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 For Immediate Release
Mar 20, 2000 Contact: Press Office
202-646-5172


COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST ROBERT RAY AND INDEPENDENT COUNSEL

JUDICIAL WATCH BRINGS ACTION TO ADDRESS RAY'S DERELICTION OF DUTY

Independent Counsel Leaks and Then Files "Filegate Report" Without Sufficient Investigation

Public Interest Watchdog Calls For Ray's Resignation

(Washington, D.C.) Today, Judicial Watch filed a complaint, under the Freedom of Information Act, to obtain documentation from the Office of Independent Counsel concerning his so-called "investigation" of the Filegate scandal. A copy of the complaint is at www.JudicialWatch.org .

In recent days, Robert Ray, the Democrat successor and former deputy to Ken Starr, leaked and then forwarded a report on Filegate, before his office even bothered to interview key witnesses, such as Linda Tripp, who testified to Judicial Watch and the Court to having observed FBI files being loaded onto Clinton-Gore White House computers, at the direction of Hillary Clinton. Further, Ray issued the Filegate Report, despite recent revelations from White House whistleblowers that as much as 1,000,000 e-mail [and 457 hard drive cartridges] -- containing incriminating information about Filegate and other Clinton-Gore scandals -- were suppressed by the Clinton-Gore White House. Further, officials in the Clinton-Gore White House threatened the whistleblowers and others not to reveal this, or they would be sent to jail. Such actions constitute obstruction of justice.

Yesterday, Ray appeared on ABC's "This Week" and, under questioning from Sam Donaldson, effectively admitted that he did not interview key witnesses, or meet with the whistleblowers (much more conduct a full investigation), before leaking and then issuing his Filegate Report. Ray, a converted Democrat, who registered as an Independent after becoming Independent Counsel, could offer no excuse for his dereliction of duty. However, The Washington Post may have an explanation. In an article written by Roberto Suro, entitled "Justice Dept. Puts Starr Investigation on Hold, Sources Say," of June 6, 1999, he reports that Attorney General Janet Reno offered to not undertake a criminal ethics investigation of alleged leaks in the Office of Independent Counsel, if he closed his investigations.

Ray closed his Filegate investigation and issued a press release that could have been, and probably was, written in conjunction with the Clinton-Gore Administration -- exonerating the Clintons and effusively praising their cooperation. Just tell that to the e-mail whistleblowers, who were threatened with jail if they talked. And tell that to the Court in Judicial Watch's class action Filegate civil suit -- which has been lied to and seen evidence destroyed repeatedly by the Clinton-Gore Administration in a number of cases, involving the Health Care Task Force, Indian trust fund, Chinagate and Filegate.

"The American people have been sold out by a Democrat prosecutor who apparently wanted to save his own skin, and those of his colleagues. Judicial Watch's suit will seek to obtain documentation about this subversion of justice, to force whatever legal action is necessary. In the interim, Ray should resign," stated Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman and President Tom Fitton.

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