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Interview with New Jersey Senatorial Candidate Douglas Forrester Tom Fitton: We appreciate the time you’re taking out of the campaign Mr. Forrester. We know it’s getting really busy as you come to the final days of the campaign and we’ve been very concerned about your opponent. Not because of his political views, but because of what he’s done ethically. We criticize the Senate for refusing to kick him out. We criticize the Bush Administration for refusing to prosecute him. Senator Torricelli has been credibly accused of taking bribes, extorting money, and that’s the least of his crimes. What’s your view on Mr. Torricelli’s ethics? Douglas Forrester: There’s a great deal of anger against the Senator because of the decision by the Ethics Committee. I decided to enter the race against Senator Torricelli not only for his voting record but for his treatment of others as well. New Jerseyans are resentful. It has been a major issue in the campaign. Larry Klayman: Let me put you on the spot here, because I believe Senator Torricelli has behaved in a criminal manner, and so does Judicial Watch. But what I find most disturbing is the Republican Party, of which you’re a member, covered up what Torricelli did. We have a complaint against all of the members of the Ethics Committee for letting Toricelli off the hook. It was reported in the Washington Post three weeks ago that Democrats and Republicans have reached an explicit agreement with each other not to pursue ethics matters, and I would like you to speak out against your own party by taking stronger action here. Forrester: Well, you’ve mentioned a lot of things that are very serious things, some of which I have some familiarity, and others I don’t. I would have taken stronger action had I been on the Ethics Committee, but we have to remember that this is a 3 to 3 committee. It is controlled by the Chair, and the Chair is a Democrat, not a Republican. Klayman: If you become Senator from New Jersey, will you work under the agreement that Democrats and Republicans have to sweep things under the carpet so nobody is embarrassed and no one¹s held accountable? Forrester: One of the reasons that I want to be a United States Senator is because I believe that integrity is the basis of Government. I can’t speak to any agreements that are in place, because I haven’t been to the Senate, but I will say that I used to teach Government at the University of Pennsylvania -- it was a course in New Jersey Government -- and we taught a lot in that course about ethics and why ethics are critical to the effective and continuing function of democracy. I would say that one of the reasons I want to run is to be faithful to what I understand to be a central core of the democratic ideal and that is honest government. Fitton: It strikes me, you must have been sensitized to these ethics issues. Are you going to be the ethics senator, given your run-ins with Mr. Torricelli? Forrester: I will speak out whenever I think it’s appropriate. I’m not a bashful guy. If you saw the debate I had last night with Mr. Torricelli, you’d agree. A lot of people misunderstand. They think somehow talking about ethics issues is inappropriate and negative campaigning. In this sense it’s not: It’s official conduct. We’re not talking about private lifestyles. I’m hopeful that when November 5th comes, people will respond and hold Senator Torricelli accountable. Klayman: During the 2000 elections, we heard President Bush say the same thing that you were just saying with regard to Bill Clinton who committed forty-some plus scandals, much more serious than Monica Lewinsky. President Bush himself would say, "You can help solve all these ethical problems just by voting for me." But since coming to office, he’s refused to hold accountable people who have violated the law, like Torricelli, through their Justice Department. When you come into office, are you going to urge that Senator Torricelli be prosecuted by the Bush Administration? Forrester: There is a lot of material that hasn’t yet been evaluated. It’s coming out every day. I mean, the farther I get into this race, the more that I learn. You know, I believe that there will be those who will ask that total scrutiny be applied to Mr. Torricelli because we¹re finding out more and more. But just back to the point in terms of this being a campaign issue. It is a campaign issue because it¹s official conduct. Klayman: The campaign issue is one thing, but we’re not interested obviously in that at JW, and the rest of the country probably is not interested in it other than the voters of New Jersey. But shouldn’t Torricelli be prosecuted for what he did? Forrester: I would differ with you a little bit on that score. When I talk about a campaign issue, I’m not talking about some incidental thing between, you know, parties. I’m talking about public policy accountability. Fitton: This is not someone who wrote a bad check and got caught. He has a pattern of misconduct. The U.S. Attorney has looked at it. The Congress admitted that he did violate the law and refused to do anything about it. We want to get beyond complaining about it in a political context and get our political leaders to take strong action, meaning put one of their own away, if necessary. What is your response to that? Forrester: Well, I don’t think it is a good idea for the victor in a political race to be the principal party to call for prosecution of a defeated opponent. Okay? So I believe that the point here is that I’m running to represent New Jersey well and honorably, I intend to do that. I believe that there are plenty of other resources, that are objective and independent, that can evaluate, in this case, Mr. Torricelli. Klayman: Has it been done up to date? Forrester: I don’t know all the reasons that went into the decision by the U.S. Attorney not to take any action, except to refer the file to the Senate Ethics Committee. I am hopeful that all of those organs of free society, namely the media and interest groups, that focus on these kinds of things, will force a thorough review. It’s not over. It’s not complete and, you know, I believe New Jersey does have a right to know. My focus is on trying to make sure that at least in terms of the accountability standard, that our government as set up, will work, and that Torricelli will be turned out of office because the people of New Jersey believe that he has lost their trust. Fitton: Mr. Forrester we appreciate your time and best of luck in your campaign, and to Mr. Torricelli, if you want to come on the Judicial Watch Report, you have an open invitation.
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