(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today criticized the reported settlement between Loral Corp. and the Bush State Department concerning Loral’s aiding China’s missile program during the Clinton Administration. Loral agreed to pay a $14 million civil fine, while neither admitting nor denying any improprieties. Judicial Watch is pursuing a shareholder lawsuit in federal court against Loral Chairman Bernard Schwartz, Bill Clinton, and Al Gore over alleged bribes (using shareholder money) Schwartz allegedly paid so that the Clinton Administration would provide export licenses, access to Commerce Department-sponsored trade missions, and look the other way as Loral improperly aided China’s nuclear program. The settlement reportedly could allow Loral to export again satellites to Communist China. Critics, including congressional committees, contend that previous help given by Loral to China’s missile program has allowed China to better target its nuclear-tipped missiles at the United States.

Schwartz was one of Clinton’s largest political donors and Clinton personally approved export waivers concerning China for Loral over the objections of his own administration officials.

“Unfortunately, this is more of the same from the Bush Administration – ignore evidence of bribery, fail to prosecute clear-cut violations of law, and allow the scandals from the Clinton-era to be swept under the rug,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

“Just last week, Senator Robert Torricelli, the corrupt Senator from New Jersey who took bribes from John Huang, David Chang and the Genovese crime family, was also let off the hook by the Bush Administration. President Bush and his appointees evidently do not care about government corruption,” Klayman added.

(President Bush also recently approved the relaxing of export rules for high-speed computers to China. The computers at issue are helpful in designing nuclear weaponry.)

Click HERE to view Judicial Watch's complaint.