Independent Counsel Ray Dumps Travelgate To Spare Ethics Investigation Of His Office
Judicial Watch Client Has Sued White House
(Washington, DC) If there was ever one scandal in the Clinton Administration that was simple to prove and which touched the average American, it was the firing and subsequent prosecution by Hillary Rodham Clinton of the Travel Office workers. In an unprecedented attempt to insert Hollywood friends into the running of this office, most likely for the personal profit of the Clintons themselves, Billy Dale and others were unjustly accused and prosecuted for alleged improper financial practices. If this wasn't enough, characteristically, the Internal Revenue Service was sicced on Mr. Dale. All charges against Dale and the other Travel Office workers were thrown out in record time, but the stench of Travelgate lives on.
During Judicial Watch's $90-million class-action Filegate lawsuit, it uncovered hard evidence that Hillary Clinton was the mastermind of Travelgate. Indeed, the FBI files of the Travel Office workers were improperly in Vince Foster's office shortly before he died. After Foster's death, they were removed and likely taken to The White House residence where they were apparently stored in a closet used by Mrs. Clinton to hide documents. The testimony of Mack McLarty confirms that he consulted regularly with Mrs. Clinton over the Travel Office scandal, but an affidavit provided by Mrs. Clinton to Congress falsely states that she had no involvement at all. In this context, the prosecution of Mrs. Clinton is a "slam dunk" -- yet Independent Counsel Robert Ray now says he will take no action, as he took no action in the related Filegate scandal.
Mr. Ray, a lifelong Democrat who, according to a New York Times profile, intends to run for office ("Forgotten but Not Gone, Starr's Heir Presses On," March 25, 2000), also has another interest in not pursuing Mrs. Clinton. In an article written by Robert Suro of The Washington Post entitled "Justice Dept. Puts Starr Investigation on Hold, Sources Say," of June 6, 1999, the journalist-- who has close contacts with the Clinton-Gore Justice Department -- writes that Attorney General Janet Reno offered not to investigate the Independent Counsel for alleged ethics violations if he shut down his investigation of the Clinton-Gore Administration. This is apparently what has happened, and Mr. Ray has taken a dive. Most telling is that Ray has concluded both the Travelgate and Filegate investigations before receiving the incriminating e-mails on both of these investigations, evidence which has been hidden from his office as well as Congress and Judicial Watch.
"Mr. Ray owes justice not just to the American people but to Judicial Watch client Billy Dale and the other Travel Office workers who were subject to perhaps the most callous, inhuman, and corrupt treatment by this Clinton-Gore Administration. Judicial Watch will not rest until justice is done. Judicial Watch has brought suit for Mr. Dale against The White House," stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.