Liberal Lunatic of the Day (5/12/2005) Judge A. Howard Matz

Liberal Lunacy ^ | 5/12/2005 | Beckwith

[Beckwith]

A. Howard Matz, U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California at Los Angeles, is presiding over the trial of Hillary Clinton finance chairman David Rosen.  Rosen is facing three counts of causing false statements to be filed with the Federal Election Commission in connection with an August 2000 Hollywood gala fund-raiser that Peter Paul produced for Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign.  The government says Mr. Rosen reported that the event cost at most about $400,000.  Prosecutors contend the real cost was $1.1 million.

Judge Matz began the legal process by blasting Senator Hillary Clinton's key accuser, Peter Paul, whose allegations spurred the indictment of Rosen.  While outlining instructions to the jury, Judge Matz, who was appointed by President Clinton, called Paul "a thoroughly discredited, corrupt individual.  He's a con artist.  The fact that he is, is already established."

Judge Matz was more forgiving when it came to Mrs. Clinton, however, vowing not to allow the proceedings to become a referendum on Mrs. Clinton, her politics, or her personal life.  "This isn't a trial about Senator Clinton," he insisted.  "Senator Clinton has no stake in this trial as a party or a principal."  Though both Paul and another key witness, celebrity fund-raiser Aaron Tonken, both say they told the former first lady about the campaign cash Rosen allegedly hid from federal regulators, Judge Matz insisted, "She's not in the loop in any direct way, and that's something the jury will be told.  Mrs. Clinton will not be called to testify in the case."

The prosecutor, Peter R. Zeidenberg told the jury, "You will hear no evidence that Hillary Clinton was involved in any way, shape or form."

Though Paul's record includes past convictions for stock fraud and cocaine possession, his charges against Rosen have survived numerous challenges by Rosen's legal team, headed by the Clintons' scandal lawyer, David Kendall.  His testimony is also backed by tape recordings made by Kennedy in-law Raymond Reggie, who agreed to an FBI request to wiretap subjects of their investigation into the August 2000 fund-raiser.

Matz was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by President Clinton in March 1998 on the recommendation of California Senator Barbara Boxer, who argued at the time that Matz had "a deep commitment to justice."

link:  Clinton Judge Blasts Hillary's Accuser

[Beckwith]

What a bag job this trial is going to be.

Here you have a judge, appointed by Bill Clinton in 1998, presiding over a trial of Hillary Clinton's fundraising shenanigans.  And he is prejudicing testimony and polluting the jury even before the trial begins.  And right behind the judge comes the prosecutor admitting that any evidence against Hillary won't be presented.  And they did this with straight faces.

Not only that, both Paul and Tonken have told The New York Sun they are eager to testify in the case.  However, the government said in court papers filed recently that it does not intend to call either man as a witness.  The judge said he expects, and will allow, the defense attorneys to use "an empty chair defense," where the defendants argue that a party not before the court was responsible for the crime.  After all, the Clinton's don't want to get any testimony introduced that can't be managed by their hand-picked judge and the prosecutor.

While Hillary is not expected to testify, she will get her say through the back door.  Longtime Clinton mouthpiece, Harold Ickes will join former traveling aide, Kelly Craighead, to act as Hillary's proxies and spinners.

Judge Matz may have "a deep commitment to justice" but not when it comes to the Clintons.  Now judge Matz just has a deep commitment to covering Hillary's ample posterior.  After all, there's 2008 and if Judge Matz does the right thing by Hillary, he might even get to be on the Supreme Court.

[ravingnutter]

This Judge is also presiding over the TWA Flight 800 FOIA case. Doesn't look like it is settled yet. Found a treasure trove of articles on TWA 800 and OKC here. Some really interesting stuff.

[planekT]

This link is not working. Judge Refuses Request for FBI Records on 1996 Flight 800 Crash - 3-31-05

Strange. No need to keep that info around I guess.

Good job, but save all this crap and put in on your own site if you have to.

I have two websites, but I'm fixing to dedicate one of them to this sort of thing, for this reason.

[calcowgirl]

This Judge is also presiding over the TWA Flight 800 FOIA case.

He presided over the Executive Life Case, as well. The jury just let Pinault off the hook last week.

CA: Executive Life jury finds firm conspired against state, clears French magnate