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| For Immediate Release | |
| Dec 1, 1998 | Contact: Press Office 202-646-5172 |
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Faced with mounting conservative, libertarian and independendent criticism about sham impeachment probe, Republican leaders try to create impression that they will now investigate 'Chinagate' Barr, Schippers and Staff Are Sincere, But Time Constraints Placed on Impeachment Probe By Republican Leaders Belie Any Real Effort to Look At Chinagate or Other Clinton Scandals Briefed In Judicial Watch Interim Report Faced with mounting criticism and the prospect of a wholesale collapse of fundraising support among the Party's staunchest contributors, Republican leaders have again resorted to cynical mindgames and appearances. In announcing that the impeachment probe would not encompass alleged illegal fundraising in the Clinton Chinagate scandal -- first sparked by Judicial Watch when, in 1996, it uncovered and deposed John Huang in its suit against the Commerce Department -- Republican leaders hope to fool their supporters, and maintain their own fundraising cashflow, by creating the appearance of action, much as they attempted with the Thompson and Burton Committee hearings, which were a dismal failure. Indeed, to this date, neither Committee ever even attempted to call John Huang as a witness. Nor does the current House Judiciary impeachment probe contemplate doing so. Instead, House Republican leaders intend only to elicit the testimony of FBI Director Louis Freeh and former Chinagate Justice Department Task Force prosecutor, Charles LaBella, who already offered up their watered down testimony in hearings before the Burton Committee this fall. This will be in time for the House Judiciary Committee to vote on impeachment during the week of December 7, 1998. The full House is expected to vote on articles of impeachment the week of December 14, 1998. "This is not enough time to investigate Chinagate and draft articles of impeachment on this matter. As a result, the testimony of Freeh and LaBella is being offered only for appearances purposes, to quell further defections among Republican supporters. Especially given the Republicans' correct concerns about Clinton's deceptive response to their 81 questions, they should be forthright with the American people," stated Larry Klayman, Judicial Watch Chairman. "If they are serious about Chinagate, the impeachment probe should not have time limits, but instead be open ended, in the interests of justice. In any event, it's a bad joke to take one week to probe the scandal," he added. Last week, Judicial Watch filed an omnibus racketeering lawsuit, which seeks to get to the heart of the Chinagate scandal. In addition to John Huang, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, the Democratic Party and Loral Corporation and Bernard Schwartz were named as defendants, over an alleged scheme to trade campaign contributions for favors which allegedly resulted in the transfer of American high technology to the Chinese -- allegedly endangering our national security. |
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