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| For Immediate Release | |
| Mar 29, 2000 | Contact: Press Office 202-646-5172 |
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BEARS ON "BAD FAITH" OF RENO JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IN INVESTIGATING CHINAGATE AND E-MAIL SCANDAL (Washington, D.C.) Yesterday, the Reno Justice Department, despite having allowed Charlie Trie to testify before Congress, the Federal Election Commission, and itself through a grant of limited use immunity, refused to allow Mr. Trie to testify openly and candidly about what he knows concerning documentation related to the illegal sale of Clinton-Gore Commerce Department trade missions for campaign contributions, as well as a adjudicated effort to suppress testimony and hide evidence in Judicial Watch's underlying lawsuit. Apparently, the judicial system is not accorded the same respect as Congress and the Executive Branch, by the Reno Justice Department. The person who made the decision not to allow Trie to testify with immunity was Robert Conrad, head of the Campaign Finance Task Force, the same person who was attempting to shut down the investigation by Judge Royce C. Lamberth of the burgeoning e-mail scandal. Last Friday, Conrad told Judge Lamberth that his Campaign Finance Task Force wanted a stay of the Court's Filegate proceedings, because it intended to conduct a vigorous investigation of the e-mail issue in the context of Chinagate. "Obviously, Mr. Conrad speaks out of both sides of his mouth. If the Campaign Finance Task Force was serious about investigating Chinagate and getting all of the facts, then why would it not be interested in allowing unfettered testimony from Charlie Trie in Judge Lamberth's Chinagate proceeding. For this reason, the Court should not trust the Reno Justice Department or its representations," stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel, Larry Klayman. Judicial Watch will challenge Trie's invocation of the Fifth Amendment. Already, he has been recommended by the Magistrate-Judge for contempt in failing to produce subpoenaed documents to Judicial Watch. Further, a copy of Trie's testimony thus far can be found at www.JudicialWatch.org. |
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