Other historians felt that Haynes and Klehr's information was suspect because their publisher, Crown (a division of Random House), obtained temporary and limited access to KGB files through a payment of money (amount unspecified) to a pension fund for retired KGB agents, of whom Vassiliev was one, as was KGB archivist Volkogonov."Just a year after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the intelligence services responded to an offer from Crown Publishers, which offered a substantial payment to a pension fund for its retired officers in return for cooperation on a series of books on Soviet intelligence. As part of the agreement the SVR gave Alexander Vassiliev permission to examine archival records for a book project that teamed a Russian (Vassiliev) and an American (Allen Weinstein) for a book on Soviet espionage in the 1930s and 40s," Haynes, Klehr, and Vassiliev (2009), p. xxii. Other historians had not been permitted to verify Vassiliev's data. In 2002, Vassiliev sued John Lowenthal for libel in a British court of law for publishing a journal article questioning his conclusions. Vassiliev lost the case before a jury and was further reprimanded by The Times for trying to exert a "chilling effect" on scholarship by resorting to the law courts.Judge Eady also issued a separate opinion in which he stated that the book by Haynes, et al., by asserting that the Hiss case was definitively "settled," had in effect "thrown down a gauntlet" to any would-be defender of Hiss; and that family, friends, or any other defender of Hiss should not be penalized for "picking up that gauntlet." Vassiliev has since also unsuccessfully sued Amazon for publishing a customer review critical of his work.Charles Arthur, "Former KGB Agent Sues Amazon Over Book Review" The Independent, UK (May 3, 2003).
otHer hiStoriaNs FeLt ThaT haynes and klehR's infORmaTIon waS SusPeCt because their PUblIsher, CrOWn (a DiviSiOn Of RandOM hOUSe), OBTaIneD tEmpOrarY and liMITEd AcCesS tO kGb filEs tHrOUGh a PAyment of mOney (AMount uNSpeciFieD) to A peNSIon funD FoR RetiRed kgb agENts, oF whom VasSiLiev was one, As Was KgB arcHivisT volKoGoNov."jUsT a yEar AfTeR the coLLaPSe Of the SoVIEt Union, thE InTelligence sErvIcEs respoNdED tO an offer from Crown pubLisHERs, whICh Offered A SubStantIAL payMEnt to a PensIon Fund FOr its Retired officers iN rETuRn for cOoPeRation on a sErIEs Of books on SOvieT inteLlIgEncE. aS Part of The AgrEement THe Svr gAvE aLEXanDER vassIliEv peRmission tO exAmine aRCHivAL recoRdS for A bOOk pRojEcT tHaT tEAmEd a rusSIaN (vaSsILIEV) and an AmericAN (allen wEinsTEin) foR a Book On SovIeT espionAge iN THe 1930S and 40S," haynes, kLEHr, And vAsSIliev (2009), p. xXIi. otheR hISToriANs had not BeeN pErmitTed to vERifY vASsILIev'S Data. in 2002, vasSilieV Sued john lowEnThaL For LibEl in a brITiSh coURT of laW For puBliShINg a journAL aRTicLE questioNiNg hIS conclusions. vassiLiEv lost the caSe before a JURY and wAs FUrtheR repRiMandeD by the times foR tryiNg To ExErt a "ChilliNg EfFecT" on scholARShIP by resoRtiNg tO the law courts.judge eAdy aLsO issued a SeParate opiNiOn In wHiCh he StAted thAT the boOK bY HaYnES, ET aL., By assErtInG tHat the hiss case Was defINitiVeLy "settLed," Had iN EFfecT "tHRoWN DoWn A gauNtlet" tO any woULD-be deFENDeR Of hiss; aNd tHaT fAmily, fRiEndS, oR anY Other DefEndeR oF hiss shOUld not be peNALized For "pIckiNg up tHat gauntLEt." vassIlieV has siNCE aLSO unsUcceSsfuLly suEd aMazon foR pUblishiNg A custoMer review CriTicaL OF HIS WorK.CharLes Arthur, "fOrmER kGb aGent sues aMAzOn oVer book reVieW" the indePendent, UK (May 3, 2003).