November 8, 2006
Guests:
Deputy Head of Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organized Crime; Head of Regional Police Department; Judge and Head of Criminal Department, Municipal Court; Investigative Judge, County Court; and Police Officer, Organized Crime Unit
The visiting Croatian government officials were participating in the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program entitled “Law Enforcement and the Judiciary, A Project for Croatia.” The program was arranged by Delphi International Program of World Learning.
Judicial Watch’s president, Tom Fitton, agreed to meet with the Croatian officials and provide them with an overview of the organization’s work as a non-governmental agency in investigating and prosecuting government corruption.
Mr. Fitton informed the officials that Judicial Watch is a “charitable” organization that promotes ethics and accountability in government, politics, and the law and urged each delegate to promote these same principles in their respective positions as law enforcement officers in Croatia.
He stated that JW is conservative in that it values small government, a strong national defense, individual freedom, economic liberty, free trade, and traditional social values. However, as a nonprofit organization, it neither supports political party candidates, nor does it excuse from investigation or prosecution any political, judicial, or governmental official based upon political party affiliation. No one is immune from the inherent temptations and corrupting influences of big government.
Mr. Fitton discussed the variety of methods used by Judicial Watch to investigate and prosecute government corruption, but noted that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is the key federal law it uses to gain access to government documents. And when a government agency fails to comply with FOIA regulations, Judicial Watch files suit in federal court to force compliance. This is where Judicial Watch differs from many other public interest groups. As in the Commerce Department and Cheney Energy Task Force cases, JW was successful in bringing powerful government agencies and elected officials before the courts to hold them accountable for questionable and illegal activities.
Judicial Watch’s efforts in those cases led to the release of tens of thousands of documents into the public domain. As Mr. Fitton told the visitors, “sunshine is the best disinfectant for government corruption—because government corruption thrives in secrecy.”
And, Mr. Fitton remarked, it was in the dead of night, with little or no debate, that corruption scandals—such as those surrounding legislative earmarks and convicted felon and former lobbyist, Jack Abramoff—were conceived and, ultimately, succeeded in bringing down the Republican leadership in the recent mid-term elections. Earmarks have been used by lobbyists for years as a compromise tool to muster votes for legislation by attaching funding appropriations for “pet projects” in a Congressman’s district. This process was abused by the current Republican leadership. Mr. Fitton applauded the renewed interest by Bush Justice Department officials to investigate and prosecute government corruption—even when it involved those within the Republican Party. And because of the enormity of corruption uncovered in recent scandals on Capitol Hill, an additional 15 to 20 FBI agents were called for in the Washington field office.
Mr. Fitton also discussed JW’s efforts to promote ethics and accountability in the following areas: (1) holding government officials personally responsible for unethical and criminal behavior; (2) representation of citizens in local government venues for illegal use of taxpayer funds; (3) holding judges accountable for failing to disclose conflicts of interest; and (4) whistleblower protection. Mr. Fitton emphasized the intrinsic value of independent groups, not beholden to a political party or interest group, in holding public servants accountable to the electorate.
