Meese Appointee Is in All-Male, All-White Clubs

John C. Shepherd, tapped by Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III to fill the No. 2 post at the Justice Department, is a member of an all-male athletic club and an all-white country club in the St. Louis area, the clubs confirmed Thursday.

Shepherd’s membership in the Missouri Athletic Club, which has no female members, and the Bellerive Country Club, which has no black members, drew criticism from Patricia Ireland, executive vice president of the National Organization for Women.

“It makes it hard to imagine he’ll be able to administer justice in government in a way that’s non-discriminatory when in his own personal life he doesn’t live up to that,” Ireland said.

Senators Withhold Comment

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who would have to vote to confirm Shepherd to the post of deputy attorney general, were more circumspect, saying through their staffs that it is too soon to comment because Shepherd’s name has not been sent to Capitol Hill. He is now undergoing FBI background checks.

White House spokeswoman Leslye Arsht said Thursday that “the clearance process is proceeding” on Shepherd, who is a former president of the American Bar Assn. She declined further comment.

Meese, speaking to reporters Thursday on his Latin American anti-drug mission, expressed confidence in Shepherd, whom he chose Tuesday to succeed Deputy Atty. Gen. Arnold I. Burns, who quit last week to distance himself from the attorney general’s legal troubles. But Meese, answering questions in Bogota, Colombia, refused to discuss the controversy.

Burns quit along with Assistant Atty. Gen. William F. Weld. Burns told President Reagan, “I must return to private life at this time,” but he agreed to stay on until his replacement is found.

Yet to Make Decision

Shepherd, 62, a St. Louis attorney, could not be reached for comment Thursday. He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday, however, that he had not decided whether he should resign from the clubs.

“I haven’t made up my mind on whether that would be necessary,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. “I am going to Washington for nine months to help the attorney general as his deputy.”

Shepherd said he told Meese and other Justice Department officials about his memberships. He added that the FBI “is aware of this.”

Jim Baer, a spokesman for the Missouri Athletic Club in downtown St. Louis, confirmed that Shepherd is a member of the club and said it does not accept women.

Arthur Wright, president of the Bellerive Country Club in suburban St. Louis, said Shepherd has been a member since 1970. “There are no black members,” Wright said, “but our bylaws specify that the club is open to everybody.”