(Washington, DC)  Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, said today that it has filed an open records request with UN Secretary General Kofi A. Annan, and Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) requests with the U.S. State Department seeking all records detailing the appointment of former U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton as United Nations Special Envoy for the countries affected by the tsunami in southern Asia.  Secretary General Annan appointed Mr. Clinton to the position in early February, 2005.  Mr. Clinton’s appointment was reportedly coordinated and approved by the Bush administration through the State Department.

Judicial Watch is specifically seeking Mr. Clinton’s contract with the UN, memoranda of understanding, commissions, appointments, credentials and expense reports.  Once obtained, Judicial Watch will report on the documents and make all of Mr. Clinton’s and the UN’s records available to the public from our Internet site.

The burgeoning UN Oil-for-Food scandal, and increasing concerns over fraud, misappropriation and exploitation of funds and disaster relief resources to tsunami victims set a disheartening backdrop for the involvement of former President Clinton.  The South China Morning Post has reported Mr. Clinton using his “humanitarian mission” travel to promote sales of his memoir through book signings and promotional events in Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. 

“Given Mr. Clinton’s well documented violations of law and ethical lapses, his appointment as Mr. Annan’s special envoy raises very grave questions.  The Bush administration endorsement of such an ethically challenged arrangement raises separate questions concerning the administration’s ethical and legal judgment,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

To view the initial request sent to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, click here (Adobe Acrobat Reader required).