U.S. Department of Justice
			Office of Professional Responsibility
			Washington, D.C.  20530

			June 17, 1998

Mr. Eric M. Larson
P.O. Box 5497
Takoma Park, MD  20913

Dear Mr. Larson:

This is in response to your letters dated May 26 and May 31, 1998, 
providing further information concerning possible problems with 
prosecutions under the National Firearms Act.  In your latest letters, 
you reiterated your earlier statement that some prosecutions of 
violations of the National Firearms Act may have been compromised because 
employees of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) withheld 
exculpatory evidence about problems with the system of firearms 
registration.  You asked that this Office look into your allegations.

Although the matters described in your letters raise serious issues about 
evidence introduced in federal criminal trials, your letter of May 26 
makes it clear that you are not aware of any misconduct by federal 
prosecutors in this regard.  This Office has jurisdiction over 
allegations of misconduct by Department of Justice employees, but not 
over allegations of misconduct by BATF employees.  Accordingly, we have 
no authority to conduct the sort of inquiry you are requesting.

You also note in your letters that the issue you have raised currently is 
being reviewed by the Inspector General for the Department of the 
Treasury.  If that review should find that any person knowingly concealed 
or withheld exculpatory evidence in connection with a federal proceeding, 
the Inspector General is required by law to report such findings to the 
Attorney General. [footnote 1]
_______________
[Footnote 1]  The Inspector General Act of 1978, Title 5, U.S. Code 
Appendix 3, Section 4, provides, in part:
	In carrying out the duties and responsibilities established under 
this Act, each Inspector General shall report expeditiously to the 
Attorney General whenever the Inspector General has reasonable grounds to 
believe there has been a violation of Federal criminal law.
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Thank you for providing this further information.

		Sincerely,

		(Signed) Richard M. Rogers

		Richard M. Rogers
		Acting Counsel