| Printed from JudicialWatch.org Dec 31, 1999 |
Contact: Press Office 202-646-5172 |
Courts Lack Courage to Step In Where Congress Failed to Act (Washington, D.C.) Bob Barr, one of the very few Congressmen to have the courage to match actions with deeds, and Judicial Watch, the public interest watchdog which does not shy away from doing what's legally right, no matter what the odds, attempted in actions before three federal courts, to block transfer of the Panama Canal at 12 noon today to what, in effect, is a Communist Chinese operation. While the courts did not enter the requested temporary restraining order - Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor denied the final request at 11:50 a.m. today, just 10 minutes before the transfer - the lawsuit will continue in an effort to invalidate the Panama Canal Treaty, which was never ratified properly by both the United States and Panama. "This is just round one. Judicial Watch has other legal actions �up its sleeve,' to not only invalidate the Panama Canal Treaty, but to have declared void the lease which allowed the Communist Chinese company, Hutchison-Whampoa, to seize control of both ports of the Panama Canal. We and our allies have just begun to fight," stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman. "It is shocking, but not surprising, that with all the recent fanfare on Capitol Hill about the illegal Panama Canal Treaty, only one public official, Bob Barr, had the courage to speak with actions and not just words. The American people should thank Mr. Barr for his strength of character and purpose in fighting ongoing Communist Chinese occupation of the Panama Canal," added Klayman. The court filings are available on Judicial Watch's website at www.JudicialWatch.org. | |