No. It was a Case of Racial Profiling.

Bee Lee

Section 2

Week 4

The Case of Racial Profiling

       Within this week’s reading, “The Impact of the Wen Ho Lee Case on Asian Americans” by George Koo really interested me. Although I am no descent from China, this issue of racial profiling holds a deep place in my heart. As it happened to Wen Ho Lee, it can happen to any other (model minorities). In this case, Wen Ho Lee was convicted of espionage. It was believed that Lee leaked top secret information of warhead missiles to China. This resulted his 8 months in prison, until later, he was released with a plea bargain.

       Although those who convicted him (Secretary Richard ) announced that this was not due to any racial profiling among the Chinese Americans, I do not agree. Wen Ho Lee was accused first before there were any direct investigation. Within the trial, his "espionage" lacked evidence as the investigation lacked to look at other possibilities that may have occur to "the leak" of information. As the former Counterintelligence Chief at the laboratory, Robert Vrooman announced, "they went to one laboratory and looked at one individual [Wen Ho Lee]." This case was clearly unprofessional and targeted only towards an Asian American, Wen Ho Lee.

      

If this case was not based on racial profiling as Notra Trulock, the FBI, the federal prosecutors, and the members of the Clinton Administrators have said, then what was it? How can the "guilty" conviction of Wen Ho Lee occur with evidence that was not even supportive?