August 17, 2007

From the Desk of Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton:

JW Records Lawsuit Focuses Attention on Hillary Secrecy

 

Archivists at the Clinton Presidential Library said this

week they will not release records related to Hillary’s

White House years until after the 2008 presidential election.  How convenient.  With Hillary now in the

driver’s seat for the Democratic nomination for President,

it is certainly in her interest to conceal the full truth about her corrupt record as First Lady and co-president to Bill Clinton.  According to the Los Angeles Times: 

 

“Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton cites her experience as a compelling reason voters should make her president, but nearly 2 million pages of documents covering her White House years are locked up in a building here, obscuring a large swath of her record as first lady.  Clinton's calendars, appointment logs and memos are stored at her husband's presidential library, in the custody of federal archivists who do not expect them to be released until after the 2008 presidential election.”

 

Of course Judicial Watch has been battling for these documents ever since they were “made available” to the public in January of 2006.  At the time, US News and World Report guessed we would be “first in line” for the documents.  If we weren’t first, we were certainly close to it.  In 2006, we filed multiple open records requests concerning Hillary Clinton and we have yet to receive one document.

 

As noted by the L.A. Times, just last month, Judicial Watch was forced to file a lawsuit against the Clinton Presidential Library for slow pedaling the release of the documents:

 

“A conservative watchdog group called Judicial Watch filed suit against the National Archives last month, demanding the release of Hillary Clinton's diaries, telephone logs, daily planners and schedules. In the 1990s, the group filed suits against the Clinton administration that led to revelations about fundraising practices, including Democratic campaign donors being tapped for official trade missions.  In the most recent suit, Judicial Watch said it had submitted its request more than a year ago and had received nothing, save for confirmation that the library possessed ‘a substantial volume’ of such papers.”

 

Archivists, who supposedly process requests on a “first-come, first-serve” basis, say they have placed requests for Hillary’s documents “further back in line” of those dealing with other Clinton-era activities.  So, while the public remains in the dark about Hillary’s involvement in a range of serious scandals, open records requests involving flying saucers and the full name of the pastry chef that made Chelsea’s birthday cake have been fulfilled.  The Los Angeles Times report on our investigation and litigation garnered national attention and even roiled the presidential race a bit. 

 

The bottom line here is the public deserves to have access to these records.  They are especially relevant now as the American people consider Hillary as their next Commander in Chief.  Judicial Watch will stay on the case…

 

JW Investigates Illegal Immigration Policies Across NJ – Public Outrage Over Illegal’s Alleged Involvement in Newark Triple Slaying

 

Last month, Judicial Watch launched a statewide investigation of the illegal immigration policies of local New Jersey Police Departments.  The investigation came after local activists sought our help in enforcing the rule of law in their state.  Shortly after our investigation was launched, a horrible triple slaying occurred in Newark that may have been committed by one or more illegal immigrants.  The lead suspect in the execution-style murders, which took place on August 4, is Jose Carranza, a 28-year old illegal immigrant from Peru who was out on the streets despite two prior felony arrests this year.  Carranza and others forced the victims to kneel in front of a wall, before allegedly shooting them in the back of the head.  There are reportedly at least two other accomplices.

 

Authorities said they never checked Carranza’s immigration status after he was arrested in October following a bar fight and in January on aggravated sexual assault charges related to the repeated rape of a 5-year old girl.  Newark is a “sanctuary city” for illegal aliens.  Much like “Special Order 40,” a policy implemented by the Los Angeles Police Department, a 2006 ordinance in Newark prevents police officers from inquiring into an individual’s immigration status. 

 

A spokesman from Immigration and Customs Enforcement said had the agency been notified of Carranza’s illegal status following either of his prior arrests, he would have been detained, and the three students might still be alive today.

 

As I said in an interview earlier this week on the Glenn Beck program, it is bad enough that localities are subsidizing illegal immigration.  But to tell the cops "don’t ask, don’t tell" with respect to an individual’s immigration status puts all citizens at risk.  It is also a violation of federal immigration law.

 

The New Jersey cities currently under investigation by Judicial Watch include:  Bridgeton, Borough of Hightstown, Camden, Fort Lee, Jersey City, Newark, North Bergen, Trenton, and Union City.  I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the investigation’s progress…

 

More Good News in Herndon, Virginia re: Illegal Day Laborer Site

 

Last week I told you that Fairfax County, Virginia decided to pull its funding from the illegal day laborer site operating in Herndon, Virginia.  This week, I have more good news to report.

 

This according to Thursday’s edition of The Washington Post:  “The Herndon Town Council voted…to keep open its two-year-old hiring center for day laborers but to find a new manager who will ban illegal immigrants… The vote ended the uncertainty over whether Project Hope and Harmony, the faith-based nonprofit that runs the site, will be allowed to continue in that role permanently.”

 

The vote was 6-1.

 

I wrote fairly extensively on the Herndon site last week, so I’ll keep this short.  Suffice to say, this is a tremendous victory for Judicial Watch and the citizens of Herndon who launched a legal campaign against the day laborer site in 2005.  We’re pleased that it seems the Herndon site will soon be in compliance with the law. 

 

Click here to read more about Judicial Watch’s Herndon lawsuit and our overall campaign to help enforce our nation’s immigration laws.

 

Rove Resigns

 

President Bush’s Deputy White House Chief of Staff (and campaign mastermind) Karl Rove resigned his post this week, effective the end of August.  The move sent ripples throughout Washington as Rove is widely considered the president’s closest confidante (and the Democrats’ biggest target). 

 

What I found most interesting this week about Rove’s departure is what he claims to be his biggest mistake during his tenure in the White House:  Not pushing corrupt Republicans out the door. 

 

Corruption was the key issue in the last election cycle.  Republicans were punished by the American people for allowing corruption to thrive in their ranks.  (See Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham, and Mark Foley, to name a few).  It is good to see that Rove had acknowledged this.  What I don’t understand, however, is how Rove did not figure out sooner the importance of corruption as a campaign issue.  This is quite an error for someone who is considered one of the greatest political minds of a generation.

 

Rove added to the culture of corruption through his approval of the so-called “K-Street Project,” a campaign launched by Republicans to pressure Washington lobbying firms (located on K Street) to hire Republicans in top positions.  GOP lobbyists were also rewarded with access to top administration officials commensurate with the number of campaign donations they were able to secure.  Access to elected and public officials seemed to be contingent on campaign contributions and partisan affiliation, which is not only wrong but illegal. 

 

Democrats, of course, dominated K Street for years, using much the same strategy to manipulate the levers of power in Washington. But that is no excuse for Republicans (or Rove).  Peddling influence is wrong no matter which party is doing it.

 

Rove will remain an unofficial advisor to the president and the Republican Party.  Let’s hope he continues to warn both Republicans and Democrats against allowing corruption to fester in Washington. 

 

Until next week…

 

 

Tom Fitton
President

Judicial Watch is a non-partisan, educational foundation organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code. Judicial Watch is dedicated to fighting government and judicial corruption and promoting a return to ethics and morality in our nation's public life. To make a tax-deductible contribution in support of our efforts, click here.

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