| For Immediate Release Jul 30, 2001 |
Contact: Press Office 202-646-5172 |
Original Motion Has Been Pending Before Judge Lamberth For Over Two Years Court�s Decision On E-mail Scandal Should Not Further Delay Mrs. Clinton�s Deposition (Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government abuse and corruption, has renewed its motion to depose former First Lady and now New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in its $90 million class-action lawsuit on behalf of the individuals whose files were violated by the Clinton-Gore FBI and White House. While Mrs. Clinton is a defendant in this lawsuit, and while compelling evidence has been gathered showing her as the �mastermind� of the Filegate scandal, the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth has not allowed her to be questioned under oath in the five years since the complaint was filed. Initially, Judge Lamberth ruled that Judicial Watch would have to exhaust other witnesses before deposing Mrs. Clinton. In accordance with that directive, Judicial Watch proceeded to do just that. Then, in June 1999, after other witnesses had been deposed (many of whom implicated Mrs. Clinton in the scandal), Judicial Watch moved to take her deposition. Quite predictably, Mrs. Clinton moved for summary judgment; however a court generally cannot even consider a summary judgment motion before it allows plaintiff the opportunity to depose the defendant who moved for the summary judgment. In February, 2000, Judicial Watch uncovered the E-mail scandal in the course of its Filegate case. As a result of apparent obstruction of justice, including but not limited to threats to witnesses, Judge Lamberth ordered an evidentiary hearing to determine whether to issue show cause orders. This �mini-trial� ended in January of this year, and Judicial Watch awaits a decision. �Judicial Watch has tremendous respect for Judge Lamberth, and the American people owe him a great debt of gratitude for his actions in protecting the public interest against corrupt and dishonest government officials. However, those who criticized him for being overly aggressive and bold have done so unfairly. While he has a heavy caseload, Judicial Watch trusts that he will now allow the deposition of Hillary Clinton to proceed, since justice delayed is justice denied. The time has come to hold the Clintons accountable, and it is not too late for justice to be done. In this way, an example will be set that never again will we allow such rampant criminality in our executive branch,� stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman. | |