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JW VICTORY: JW FORCES IRS COMMISSIONER ROSSOTTI TO SELL STOCK Last month, Judicial Watch delivered 26,103 citizen petitions form JW supporters to George W. Bush demanding that he fire IRS Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti for a criminal conflict of interest. While Rossotti is still entrenched in the position he acquired during the Clinton Administration, the petitions, and other JW legal actions against Rossotti, did have a dramatic impact. The Washington Post recently reported Rossotti has decided to sell his $14 million interest in American Management Services (AMS), a company he founded, by March 2002. As Judicial Watch has pointed out to the Bush Justice Department, AMS conducts a tremendous amount of business with Rossotti’s IRS— $17 million this year alone. Further, Rossotti’s wife serves as outside legal counsel for the company. Bill Clinton’s Treasury Department had granted Rossotti an “ethics waiver” for these obvious conflicts of interest, which came as little surprise to Judicial Watch. After all, Rossotti repeatedly used the IRS as a tool to bully Clinton’s political opponents by conducting illegal audits. Despite the waiver, however, Judicial Watch continued to push for justice. And while gratified by forcing Rossotti’s decision, JW is not yet satisfied. “This is clearly a victory, but it is incomplete,” said JW President Tom Fitton. “Not until the IRS Commissioner is fired by President Bush and criminally prosecuted by Attorney General Ashcroft will justice truly be done.” In a December 20, 2001 letter to Attorney General Ashcroft, Judicial Watch asked for confirmation that the matter is under investigation, pointing out that Rossotti’s belated divesture is evidence in and of itself that he has been involved in criminal activity.
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