| Printed from JudicialWatch.org Dec 9, 1999 |
Contact: Press Office 202-646-5172 |
HATCH SUBJECT OF JUDICIAL WATCH LAWSUITS CONCERNING HIS INVOLVEMENT IN BCCI AND MICROSOFT CASES (Washington, D.C.) Senator Orrin Hatch, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has steadfastly refused to call for the resignation of Attorney General Janet Reno, claiming that he doesn't like to "ruin people's careers" and "the decision should be made by the President." In a recent Republican Party Presidential debate in Arizona, Senator Hatch also staunchly defended the Reno Justice Department's decision and case to break up Microsoft. Senator Hatch's defense of Attorney General Reno and his attacks on Microsoft are, unfortunately, easily explained, and are the subject of two Judicial Watch lawsuits. First, Judicial Watch brought a Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA") lawsuit to uncover facts behind the Attorney General's decision not to investigate and indict Senator Hatch for his alleged involvement in the BCCI scandal. This involvement was first disclosed by the conservative newspaper, The Washington Times. Thus far, Attorney General Reno has illegally refused to produce one document to Judicial Watch and the matter is now pending in federal court. Second, The Washington Post reports today in an article entitled "Microsoft Foes Team Up For Hatch Fund-Raiser," by John Mintz (see page A-26), one of the fine and objective reporters at The Post, that the good Senator is receiving money hand over fist from corporations who would like to see Microsoft dismembered. Indeed, the biggest of the Microsoft competitors, Novell, is located in Utah, the Senator's home state. Judicial Watch also has a FOIA lawsuit concerning Hatch's involvement in the Microsoft case and, as is true in the BCCI case, Attorney General Reno is attempting to stonewall there as well. "Judicial Watch will press hard in the federal courts to obtain documentation showing how Attorney General Janet Reno and several big software companies literally own Senator Hatch and have him in their back pockets," stated Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman. | |