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Excerpt - Judicial Watch Releases New FBI Documents: Osama bin Laden May Have Chartered Saudi Flight Out of U.S. after 9/11 (Washington, DC) -- Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released new documents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) related to the “expeditious departure” of Saudi nationals, including members of the bin Laden family, from the United States following the 9/11 attacks. According to one of the formerly confidential documents, dated 9/21/2001, terrorist Osama bin Laden may have chartered one of the Saudi flights. The document states: “ON 9/19/01, A 727 PLANE...

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released documents obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, concerning the agency’s involvement with the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America. ... Among the specific deliverables outlined in the “work plan” is a taxpayer-supported program to improve Mexico’s infrastructure: “Improve North America’s competitiveness by enhancing Mexico’s competitive position through the establishment of a grant fund for development with U.S. and Canadian resources to finance the development of physical infrastructure in Mexico.” ...

Judicial Watch, a public-interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, has obtained more documents pertaining to the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America -- an initiative that has created uneasiness among some conservative groups. According to its own government website, the SPP is defined as a "trilateral effort to increase security and enhance prosperity among the United States, Canada, and Mexico through greater cooperation and information sharing." The effort includes what the website calls "ambitious security and prosperity programs" designed to keep the nations' borders "closed to terrorism yet open to trade." Tom Fitton, president of Judicial...

Client Accuses Judicial Watch Of Misconduct Hollywood Entrepreneur Helped Group Make Case Against Clintons By Emma Schwartz Legal Times April 16, 2007 They’ve gone after the Clintons, Dick Cheney, and even Tom DeLay, all in the pursuit of good government. But now the leaders of Judicial Watch are facing their own set of ethical questions from a former client who helped the conservative watchdog group make headlines. The allegations are outlined in a lawsuit filed in D.C. federal court by one-time Hollywood entrepreneur (and four-time felon) Peter F. Paul, who claims that Judicial Watch violated its ethical obligations during its...

NEW YORK -- For months, former New York Post scribe Jared Paul Stern was at the center of unseemly accusations that he tried to shake down billionaire Ronald Burkle in exchange for good press in the newspaper's gossip pages. Now Stern has fired back in a lawsuit filed Thursday against Burkle, the Post's archrival Daily News _ even former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom Stern accuses of attacking him in an effort to suppress negative stories about themselves. Represented by a longtime critic of the Clintons, Stern alleges the defendants defamed and inflicted emotional distress on...

OTTAWA - Canadian, U.S. and Mexican politicians discussed using "stealth" to overcome public resistance to the integration of the three countries at a confidential meeting last year, according to documents just released under U.S. Freedom of Information laws. Top military brass, corporate executives and diplomats also attended the meeting in Banff, Alta., where participants discussed everything from the harmonization of food and drug standards, to common immigration policies, and the pooling of energy resources. The secret guest list of the North American Forum included then-U.S. secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld, Canadian Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier, Public Safety...

NOTE: the newswire will have the press release soon. AP and the WashTimes will have stories tomorrow. =============================================== HILLARY'S TOP DONOR SUES TOM FITTON AND JUDICIAL WATCH FOR FUNDRAISING ABUSE, MALPRACTICE AND ETHICS VIOLATIONS Peter Paul Files Suit Against Public Watchdog Group for Withholding Millions Donated to Support His Civil Fraud Suit Against Hillary and Bill Clinton Fitton and Judicial Watch Abandoned Paul as Client and Misrepresented to Their Donors That They Were Still Representing Him to Raise More Money (Washington, D.C., February 6, 2007). Peter Paul, former partner of Spider Man creator Stan Lee, sued his former counsel, Judicial...

Judicial Watch says Donald Rumsfeld and other U.S. Defense Department officials have met with other countries' officials to discuss effectively erasing the borders between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The public-interest group Judicial Watch has released documents pertaining to a meeting last fall in Banff, Alberta (Canada), called the "North American Forum," which was attended by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other high-level U.S. Department of Defense officials. According to the watchdog group, the meeting was put on by a government agency that wants to "harmonize" the laws throughout North America. The North American Forum was sponsored by the...

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced Friday that it has filed an open records lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department related to the department’s policies concerning illegal immigration. Judicial Watch’s lawsuit, filed on Dec. 22, 2006 in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill., asks the court to compel the Chicago Police Department to comply with Judicial Watch’s Oct. 13, 2006 Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking documents pertaining to policies and procedures governing the interaction between Chicago police officers and known or suspected illegal aliens. Judicial Watch began its investigation...

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released its 2006 list of Washington’s “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” The list, in alphabetical order, includes: 1. Jack Abramoff, Former Lobbyist – 2. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) 3. Former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) 4. Former Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) 5. Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) 6. Rep. Denny Hastert (R-IL) 7. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) 8. Rep. William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson (D-LA) 9. Former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH) 10. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) 6 Dishonorable Mentions: 1. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) 2....

FBI IRRESPONSIBLE IN MAKING EARLY STATEMENT THAT CRASH OF AIRLINER NOT DUE TO TERRORISM Agency, Along With Clinton Administration, Derelict In Fighting Terrorism During 1990's Government Has “Blood On Its Hands” For Failure to Do Its Duty (Washington, D.C.) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government abuse and corruption, today watched, with horror, as yet another U.S. airliner exploded, apparently killing all passengers aboard. Given the current state of affairs, obviously terrorism cannot be ruled out. Yet, in an apparent attempt to deflect blame from its continuing dismal performance in protecting the American people, the ...

Last week the stakes were raised in the battle over illegal immigration when California Superior Court Judge Rolf M. Treu allowed the ACLU of Southern California to intervene on behalf of illegal immigrants and others in Judicial Watch’s lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police Department over “Special Order 40.” You will recall that Special Order 40 is a set of policies and procedures that prevents police officers from inquiring about an individual’s immigration status and communicating freely with federal immigration officials. The ACLU contends that illegal immigrants ought to be able to congregate on street corners seeking illegal jobs without...

U.S. Government Working Groups & Business Leaders Seek to “Harmonize” Regulations with Canada and Mexico (Washington, DC) -- Judicial Watch, the public interest organization that promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law, today released records obtained under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce concerning the “Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America.” On March 23, 2005, heads of government Vincente Fox, George W. Bush, and Paul Martin launched the North American partnership at a meeting in Waco, Texas, with the expressed goal...

A court hearing is scheduled this coming week for arguments in what could be one of the biggest decisions ever in the United States' battle over the integrity of its borders. Officials with Judicial Watch say the case ultimately could decide whether the borders will be secured and the nation protected from illegal immigration, or not. The issue is the Los Angeles police department's Special Order 40, which bans officers from enforcing immigration laws in certain circumstances. "With the help of the ACLU, these illegal immigrants want to be able to seek illegal work on street corners without fear of...

August 27, 2006 -- If there were any doubt that a federal judge's decision earlier this month declaring the Bush administration's warrantless-surveillance program unconstitutional was blatantly political, consider this: Judicial Watch reports that the judge, Anna Diggs Taylor, is an officer and trustee of a group that funds the American Civil Liberties Union's Michigan branch - which was a plaintiff in the case. Indeed, the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan's board of trustees, which includes Judge Taylor, makes all funding decisions for the group - and has given the local ACLU at least $125,000 since 1999. Legal-ethics experts disagree on...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 — The federal judge who ruled last week that President Bush’s eavesdropping program was unconstitutional is a trustee and an officer of a group that has given at least $125,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union in Michigan, a watchdog group said Tuesday. The group, Judicial Watch, a conservative organization here that found the connection, said the link posed a possible conflict for the judge, Anna Taylor Diggs, and called for further investigation. “The system relies on judges to exercise good judgment, and we need more information and more explanation about what the court’s involvement was in...

U.S. District Judge Who Presided Over Government Wiretapping Case May Have Had Conflict of Interest (Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and judicial abuse, announced today that Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, who last week ruled the government’s warrantless wiretapping program unconstitutional, serves as a Secretary and Trustee for a foundation that donated funds to the ACLU of Michigan, a plaintiff in the case (ACLU et. al v. National Security Agency). Judicial Watch discovered the potential conflict of interest after reviewing Judge Diggs Taylor’s financial disclosure statements. According to her 2003 and 2004...

Judge Anna Diggs Taylor Serves as Secretary and Trustee of Foundation that donated funds to ACLU of Michigan, a Plaintiff in the Case Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and judicial abuse, announced today that Judge Anna Diggs Taylor, who last week ruled the government’s warrantless wiretapping program unconstitutional, serves as a Secretary and Trustee for a foundation that donated funds to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, a plaintiff in the case ACLU et al. v. National Security Agency. Judicial Watch discovered the potential conflict of interest after reviewing Judge Diggs...

If there is one message that the small group of Washington, D.C. interns can carry with them after leaving the “How to Fight Corruption in Washington” seminar at Judicial Watch, it is that “no one is above the law!” The adamant slogan of the conservative, non-partisan educational foundation for government accountability was the central theme of the July 20 event exclusively for interns, which featured Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, Director of Litigation Paul Orfanedes and Director of Investigations and Research Chris Farrell. This educational program highlighted “the value of independent watchdog groups in the pursuit of transparency and accountability...

In unearthed letter urged President-elect Clinton to 'reform' country A letter to Bill Clinton written by the co-counsel who successfully argued the Roe v. Wade decision urged the then-president-elect to "eliminate the barely educated, unhealthy and poor segment of our country" by liberalizing abortion laws. Ron Weddington, who with his wife Sarah Weddington represented "Jane Roe," sent the four-page letter to President Clinton's transition team before Clinton took office in January 1993. The missive turned up in an exhibit put together by the watchdog legal group Judicial Watch, which has been researching the Clinton administration's policy on the abortion drug...