(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton offered the following statement today in response to Jack Abramoff’s guilty plea to conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion charges on Tuesday, January 3.

“For more than a decade, Judicial Watch has pressured the Justice Department to prosecute the bribery inherent in politicians offering government favors in exchange for campaign contributions.  The Clinton administration set a low mark for bribery and abuse of the public trust.  In the face of all this lawbreaking, the Justice Department, under Janet Reno, simply refused to enforce the law.  As a result, too many Republicans thought they could imitate the Clinton gang’s flouting of the bribery laws.

“Public outrage and Justice Department prosecutions can help change the culture of corruption in Washington.  For too long, government officials from both political parties have sold their public offices, and it is high time they be punished for their wrongdoing.  Politicians who are guilty of bribery and extortion need to go to jail.  The bipartisan Abramoff scandal is the tip of the iceberg in a town where big government and big corruption go hand in hand.  We suspect that if the laws are properly enforced, many, many members of Congress could face indictment and jail.

“While the Justice Department seems to be moving to hold those involved in the Abramoff scandal accountable, both the House and Senate Ethics Committees remain AWOL.  Judicial Watch and its members will continue to pressure members of Congress to police their own affairs.”

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.

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