Sessions Decision Seen Moving Off ‘Back Burner’

The fate of FBI Director William S. Sessions, who was found by the Justice Department’s internal watchdog unit to have abused his office, “is no longer a back-burner issue,” Atty. Gen. Janet Reno’s chief spokesman said Tuesday.

Deputy Atty. Gen. Philip B. Heymann, designated by Reno to handle the Sessions matter, “is actively engaged in recommending appropriate resolution,” spokesman Carl Stern said.

Although he declined to elaborate, other government sources said it remains likely that Sessions will be urged to step down and that he will not be offered another job that would allow him to retire with a maximum pension--an option that has been under consideration.

It is possible, however, that the Justice Department will agree to issue a statement acknowledging that none of the improprieties the director committed were of a venal nature. In addition, the sources said, department officials might be willing to indicate that a memorandum by former Atty. Gen. William P. Barr was too severe in its criticism of Sessions. The memo was later made public under the Freedom of Information Act.

In a related development, it was learned that Justice Department officials recently denied two of Sessions’ requests to use an FBI jet for trips to San Antonio and San Francisco. Sessions’ use of the FBI aircraft was an issue in the report by the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility that led to discussions about his resignation.

The report found that he and his wife, Alice, used the FBI plane for personal trips, then sought to characterize the trips as “official” so that they could avoid reimbursing the government for the costs.

The report also found that Sessions had abused his position by engaging in a “sham” to avoid paying taxes on the use of his limousine to and from home, that he had refused to cooperate with an inquiry to determine whether his home mortgage was a “sweetheart” deal and that he improperly billed the FBI for a $10,000 fence around his home that failed to provide security.

Sessions challenged the report’s findings, blaming them on “animus” toward him by Barr.

Sessions’ lawyers did not respond to requests for comment.

The report came near the end of the George Bush Administration, leaving to President Clinton the decision on Sessions’ future. He has said that he would await Reno’s recommendation before acting. The FBI director has served 5 1/2 years of his 10-year term.