Posted on 04/14/2006 9:50:07 PM PDT by peggybac
Known for his seemingly perpetual litigation against the Clintons, Larry Klayman is turning his sights on the group he founded, charging in a lawsuit that his successor has "hijacked" the government-watchdog Judicial Watch for personal gain.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, Klayman charges, "sent out false and misleading fundraising letters, misused donor money, disparaged Klayman with supporters and the media, and took other actions which increased the damage to Judicial Watch, the donors and Klayman."
Fitton issued a statement to WND stating Klayman's "ridiculous lawsuit is full of lies and distortions which Judicial Watch will address in court. "
He called it a "tactical maneuver designed to distract attention away from the fact that Klayman owes more than a quarter of a million dollars to Judicial Watch."
"This lawsuit is without merit and is an attempt to smear Judicial Watch’s good name and the reputations of Judicial Watch’s fine employees," Fitton said.
Klayman, who has set up a website to present his case, is asking for more than $3.5 million in compensation plus punitive damages.
Fitton took over the Washington, D.C.-based group when Klayman left in the fall of 2003 to run, unsuccessfully, for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida.
"In the two and one half years since I left, Fitton, who is not a lawyer, has taken over Judicial Watch for himself, never filling my position as chairman with a distinguished lawyer to lead the organization," Klayman said. "And Fitton disparaged and harmed my reputation in an attempt to make sure that I, and others who are loyal to me, could never return to lead Judicial Watch."
Lawsuits also have been filed against Fitton in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by a Judicial Watch donor, Louise Benson, and a former director of the group's Miami district office, Sandy Cobas, who also names Judicial Watch in her suit.
Klayman emphasizes Judicial Watch was founded in 1994 as a watchdog to fight for ethics in government. Believing government could not police itself, he says his vision was for the group to be a "true independent counsel" for the people.
Judicial Watch's litigation under Klayman included challenges to President and Mrs. Clinton's Legal Defense Fund, uncovering the "Chinagate" campaign finance scandal, the theft of nuclear codes at Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratories, political abuse of the Internal Revenue Service, charges of misconduct and cover-up at the FBI – both before and after 9-11 – and Vice President Cheney's Energy Task Force.
Klayman criticizes Fitton for allowing Robert G. Mills to remain as head of Judicial Watch's fund-raising department, asserting Mills defrauded donors.
Fitton knew Mills had a "shady fund-raising past and was in bed with Congressman Tom DeLay," Klayman contends.
The complaint says that one month after Klayman left Judicial Watch, the organization sent out a fund-raising letter claiming Klayman still was chairman and general counsel, causing confusion among donors. Contributions were sent to the group, the complaint says, by donors who believed Klayman was still there, "using their donations for proper purposes."
In addition, Klayman contends Fitton and Mills have defrauded donors funds given on the condition they be spent to purchase Judicial Watch's headquarters at 501 School Street, S.W., in Washington. Money designated for the sale, the complaint says, was mingled with operating funds.
Also, contends the complaint, in breech of Klayman's severance agreement, Fitton and other Judicial Watch employees told callers inquiring about Klayman that they could not discuss the reasons for his departure, leaving the erroneous impression he was forced to leave.
Fitton ordered Judicial Watch employees not to speak with Klayman, the complaint asserts, and shortly after Klayman announced his candidacy for the Senate, made a "frivolous demand," to prohibit him from ever mentioning he was founder of Judicial Watch and threatening legal action if he didn't comply.
Klayman also asserts Fitton lied about his past, "passing himself off as a college graduate of George Washington University when Klayman hired him years earlier, when in fact he had not graduated from the school and did not have even an undergraduate college degree."
In a separate suit filed in Miami circuit court, the former director of Judicial Watch's Southern Regional Office, Cobas, alleges Fitton and others took part in disparaging her Cuban and Hispanic heritage, defamed her and took other actions to force her out of Judicial Watch because she was loyal to Klayman.
Klayman said he regrets having "to take strong legal action to preserve this national treasure for all Americans."
"Not even the current leadership of my former organization is above the law," he said. "It's time to set things straight for the future and return Judicial Watch to the millions of Americans who support it. In this renewed era of government scandal and secrecy, the country needs an honest, forceful and effective Judicial Watch."
Post 26 is priceless.
I would say your buddy got what he paid for and is another indication the lawsuit is going no where.
Hey look I've got lint in my navel!
I haven't received any requests for money yet from either side.
Perhaps it is early in the contest. It could be the first in history where both sides beat the same dead horse for money.
Well, well, well. He'll have to sue himself next. LOL
Good question. Not only when Klayman was making money off "troo conservatives" but when they defended his actions when he went after President Bush (not with suit but with comments, esp about Schiavo).
Gullible. FIJC, AJ Whatshisname, brians, who else? I'd like to ping them all. but somehow we know this is all Bush's fault.
"He'll have to sue himself "
He's gonna go blind doing that.
LOL.
I thought this was a parody article when I saw the headline. This is probably a smart move by Larry, seeing how Judicial Watch never wins any lawsuits.
I ain't touching this with a ten-foot pole. :-)
Although, it is kinda sad to see what's happened to folks that I knew and considered my personal friends. Money does strange things to people.
~sigh~
He will .. give him some time
2004 Form 990 .. Judicial Watch ... pdf format and locked so it can't be copied.
Anyone who is under any illusion that Klayman is a conservative should ponder this gratuitous swipe at DeLay.
Yes.
Don't be surprised if this is a publicity stunt devised for the purposes of increasing the coffers of all the involved parties.
Your posts are hilarious, Don!
Klayman has been off my list since he started in on the President, even before the election. I believe he was the one said he was going to sponsor a debate to which ALL candidates would be invited, and of course Gore accepted right away, and then accused then-Governor Bush of dodging the debate with him. Klayman, in other words, gave Gore an opportunity to attack Bush.
The absolute worst was when Klayman attacked Laura Bush for having the traditional First Ladies meeting with Hillary Clinton. And there were people on this forum who thought that Klayman was right. Unbelievable.
isom35 wrote:
> do I see Uma Pemmaraju behind the guy that yells "Morton!" ? <
No way. She's only about 4 feet tall.
[And probably a liberal. But she's nonetheless an excellent newsreader, IMNHO.]
Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week, and don't forget to try the Cantonese Buffet in the Mellotone Lounge just off the East Lobby entrance! :)
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