| For Immediate Release May 3, 2001 |
Contact: Press Office 202-646-5172 |
Incredibly, Bush Administration Considering Clinton-Appointed U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White As Replacement (Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government abuse and corruption, is pleased that FBI Director Louis Freeh has decided to �call it quits.� Freeh�s tenure as FBI Director was marred by one scandal after another, including but not limited to Filegate, Waco, the Ruby Ridge cover-up, the Olympic bombing �frame-up� of Richard Jewell, falsification of evidence concerning the Oklahoma City bombing, the persecution of Department of Energy whistleblower Notra Trulock, and last but not least, the Robert Hanssen Russian spy caper, to name just a few. While Freeh was a favorite of some Republicans, he also bent over backwards for the Clinton-Gore Administration � claiming that he disagreed with Janet Reno over her failure to appoint independent counsels in the Chinagate scandal, but doing nothing to force her to obey the law. Because of his corrupt behavior, Freeh was placed on Judicial Watch�s �10 Most Wanted List,� which was unveiled during the group�s 5th Annual Conference in Pasadena, California, in October, 1999. Reported possible replacements for Freeh include a number of candidates, including, incredibly, Clinton-appointed U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White (see �Administration Begins Search for Freeh�s Successor,� by Dan Eggen, The Washington Post, Thursday, May 3, 2001), who not only �deep-sixed� the Teamsters investigation, but now is apparently covering up the Pardongate scandal. Evidence of a cover-up can be gleaned from the recent appearances of Denise Rich on a Barbara Walters special and on Larry King, since any serious prosecutor who had just granted immunity to the key witness would not have allowed the witness to appear on television to defend the putative defendants of the probe. �While Louis Freeh was a scourge on the FBI, one can only imagine what would happen to the agency under Mary Jo White,� stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman. �Nevertheless, Judicial Watch is pleased that Freeh is no longer FBI Director. Perhaps now the once proud agency can be returned to one of integrity �free� from Freeh�s legacy of corruption,� stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. �Judicial Watch encourages President George W. Bush to appoint a non-political and top-notch FBI Director to revive this important agency. As a former Justice Department lawyer, I�ve always admired the FBI and want to see it restored to its great tradition,� added Klayman. | |