
In a statement issued here, Benjamin R. Epstein, national director of the ADL, said: “ADL is firmly opposed to clubs which discriminate on the basis of religion and race. Such practice is insulting and a degradation of American minority groups. We are most troubled to learn that the Attorney General-designate holds membership in discriminatory clubs. It would be difficult for a person who holds such membership and is charged with enforcing the laws against discrimination to do so. We strongly urge Mr. Bell to immediately withdraw from any discriminatory clubs in which he is a member.”
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