A bill making it illegal for the United States government to employ or compensate Nazi war criminals in any form has been introduced by Rep. William Lehman (D. Fla.).
Lehman said his legislation was prompted by disclosure that American intelligence agencies paid Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie and frustrated France’s efforts to extradite Barbie.
The U.S. role was revealed after Barbie was expelled from Bolivia last year to France where he awaits trial in Lyon, where he was chief of the Gestapo during World War II.
“It is outrageous that the U.S. supported and protected Nazi war criminals with tax dollars,” Lehman said. “But it is even more unconscionable that these immoral actions were apparently within the law. Our bill is designed to close this loophole once and for all.”
Adele Liskov, a legislative assistant to Lehman, said while the bill may be “symbolic” since the U.S. government claims to no longer have ex-Nazis on the payroll, she said it is still possible that some Nazi war criminals living abroad are being used by American intelligence. She said that even if it’s a bill that prevents one Nazi from being paid from the U.S. it will be worthwhile.
Lehman’s bill was referred to the House Government Operations and the Post Office and Civil Service Committees. Liskov said that if the bill is not taken up in the current session it will be rein-troduced by Lehman in January.
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