In this extraordinary case, Judicial Watch uncovered important evidence of political corruption at the U.S. Department of Commerce under President William Jefferson Clinton. When Judicial Watch suspected that seats on Commerce Department trade missions were being sold in exchange for campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee, Judicial Watch requested access to records about the trade mission under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. When the Commerce Department failed to respond to Judicial Watch’s request, then demanded it pay $13,000 to obtain the records, Judicial Watch filed suit.

During the course of discovery, Judicial Watch uncovered compelling evidence demonstrating that Clinton Administration officials not only sold seats on Commerce Department trade missions in exchange for campaign contributions, but also deliberately concealed and destroyed records regarding the trade missions to avoid releasing them to Judicial Watch. So egregious was the misconduct uncovered by Judicial Watch that the Commerce Department took the unprecedented step of asking that a judgment be entered against itself in order to end the lawsuit prematurely and stop further embarrassing revelations. The court denied the Commerce Department’s request, ordered it to conduct a new search for trade mission records, and authorized additional discovery into the concealing and destruction of the records.

Among the more than 70 witnesses deposed by Judicial Watch during the course of this lawsuit were John Huang, a Democratic National Committee fundraiser and Commerce Department official who subsequently pled guilty to violations of federal campaign finance laws, and former Secretary of Commerce Mickey Kantor.

At the end of the case, Judicial Watch was awarded nearly $900,000 in attorneys fees and costs after a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. upheld the vast majority of an orginal court award to Judicial Watch.

The case demonstrates Judicial Watch’s remarkable success in aggressively pursuing government corruption and promoting integrity and transparency in government.

Court Documents

• Stipulation of Settlement (June 22, 2007) – Stipulation by U.S. Department of Commerce and Judicial Watch that Department of Commerce shall pay $842,500 to Judicial Watch to settle case.    
• Order (July 6, 2007) – Court order that U.S. Department of Commerce shall pay $842,500 to Judicial Watch to settle case.
• Memorandum - In this Freedom of Information Act case seeking documents from the Department of commerce, by Order dated April 9, 1999, the Court ordered the deposition of former Department of Commerce employee John Huang to continue on April 13, 1999...
• Letter regarding DOC neglect to comply with FOIA order to turn over evidence, 10/07/97. - In Freedom of Information Act ('FOIA") requests filed at the Clinton Department of Commerce by Judicial Watch, Inc., on September 12, 13, and October 19, 1994, we requested, among other things, "all . . . tape recordings . . .." that or related in any way to the matters and events enumerated in the subject FOIA requests...
• Transcript of 04/13/99 John Huang deposition - Huang again deposed by Judicial Watch where he takes the Fifth no less than 6 times in less than a half-hour period.
• PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR LEAVE TO DEPOSE PERSONS IDENTIFIED IN DECLARATION OF SONYA STEWART - Plaintiff, Judicial Watch, Inc., by undersigned counsel, hereby respectfully moves this honorable Court for leave to depose certain individuals referred to in the attached Declaration of Sonya Stewart. The grounds for this motion are set forth below.
• Declaration of Sonya Stewart - Department of Commerce Whistleblower
• The John Huang Desk Diaries - Diaries used by John Huang while at the Clinton Commerce Department (1994-1995).
• Uncorrected Transcript of John Huang Testimony of April 15, 1999 in Chinagate - (May Contain Typographical Errors) Thursday, April 15, 1999, Washington, D.C.
• Memorandum of Law - Plaintiff, Judicial Watch, Inc., by counsel, respectfully submits this memorandum of points and authorities regarding non-party witness John Huang's attempted invocation of the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination at the continuation of his deposition on Tuesday, April 13, 1999.
• PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR IN CAMERA REVIEW BY THE COURT OF FEDERAL GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS REGARDING NOLANDA HILL - On January 28, 1998, at enormous risk to herself and her family, Ms. Nolanda Hill submitted under seal in this case a sworn affidavit detailing her knowledge of the Department of Commerce’s ("DOC") unlawful handling of Judicial Watch’s Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") requests...
• DEFENDANT'S MOTION TO ENTER JUDGMENT AND MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT THEREOF - (Intro) This is a Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") case involving three requests for documents. These requests were received by the Department of Commerce from plaintiff in September and October of 1994…
• Complaint Against Congressman Henry Waxman and Involved Democrats on the House Government Reform Committee. - August 18, 1999 letter to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct of the House of Representatives.
• RealVideo Clips of 04/13/99 John Huang deposition - Huang again deposed by Judicial Watch where he takes the Fifth no less than 6 times in less than a half-hour period.
• Fundraising documents sent to Johnny Chung - As mentioned in Chung's 5/13/99 deposition from Richard Gephardt, Robert Torricelli, and Al Gore.
• PLAINTIFF'S RENEWED REQUEST TO CONTINUE THE DEPOSITION OF JOHN HUANG - Plaintiff, Judicial Watch, Inc., by counsel, hereby respectfully requests that this Court authorize Plaintiff to Continue the Deposition of John Huang…
• ORDER - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Upon consideration of nonparty John Huang's motion to reconsider, filed January 7, 1999, the opposition thereto, the reply, and the record in this case, and for the reasons set forth in the memorandum opinion issued this date, it is hereby...  
• MEMORANDUM AND ORDER - After four years, this case finally offers a light at the end of the tunnel. Currently before the Court is the apparently unprecedented situation in which the defendant Department of Commerce (DOC) has moved for entry of judgment against itself; the plaintiff, Judicial Watch, has vehemently opposed the motion. Unfortunately, this odd posture is not atypical of the extreme positions taken by the litigants in this case. After much deliberation and a thorough review of the extraordinary record in this case, the Court will deny the DOC's motion for entry of judgment, grant partial summary judgment...
• Letter to Dan Burton regarding complaint against Congressman Henry Waxman - August 20, 1999 letter to the Chairman or the House Committee on Government Reform.
• Memorandum - (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) Non-Party Deponent's Memorandum un Support of Assertion of the Fifth Amendment Privilege Against Self-Incrimination
• Affidavit of Nolanda Butler Hill - I, Nolanda Butler Hill, being duly sworn, deposes and says…
• RealVideo Clips of Fox News Special: "John Huang: In his own words" - Selected clips from the Fox special program, featuring Larry Klayman and several clips from John Huangs deposition (aired Oct. 24, 1997). Huang will again be deposed by Judicial Watch in mid-April 1999.
• Order Granting Deposition of Johnny Chung - Upon consideration of Plantiff's Motion for Leave to Depose Johnny Chung [#485], defendant's opposition thereto, and the entire record herein, it is hereby
• Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of Commerce - Memorandum and Order
• Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of Commerce - Memorandum and Order (Number 2)
• Judicial Watch, Inc. v. U.S. Department of Commerce - Memondum and Order (Number 3)

Links

• Commerce Case Depositions