July 11, 2001
BY HAND
DELIVERY & FAX (202-226-8100)
The Honorable Dick
Armey
House Majority
Leader
U.S. House of
Representatives
301 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515-4326
Re:
Complaint Against Congressman Gary A. Condit (D) of California
To The House Committee On Standards Of
Official Conduct.
Dear Majority Leader
Armey:
As you know, Judicial Watch, Inc. (“Judicial
Watch”) is a non-profit, public interest law firm that investigates and
prosecutes government abuse and corruption.
Yesterday, Judicial Watch, in the public
interest, filed a sworn complaint with the House Committee on Standards of
Official Conduct against Congressman Condit concerning his actions in the
Chandra Levy affair. A copy of the
complaint, with exhibits is attached.
Judicial Watch noted with interest and
encouragement your exchange with Tony Snow of Fox News on the July 8, 2001
edition of Fox News Sunday:
SNOW: “How about in terms of
the House ethics committee? Would it be
something that the ethics committee, in your judgement, would need to look at
if he asked somebody knowingly to fill out a false affidavit and also if he had
staff members on the federal payroll going out and misleading the public,
again, when he knew that they were misleading people?”
ARMEY: “Well, I would think
so. I mean, somebody would have to make
a complaint to the ethics committee.”[1]
Judicial Watch has filed a sworn complaint
with the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, in accordance with
House Rules, and consistent with your statements of last Sunday. Judicial Watch respectfully requests your
concurrence and endorsement of its complaint against Congressman Condit. We request that you take action befitting
your position as House Majority Leader and within House Rules, to see that the
Committee on Standards of Official Conduct takes up the matter of Congressman
Condit’s actions in the Levy affair.
Given the exigencies involved, please respond
within 24 hours or by Noon on Thursday, July 12, 2001, whether you will endorse
Judicial Watch’s complaint for a thorough House ethics investigation of
Congressman Condit. A failure to
contact Judicial Watch on or before that time will be construed as your having
decided not to make good on your representations to Tony Snow and Fox News.
Sincerely,
JUDICIAL WATCH, INC.
Larry Klayman
Chairman and General
Counsel