September 7, 2007

From the Desk of Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton:

More Clinton Campaign Scandal News

 

Last week, the press outed Hillary’s leading fundraiser, Norman Hsu, as a fugitive from justice.  Hsu pleaded guilty to a felony count of grand theft in 1991 for defrauding investors and then never showed up for his sentencing hearing scheduled in a San Mateo County, California, courtroom.  Facing up to three years in jail, Hsu skipped town only to reappear across the country in New York three years ago as a wealthy apparel executive and a leading Democratic fundraiser.  (He has brought in more than $1 million alone to Hillary’s presidential campaign coffers.)

 

Following the media frenzy last week, however, Hsu was forced to turn himself in to authorities.  He spent a grand total of 5 hours in jail before posting bail.  Then, on Wednesday, a funny thing happened on the way to court.  Hsu failed to show up, again! 

 

Hsu’s attorney, stating the obvious, said, “Mr. Hsu is not here and we do not know where he is.”  (Has anyone checked the latest Hillary Clinton campaign fundraising event?)  A new warrant has now been issued for Hsu’s arrest.  According to Judge Robert Foiles, next time there will be no bail.  Hsu had not turned in his passport, so you can bet he’s back in Hong Kong.

 

On the heels of that Clinton campaign fundraising controversy, came this one.  According to The Washington Post:

 

“Sant S. Chatwal, an Indian American businessman has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaigns, even as he battled governments on two continents to escape bankruptcy and millions of dollars in tax liens.”

 

Here is Chatwal’s corruption resume:  The IRS pursued him for approximately $4 million in unpaid business taxes.  New York State placed a lien seeking more than $5 million in taxes.  Federal regulators sued him to recoup millions in loans from a failed bank where Chatwal served as a director.  He lost one New York City building due to unpaid business taxes.  Oh yes, he was also charged with bank fraud in India.

 

The Post note with a measure of incredulity “Yet none of the legal and financial woes…raised red flags inside Hillary Clinton’s fundraising operation.”   In fact, in a rare moment of honesty, when asked if Chatwal’s background gave cause for concern, Hillary’s campaign spokesman Phil Singer said, flatly, “No.”

 

Why would the Clintons be concerned about Chatwal?  Last week I articulated the long list of fundraising schemes concocted by the Clintons.  This week I’ll remind you of just one of them, the Chinagate scandal, where the Clintons and Al Gore collected Chinese communist-connected funds in exchange for special access to the Clinton White House and policy favors. 

 

The Clintons aren’t bothered by red flags.  They collect them. 

 

The American people, however, are a different story.  You may recall that Judicial Watch recently sponsored a poll conducted by Zogby that showed that 45% of likely voters are concerned there will be “high levels of corruption in the White House” if Hillary is elected President.  We don’t have to wait for a presidential election for high levels of Clinton corruption.

 

Federal Government Participates in Convention Sponsored by Radical Islam

 

Speaking of keeping poor company, the U.S. government recently participated in a national convention held over Labor Day Weekend by the Islamic Society of North America, a radical Islamic group recently named as an “unindicted co-conspirator in an ongoing terrorism-financing case.”  (The investigation involves the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.)

 

Apparently, the “Voting Rights Division” of the Justice Department co-sponsored an exhibit booth and sent government lawyers to man the booth during the conference – all, of course, at taxpayer’s expense.

 

For those of you who are relatively unfamiliar with the Islamic Society of North America, here are a few facts you should know, as reported in Judicial Watch’s special report, “Muslim Charities: Moderate Nonprofits or Elaborate Deceptions.”

 

·         The Islamic Society of North America is a radical Muslim organization that owns and runs mosques throughout North America, functioning as an “umbrella organization” and “clearinghouse” to connect all Muslim activities in the United States.

 

·         Firmly believing in, and supporting extremist Muslim views, the group places radical leaders within mosques, sometimes replacing current religious leaders with those of a more extreme persuasion.

 

·         The Islamic Society of North America is connected closely to the Saudi-Wahhabi form of Islam, an extreme version of Islam which teaches that all non-Muslims are enemies and heathens.

 

·         According to an article published by Daniel Pipes, the Islamic Society of North America appears to be a key player in the channeling of Saudi Wahhabist money into the United States through its affiliation with the North American Islamic Trust, an Islamic financial clearinghouse with terrorist ties.

 

·         Muzammil H. Siddiqi, president of the Islamic Society of North America during the 9/11 attack, said “America has to learn. If you remain on the side of injustice, the wrath of God will come. Please all Americans, do remember that, Allah is watching everyone. If you continue doing injustice and tolerating injustice, the wrath of God will come.”

 

Do you remember when President Bush said, “You’re either with us or against us” in the days following 9/11?  I think it’s pretty clear which side the Islamic Society of North America is on.  What is less clear is why the federal government continues to lend the organization credibility.

 

JW Lodges Complaint Against Phoenix Officials re: Illegal Immigration

 

Here is yet another example of how the federal government’s failure to protect our borders is wreaking havoc in local communities across America.

 

Last week, Judicial Watch filed a formal complaint with Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio against Phoenix officials who issued local business owners this ultimatum:  Either stop illegal immigrant enforcement efforts, or face illegal immigrant “day laborer” protests and intimidation.  (For those of you who do not know of Sheriff Arpaio, he is known as “America’s Toughest Sheriff” for his strict, no-nonsense approach to illegal immigration.)

 

Here’s how we got to this point.  After months of suffering up to 200 “day laborers” soliciting work from sidewalks and trespassing on private property, local business owners in Phoenix banded together to fight the problem.  They hired off-duty police officers to enforce existing trespassing and solicitation laws, leading to a significant drop in crime.

 

However, when illegal immigrant advocates began protesting in front of businesses, and threatening business owners, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon apparently began to get a little nervous.  Rather than siding with the rule of law and the city’s business owners, however, Gordon instead pressured business owners to terminate their off-duty police enforcement program to defuse tensions.  (The Mayor promised to control loitering on the streets, a promise he failed to keep.)  As a result, the illegal immigrant day labor problem continues.

 

Judicial Watch has filed public records requests to no avail.  We are seeking any briefing papers, meeting notes or orders to the Phoenix police concerning this matter.  In the meantime, Sheriff Arpaio has initiated an investigation into the controversy.

 

I will keep you posted.

 

Judicial Watch Victory – Herndon Day Labor Site to Close

 

Town officials in Herndon, Virginia, have finally decided to close its taxpayer-funded illegal alien day labor site on September 14, 2007.  This victory for the rule of law comes almost two years after Judicial Watch, on behalf of local taxpayers, challenged the legality of the illegal alien day labor site in court.  This is a tremendous victory for Judicial Watch, its supporters, and the citizens of Herndon.  There is no question this would not have occurred without our lawsuit, filed back in the fall of 2005.  It was the first legal challenge to localities supporting these illicit day labor sites used by illegal aliens and spawned opposition to similar sites all over the nation.

 

The lawsuit helped galvanize public opposition to the Herndon site.  As a result of the ensuing court battle and controversy, new political leadership was elected to run Herndon on the promise to shut down the day labor site where taxpayer dollars were used to help illegal aliens find illegal work in contravention of federal and state laws.  Come September 14, it will be “mission accomplished” for our legal team and clients in Herndon. 

 

But the war is not over -- next up: Laguna Beach, California.

 

A trial date has now been scheduled.  Assuming no scheduling changes, on October 1, Judicial Watch will begin arguing its case on behalf of taxpayers against the City of Laguna Beach, which is using taxpayer funds to bankroll a day laborer site for illegal aliens (just like Herndon).  Judicial Watch filed its lawsuit on behalf of Laguna Beach taxpayers Eileen Garcia and George Riviere.

 

According to public records, the City of Laguna Beach provided a $21,000 grant for Fiscal year 2005-2006, and another $22,000 grant for 2006-2007 to a non-profit charged with operating the site.  The city also pays for portable restroom facilities, trash removal, and for leasing the property.  The site, meanwhile, does not screen its applicants for their employment eligibility.  (According to multiple studies, the majority of day laborers are in the United States illegally.)

 

“By authorizing, ratifying, and approving operation of the Center, at which employment referral services and other public benefits are being provided to day laborers without verifying the day laborers’ eligibility for employment in the United States, the City of Laguna Beach is violating federal law,” Judicial Watch wrote in its complaint.

 

I’ll be sure to provide you with an update in the weeks ahead.  For more information on the lawsuit, click here.

 

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.