Two Top Meese Aides Quit Amid His Spreading Woes : Protest Seen Against the Atty. Gen.

In a move that reportedly shocked Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III, the Justice Department’s No. 2 official and the head of the department’s criminal division abruptly resigned today amid a nearly year-old criminal investigation of Meese. Sources said the two top officials, who left without new jobs or any warning, were upset that Meese has refused to resign.

Deputy Atty. Gen. Arnold I. Burns, the No. 2 official under Meese, and Assistant Atty. Gen. William F. Weld, the department’s criminal chief, announced in letters to President Reagan that they were stepping down, with Weld’s resignation effective at the close of business today.

The first Meese knew of their plans was when Burns and Weld walked into the attorney general’s office at 8 a.m. and announced that they were stepping aside, a department source said. Both have served since Oct. 17, 1986.

Two assistants to Burns--Randy L. Levine and Boykin B. Rose--and two assistants to Weld--Mark Robinson and Jane Serene--also quit.

The officials provided no explanation for their sudden actions, but the sources said Meese’s continuing legal problems were “definitely a factor” in the resignations.

Other Justice Department sources agreed the move was sparked by dissatisfaction with the attorney general.

Varied Concerns

Of special concern are the continuing criminal investigations of Meese, who now is the target of a second independent counsel’s investigation and has been called frequently to testify before the grand jury in the Iran-Contra scandal, those sources said.

Meese, under investigation by independent counsel James McKay for his role in a $1-billion Iraqi pipeline venture, as well as his ties to the controversial defense contractor, Wedtech Corp., declined comment as he hurried from the department.

The resignations by the two officials come amid increased calls for Meese to step aside and growing concern in Congress that the Justice Department is having difficulty carrying out its mandate as the key law enforcement agency of the government.

Reagan has consistently backed his old friend and adviser and White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater reiterated that support for Meese today.

“The President has full confidence in the attorney general,” Fitzwater said. “The Justice Department has been functioning just fine.”

Neither Burns nor Weld mentioned Meese’s legal problems in their resignation letters.

Thurmond Comments

Questioned about the resignations, Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said, “I am greatly concerned about morale at the Department of Justice. . . .”

Sen. Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.) said he was “surprised to see them leaving at this period of time,” and added that “it certainly doesn’t signify a great deal of confidence in the attorney general.”

Fitzwater said White House officials were informed of the resignations on Monday. He said Reagan accepted them “with regret” this morning.

He said he does not believe the two departing officials spoke directly to Reagan, and that the resignations do not cause any particular concern among Reagan and his advisers. “We have people resigning all the time, especially late in the Administration,” he said.

The resignations, combined with the departure of Associate Atty. Gen. Stephen S. Trott to become a federal judge, leave a leadership vacuum of major proportions in the Justice Department.

Another department source said that neither Burns nor Weld acted in the belief that Meese is about to be indicted.