Panel Recalls Nominee for No. 3 Justice Dept. Post

In an unusual development, Assistant Atty. Gen. William Bradford Reynolds, the chief spokesman for the Reagan Administration’s opposition to mandatory busing and affirmative action quotas, is being recalled for further testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on his nomination to be associate attorney general.

Mark Goodin, spokesman for Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S. C.), chairman of the committee, said that the action was requested by Sen. Charles McC. Mathias Jr. (R-Md.) and that Reynolds has agreed to cooperate. Goodin said June 18 is a likely date for Reynolds’ return.

Target of Criticism

Reynolds, who is in charge of enforcing the nation’s civil rights laws, has been criticized by civil rights activists for his handling of his job in the last four years. During 1 1/2 days of testimony this week, several Democrats on the committee assailed him as well.

Most of the 10 Republicans on the 18-member committee, including the chairman, did not criticize Reynolds during the hearing, but Mathias repeatedly did so, saying he was “disappointed” that Reynolds has not been an advocate for those who suffer discrimination.

Steven Metalitz, Mathias’ staff member on the committee, said that the senator made his request because of testimony from prominent civil rights officials who spoke against Reynolds’ nomination to the Justice Department’s third-highest post.

NAACP Testimony Cited

Metalitz cited testimony from an official of the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People, who said that Reynolds promised to investigate complaints of police brutality in New York, then never contacted her.

In another instance, Metalitz said, a witness from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund charged that Reynolds failed to look into charges of discrimination in higher education, after his division was provided with names of possible victims.

Despite such complaints, few congressional observers had doubted that the Republican-controlled Senate would confirm him.

On Friday, Goodin said that Thurmond agreed to ask Reynolds back because there are “outstanding issues regarding the nomination” and Reynolds’ return will allow him to “clear the air.”