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 For Immediate Release
Apr 11, 2000 Contact: Press Office
202-646-5172


CHARLIE TRIE RECOMMENDED FOR CONTEMPT IN JUDICIAL WATCH CASE

Failed To Produce Documents – Magistrate Judge Asks Judge Lamberth to Issue Contempt Order


(Washington, D.C.) United States Magistrate Judge John M. Facciola recommended to Judge Royce Lamberth that Yah Lin "Charlie" Trie "show cause why he should not be held in contempt" for failing to produce documents in response to a Judicial Watch subpoena. Trie is the Clinton appointee and fundraiser who has been linked to a scheme to funnel money from Communist China to the Clinton-Gore campaigns. Magistrate Judge Facciola's order is available on Judicial Watch's Internet site at www.judicialwatch.org.

Trie was recently deposed in Judicial Watch's Chinagate case against the Clinton Commerce Department concerning the sale of trade mission seats in exchange for campaign contributions. Trie, along with Johnny Chung and Loral's Bernard Schwartz, participated in a Clinton Commerce Department trade mission to China in 1994 shortly after giving money to the Democratic National Committee. Chung is now a Judicial Watch client.

In his Judicial Watch deposition, Trie took the Fifth Amendment in response to most substantive questions about his fundraising activities and their relationship to our nation's security and Communist China. Trie took the Fifth because Janet Reno's Justice Department refused to grant him immunity for his testimony before the Court. Reno's appointees had already granted Trie immunity three times before but were evidently afraid of what Trie might divulge under Judicial Watch court questioning.

"Charlie Trie can't assert the Fifth Amendment over documents. We expect that Judge Lamberth will hold him accountable for his contempt in his failure to obey the court process," stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

Judge Lamberth recently threw a Washington lawyer in jail for also failing to produce documents.


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