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 For Immediate Release
Jul 29, 1999 Contact: Press Office
202-646-5172


Sandy Berger sued over Chinagate

Complaint Served On Him Last Weekend

Chinagate Lawsuit Incorporates Cox Report

(Washington, July 29) Sandy Berger, President Clinton's National Security Adviser, was named as a defendant in a RICO/civil conspiracy lawsuit filed in federal court last week on behalf of shareholders of Loral. Mr. Berger, who the complaint alleges was instrumental in helping Loral obtain export waivers to China, was served with the amended complaint on Saturday evening. The newly amended complaint also names Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Bernard Schwartz, Loral, John Huang, the DNC, and others in the alleged Chinagate scheme. Schwartz and Loral were served Wednesday with the amended complaint.

The lawsuit alleges, among other things, that Berger and the other defendants participated in a "scheme to unlawfully provide taxpayer-financed government services and/or favorable treatment [i.e., trade mission seats and export licenses] to...Loral from the Clinton Administration in exchange for campaign contributions..." The lawsuit also contends that the Clintons, Gore, Berger, and the other defendants worked with Schwartz to operate Loral as a RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) enterprise.

The complaint alleges Berger previously worked as an international trade lawyer for the Washington, D.C. law firm of Hogan and Hartson, which represents the Chinese government in numerous international trade matters with respect to the U.S. Government. Berger had also allegedly been the "point person" at Hogan and Hartson for the trade office of the Chinese government. The same law firm represents John Huang, another defendant in the suit.

The amended complaint, which will be available on the Judicial Watch Internet site at www.judicialwatch.org, also quotes extensively from the Cox Report and other investigations.

"This lawsuit picks up where the Cox Report and other investigations left off," stated Larry Klayman, Judicial Watch's Chairman and General Counsel. "The amended complaint lays out specifically the alleged scheme that we believe led to national security breaches through missile technology transfers to China, and seeks to hold those responsible accountable to the law. While Congressional Republicans have called for Mr. Berger to resign, he has not done so. Now is the time to have the law deal with him."

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