BUSH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BLOCKS RENO DEPOSITION

Judicial Watch Press Release ^ | 11/8/01

[Rebeckie]

11/8/2001

202-646-5172

BUSH JUSTICE DEPARTMENT BLOCKS RENO DEPOSITION

Latest Obstruction Prevents Scheduled Testimony In Defamation Case Against Accused Spy Wen Ho Lee

Last Minute Gamesmanship No Better than Clinton Justice Department

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today criticized the Ashcroft Justice Department for obstructing a long scheduled deposition of former Attorney General Reno in whistleblower Notra Trulock defamation case against accused Chinese spy and admitted felon Wen Ho Lee. Trulock, the former chief of the Energy Department intelligence operations, is suing Lee and others for falsely accusing Trulock of racial bias while conducting an inquiry into the loss of America nuclear secrets from Energy Department labs. Former Attorney General Reno, who was subpoenaed last month, was expected to testify that Wen Ho Lee charges of racial bias had no basis in fact and that there was a legitimate basis to investigate Lee. The deposition of Ms. Reno was scheduled to take place tomorrow in Miami. Judicial Watch is representing Mr. Trulock in this matter.

Late yesterday afternoon, the Ashcroft Justice Department, through a fax from Assistant Attorney General Robert D. McCallum, Jr., unilaterally decided that Reno (and other witnesses such as former FBI Director Louis Freeh) would not appear as scheduled. Judicial Watch was told by a Justice Department lawyer that this decision was only made yesterday. (The Ashcroft Justice Department had known that Reno would be testifying in this case since June of this year.)

The Justice Department lawyers know they have no legal basis to prevent Ms. Reno from testifying at the last minute. Yet they think they are above the law and are contemptuous of the Court processes. The Ashcroft Justice Department has continually obstructed this case. Indeed, a federal court has already sanctioned them for similar conduct in this case. "Truth be told, in matters that Judicial Watch has been litigating, the ethics and practices of the Ashcroft Justice Department are no better than those of Reno Justice Department", stated Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman.

"No one is above the law. And Judicial Watch will seek appropriate sanctions and plans to ask for an independent investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility into the way the Wen Ho Lee case has been handled. These repeated obstructionist tactics by this Justice Department are most likely to cover up their ongoing negligence concerning the loss of virtually all of our nation nuclear secrets to China and other nations adverse to the United States", added Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

[Rebeckie]

So how serious was George W. Bush when he stated to Republicans voters, weary of the Clinton Administration, that "Help is on the way."?

[Rebeckie]

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[Sir Gawain]

This should be fun.

[Rebeckie]

I am sure that this will probably spark some debate, but I feel that this is a very serious matter. If Bush wants to lecture the United States about evil forces in the world, this was one truly evil crime that was committed against our country and the safety of our national security. You can't just ignore the theft of our nuclear secrets.

[Diogenesis]

By the Bush administration not lancing the boil of evil comprising the Clinton administration,
in the end the Democrats will be able to blame the entire corruption on the Bush administration.

[Dog]

Larry is at it again.....think this will get him on FOX?

[Rebeckie]

That is why he (Bush) needs to do something about the Clintons and this nuclear espionage now. Bush cannot solve these problems by ignoring them, that is a blatant dereliction of duty and a slap in the face to all of us who voted for him, hoping that he would help clean up this government corruption that is eating away at our justice system, morale, and trust in our government and way of life.

[Rebeckie]

If Larry truly wanted to just be on TV, he wouldn't running around, taking on difficult cases that no one, even conservative Republicans, believes in anymore.

[Sir Gawain]

I am sure that this will probably spark some debate

LOL. No, what will happen is they'll see the source, then attack it without even looking at the article, thereby steering the debate away from anything legitimate. I might be mistaken, but Larry was a hero on this site before the Bush administration. But he made a mistake and kept on criticizing. Who knows, maybe I missed something. Or maybe it's a double standard.

[Rebeckie]

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[Sir Gawain]

Free Republic has sponsored several rallies at our nation's Capitol. The first was the nationally televised "March for Justice" on October 31, 1998, where Congressman Bob Barr called for the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton. The enthusiastic crowd of 4,000 FReepers also enjoyed rousing speeches by Alan Keyes, Larry Klayman, Gary Aldrich and other great conservatives. The MFJ was a moving experience for all.

Times change I guess.

[Rebeckie]

It is 99.9% a double standard...people seem to think that just because a Republican is in the Oval Office, Washington has suddenly become Mr. Rodger's Neighborhood, with compassionate complacency being the answer to all our problems. Just wait until a Democrat comes into the presidential office again, these people will be back wishing that something had been done about Bill Clinton, all his political cronies, and the Chinagate Scandal.

[Native American Female Vet]

BUMP

[Lizzy W]

I smelled Larry before I even clicked the thread. So predictable.

[Sir Gawain]

We've always been at war with Eurasia.

[Rebeckie]

I guess that this experience that Klayman is going through right now is showing him who his true friends and allies really are.

[drypowder]

See the new boss, same as the old boss. Mmmmm FBI files? Why isn't Craig Lingstone in jail for takeing the FBI files? The same reason Bill and Hill aren't in jail. Free Republic, equality under the eyes of the law? Not any more.

[GreatOne]

It seems to me that by "help is on the way", Bush means that a new administration is in, without the sleaze, and that since a new sleaze-less administration is in, let's just forget about the past 8 years, because then all the attention will be on them, instead of us.

Can't appear too partisan, ya know.

[Rebeckie]

This is a little off the subject, but in my British Lit. class, we just went through Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight...I really enjoyed this epic poem and am even thinking of completng a term paper on this story.

[Neets]

The Justice Department lawyers know they have no legal basis to prevent Ms. Reno from testifying at the last minute. Yet they think they are above the law and are contemptuous of the Court processes. The Ashcroft Justice Department has continually obstructed this case. Indeed, a federal court has already sanctioned them for similar conduct in this case.

Well then if that is the case here, Larry can and should appeal this and a federal court should/could sanction the AJD again right?????????

OR MAYBE,,,Larry is blowing smoke again...looking for more MONEY maybe??? Or media Spot light MAYBE???

Ohhh but I digress...I'm a Bushie so of course I MUST be talking out off my.............other side of my mouth.