Clinton Files Answers Under Oath About Email System in JW Discovery CA and L.A. County to Remove up to 1.5 Million Inactive Vote

MARCH 2019 VOLUME 25 / ISSUE 3 VerdictA News Publication from Judicial Watch A News PublicationWWW.JUDICIALWATCH.ORG from Judicial Watch CA and L.A. County To Remove Up To 1.5 Million Inactive Voters, Settle JW Lawsuit

Judicial Watch signed a settlement agreement with the state of California and county of Los Angeles under which they will begin the process of removing from their voter registration rolls as many as 1.5 million inactive registered names that may be invalid. These removals are required by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The NVRA is a federal law requiring the removal of inactive registrations from the voter rolls after two general federal elections (encompassing from two to four years). Inactive voter registrations belong, for the most part, to voters who have moved to another county or state or have passed away. Los Angeles County has over 10 million residents,

more than the populations of 41 of the 50 United AP PHOTO/RICH PEDRONCELLI,FILE See VOTERS on page 2 Former California Governor Jerry Brown Clinton Files Answers Under Oath About Email System In JW Discovery

Hillary Clinton on December 14, 2018 submitted additional written answers under oath about her email system. Clinton testified that she used the controver- 3 sial email system for the “purpose of convenience.” Message from Clinton initially objected and refused to answer the the President questions, but was ordered to do so by U.S. District 8 Court Judge G. Emmet Sullivan. Court Report The court ordered Clinton to “[D]escribe the creation of the clintonemail.com domain name and the 11 decision to set the domain up on the existing server, Corruption the date it was decided to create the domain and set it Chronicles up on the existing server, who made those decisions, 15 and when the domain became operational on the exist- Government ing server.” Uncovered Mrs. Clinton answered under oath: 18

BY EVAN EL-AMIN “Subject to and without waiving the foregoing In the Media Hillary Clinton See EMAIL on page 6 Cover Story Voters From page 1 www States. California is America’s largest state, with almost 40 million resi- “Judicial Watch and its dents. clients are thrilled with Judicial Watch is a conservative, Judicial Watch filed a 2017 fed- non-partisan American educational eral lawsuit to force the cleanup of this historic settlement foundation that promotes transparency, voter rolls (Judicial Watch, Inc., et al. that will clean up election accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. v. Dean C. Logan, et al. (No. 2:17-cv- rolls in Los Angeles County Judicial Watch advocates high standards 08948)). JW sued on its own behalf and California — and set of ethics and morality in America’s and on behalf of Wolfgang Kupka, public life and seeks to ensure that Rhue Guyant, Jerry Griffin and De- a nationwide precedent public officials do not abuse the powers entrusted to them by the American people. lores M. Mars, who are lawfully reg- to ensure that states istered voters in Los Angeles County. Judicial Watch Board of Directors take reasonable steps Chris Farrell, Tom Fitton, Paul Orfanedes Judicial Watch was also joined by to ensure that dead and Editor Election Integrity Project California, Carter Clews Inc., a public interest group that has other ineligible voters are Editorial Assistant long been involved in monitoring removed from the rolls.” Janice Rurup California’s voter rolls. Senior Writer In its lawsuit, Judicial Watch al- ~ Judicial Watch President Dr. Larry Hunter leged: Tom Fitton Circulation Director John Albertella www l Los Angeles County has more vot- Direct Response Marketing Manager er registrations on its voter rolls Ariana Azizkeya than it has citizens who are old Graphic Design Consultant Jeanne Minnix enough to register. Specifically, l The entire state of California has a according to data provided to and registration rate of about 101 per- Production and Traffic Manager Tim Wathen published by the U.S. Election As- cent of its age-eligible citizenry. Public Affairs Director sistance Commission, Los Angeles Jill Farrell County has a registration rate of l Eleven of California’s 58 counties Member Services 112 percent of its adult citizen have registration rates exceeding 1 (888) 593-8442 population. 100 percent of the age-eligible citi- Fax (202) 646-5199 zenry. Social Media www.JudicialWatch.org The lawsuit confirmed that Los www.facebook.com/JudicialWatch Angeles County has on its rolls more www.twitter.com/JudicialWatch than 1.5 million potentially ineligible Send your comments voters. This means that more than and questions to Editor, The Judicial Watch Verdict® one out of every five LA County reg- c/o [email protected] istrations likely belongs to a voter Annual suggested donation is $35. who has moved or is deceased. Judi- Requests should be sent to: cial Watch notes that “Los Angeles The Judicial Watch Verdict® County has the highest number of Judicial Watch inactive registrations of any single 425 Third Street, SW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20024 county in the country.” The Judicial Watch lawsuit also The Judicial Watch Verdict® is published monthly and distributed to its members, uncovered that neither the state of supporters and interested parties by California nor Los Angeles County Judicial Watch, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit had been removing inactive voters organization incorporated in 1994 from the voter registration rolls for in the District of Columbia. the past 20 years. The Supreme Copyright 2019 by Judicial Watch © All rights reserved. Court affirmed last year inHusted v. Editorial content may be duplicated with A. Philip Randolph Inst., 138 S. Ct. attribution and without permission. 1833 (2018), that the NVRA “makes SHUTTERSTOCK March 2019 l Vol. 25 l Issue 3 U.S. Supreme Court See VOTERS on page 4

2 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT JW Testifies Before Congress About Clinton Foundation Ethics/Pay-To-Play By Tom Fitton fidence in these promises, so we www began immediately monitoring the “Judicial Watch had ethics process for the Clintons and zero confidence in these submitted a Freedom of Informa- tion Act (FOIA) request in 2011. [Hillary Clinton] promises, The Clinton State Department so we began immediately leadership ignored our FOIA monitoring the ethics request and we sued after waiting process for the Clintons JUDICIAL WATCH for two years. Our 2013 lawsuit produced documents showing the and submitted a Freedom of On December 13, 2018, I was State Department rubber-stamped Information Act request honored to testify on behalf of President Clinton’s and the Clin- in 2011.” Judicial Watch before the House ton Foundation’s ethics review Committee on Oversight and Gov- requests, which we deailed in a ~ Judicial Watch President ernment Reform’s Subcommittee on report with the Washington Exam- Tom Fitton Government Operations in a hear- iner in 2014: www ing titled, “Oversight of Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Study on “A joint investigation by the the Clinton Foundation.” Here is Washington Examiner and the entities with business or policy an abridged version of my opening nonprofit watchdog group Ju- interests in the U.S. — did not ob- statement on this major scandal: dicial Watch found that former ject to a single one. And, the State President Clinton gave 215 Department approved a consulting Judicial Watch has had speeches and earned $48 million agreement between Bill Clinton long-standing concerns with the while his wife presided over U.S. and a controversial Clinton Foun- Clintons’ ethics and respect for foreign policy, raising questions dation adviser, Doug Band. the rule of law. So, it was with about whether the Clintons The consultancy with Band’s some skepticism that we greeted fulfilled ethics agreements relat- Teneo Strategy ended eight months Hillary Clinton’s promises 10 ed to the Clinton Foundation later following an uproar over years ago to avoid conflicts of during Hillary Clinton‘s tenure Teneo’s ties to the failed invest- interest with her Foundation and as secretary of state.” ment firm MF Global. The memos her husband’s business activities approving Mr. Clinton’s speeches as secretary of state. State Department officials were routinely copied to Cheryl She pledged that as secretary charged with reviewing Bill Clin- Mills, Hillary Clinton’s senior coun- of state, she would not participate ton’s proposed speeches — some sel and chief of staff. Additionally, personally and substantially in of which were delivered in global an inspection by the Examiner and any particular matter involving hotspots and were paid for by JW of donations to the Clinton specific parties in which The Foundation, Hillary Clinton’s per- William J. Clinton Foundation (or sonal financial disclosure forms and the Clinton Global Initiative) is a the State Department conflict-of-in- party or represents a party; and the terest reviews show that at least Clintons promised that President $48 million flowed to the Clintons’ Clinton’s speeches and business personal coffers from many entities activities would undergo a State that clearly had interests in influ- Department ethics review and that encing the Obama administration the Clinton Foundation would — and perhaps currying favor with disclose its donors online and a future president as well. agree to significant restrictions on Saudi Arabia, for example, support from foreign governments. was a key Clinton benefactor. Judicial Watch had zero con- See MESSAGE on page 5

www.JudicialWatch.org 3 Cover Story Voters From page 2 this removal mandatory.” The new settlement agreement, filed with U.S. District Court Judge Manuel L. Real, requires all of the 1.5 million potentially ineligible registrants to be notified and asked to respond. If there is no response, those names are to be removed as required by the NVRA. California Secretary of State Padilla also agrees to update the state’s online NVRA manual to make clear that ineligible names must be removed and to no- tify each California county that they are obligated to do this. This should lead to cleaner voter rolls statewide. Judicial Watch has estimated that based on comparisons of national California voter registration census data to voter-roll information, there were 3.5 million more names ensure cleaner elections,” said in April 2018, Judicial Watch filed on various county voter rolls than Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. an amicus brief in the 11th Circuit there were citizens of voting age. “Judicial Watch and its clients are Court of Appeals in support of Al- This settlement could cut this num- thrilled with this historic settlement abama’s voter ID law. In Georgia, ber in half. that will clean up election rolls in Judicial Watch filed anamicus brief This is only the third statewide Los Angeles County and California settlement achieved by private plain- — and set a nationwide precedent tiffs under the NVRA — and Judicial to ensure that states take reasonable www Watch was the plaintiff in each of steps to ensure that dead and other those cases. The other statewide set- ineligible voters are removed from “This settlement tlements were with Ohio (in 2014) the rolls.” vindicates Judicial Watch’s and with Kentucky (2018), which Judicial Watch Attorney Robert groundbreaking lawsuits agreed to a court-ordered consent Popper is the director of the orga- decree. nization’s Election Integrity Project to clean up state voter rolls “This settlement vindicates Judi- and led the Judicial Watch legal team to help ensure cleaner cial Watch’s groundbreaking lawsuits in this litigation. elections.” to clean up state voter rolls to help Judicial Watch is the national leader in enforcing the list mainte- ~Judicial Watch President nance provisions of the NVRA. In Tom Fitton addition to its settlement agreements with Ohio and win in Kentucky, Ju- www dicial Watch also filed a successful NVRA lawsuit against Indiana, caus- ing it to voluntarily clean up its voting rolls, and has an ongoing lawsuit in support of Secretary Brian Kemp’s with the state of Maryland. list maintenance process against a Judicial Watch helped the state of lawsuit by left-wing groups. Judicial Ohio successfully defend their settle- Watch and Georgia won when the ment agreement before the Supreme Supreme Court ruled in Ohio’s favor. Court. In North Carolina, Judicial Judicial Watch was assisted in this Watch supported implementation of case by Charles H. Bell Jr., of Bell, the state’s election integrity reform McAndrews & Hiltachk, LLP; and H. laws, filingamicus briefs in the Su- Christopher Coates of the Law Office WIKIPEDIA preme Court in March 2017. And, of H. Christopher Coates.

4 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 Message from the President Message From page 3 list as a $1 million to $5 million International Scholarship Program The oil-producing giant has had contributor, according to Founda- (CPISP) for the Clinton Global a relationship with the Clintons tion documents. He also pledged Initiative. And by 2010, it had dating back to Bill Clinton’s time as $1 billion to the Clinton Global spent $32 million in conjunction governor of Arkansas. Initiative. According to a 2010 with CGI. The Kingdom of Bahrain In Saudi Arabia, alone, the Clin- investigation by PBS Frontline, reportedly gave between $50,000 ton Foundation received staggering Chagoury was convicted in 2000 and $100,000 to the Clinton Foun- sums from Saudi benefactors — be- in Switzerland for laundering dation. And Bahrain Petroleum tween $18 million and $50 million. money from Nigeria, but agreed to also gave an additional $25,000 to While Hillary Clinton served as a plea deal and repaid $66 million $50,000. secretary of state, Bill Clinton gave to the Nigerian government. It was hard to tell, in light of two speeches in Saudi Arabia, earn- Judicial Watch has since un- the evidence amassed by Judicial ing a total of $600,000. covered many other instances of Watch, where the Clinton State In Russia, Bill Clinton gave two seeming pay to play and favoritism Department ended and where the speeches for $625,000. One was for the Clinton Foundation at the Clinton Foundation began. to the Russian investment bank Clinton State Department. Then there is the Uranium One Renaissance Capital, which was Again illustrative is Crown controversy. At the time, a Russian involved in the Uranium One deal. Prince Salman of Bahrain. A state-owned nuclear firm, Rosatom, As a federal court noted in Decem- Judicial Watch-obtained Huma sought to buy Uranium One, a ber 2018, in an opinion granting Abedin-Doug Band email exchange Canadian mining company. Because Judicial Watch additional discovery from 2009 revealed that Crown Uranium One held licenses for 20 into Hillary Clinton’s emails, this Prince Salman of Bahrain request- percent of America’s uranium pro- Clinton email issue was “one of the ed a meeting with Secretary of duction capacity, the sale had to be gravest modern offenses to govern- State Clinton but was forced to go approved by the nine members of ment transparency.” through the Clinton Foundation the Committee on Foreign Invest- After its lawsuits forced the dis- for an appointment. Abedin advised ment in the United States (CFIUS), closure of the Clinton email server, Band that when she went through including Secretary of State Hillary another Judicial Watch lawsuit “normal channels” at State, Clinton Clinton, who assented to the trans- broke open what is now known as declined to meet. After Band inter- action. Uranium One interests con- the Clinton Foundation “pay-to- vened, however, the meeting was tributed more than $140 million to play scandal.” set up within 48 hours. According the Clinton Foundation. Emails uncovered by Judicial to the Clinton Foundation web- In January 2008, Judicial Watch Watch demonstrate that Clinton site, in 2005, Salman committed took special note that Bill Clinton Foundation donors and supporters to establishing the Crown Prince’s had helped Vancouver mining received special favors and con- mogul Frank Giustra secure tens of sideration from the Clinton State millions of dollars’ worth of urani- Department. um. Guistra built a company that Illustrative is a 2009 email in Announcing Tom Fitton’s became part of Uranium One. The which Band directs Abedin and Judicial Watch Weekly Update Clinton Foundation later received a Mills to put Lebanese-Nigerian $31.3 million donation, as well as a billionaire and Clinton Founda- future pledge of $100 million. tion donor Gilbert Chagoury in NOW, YOU CAN WATCH TOM As discussed above, Judicial touch with the State Department’s FITTON’S JUDICIAL WATCH WEEKLY Watch released more than 200 “substance person” on Lebanon. UPDATE EVERY FRIDAY ON JUDICIAL Clinton conflict-of-interest docu- Band notes that Chagoury is “key WATCH’S OWN YOUTUBE CHANNEL ! ments in 2014, including a record guy there [Lebanon] and to us,” Incisive, exciting and informative, of a speech by Bill Clinton in and insists that Abedin call Amb. Weekly Update provides you Moscow in June 2010 sponsored Jeffrey Feltman to connect him to with Tom’s unique insights into by the investment bank Renais- Chagoury. sance Capital addressing the theme, the week’s top JW news stories. Chagoury is a close friend of “Russia and the Commonwealth of former President Bill Clinton and It’s “must-watch” video at its Independent States: Going Global.” a top donor to the Clinton Foun- best. (Simply type in JWatch.us/ The document notes that “Renais- dation. He has appeared near the subscribe). sance Capital is an investment bank top of the Foundation’s donor See MESSAGE on page 7

www.JudicialWatch.org 5 Cover Story Email From page 1 objections, Secretary Clinton “Mrs. Clinton’s assertion that she used a separate email system as a answers as follows: matter of ‘convenience’ is simply not credible and is belied by evidence and testimony. We intend to pursue additional questions with Mrs. l “As Secretary Clinton prepared in late 2008/early 2009 to serve Clinton and others on this blatant attempt to hide her emails from as Secretary of State, she was Judicial Watch, the courts, Congress and the American people.” aware that President Clinton’s office had set up an email sys- ~ Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton tem, but she had no role in this process.

l “Secretary Clinton knew that l “Secretary Clinton decided to To another question regarding her President Clinton’s staff had use a clintonemail.com ac- October 22, 2015 testimony before recently upgraded that system. count on the system for the the U.S. House of Representatives Se- purpose of convenience. lect Committee on Benghazi, during l “Secretary Clinton does not which she testified that 90 to 95 per- know what equipment that l “Secretary Clinton recalls that cent of her emails “were in the State’s system used, how it was the clintonemail.com account system” and “if they wanted to see created, who decided that the was created in early 2009. Al- them, they would certainly have been system needed to be upgraded, though Secretary Clinton does able to do so,” Clinton suggests she or who else had accounts on not have specific knowledge learned this from her attorneys, who the system. of the details of the creation seem to have guessed this answer. of the account, the ‘domain,’ In a separate Judicial Watch l “Secretary Clinton believes or the ‘domain name,’ her best Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that one of the President’s understanding is that Mr. Coo- lawsuit that first led to the disclosure aides, Justin Cooper, set up per set it up.” of the “private” Clinton email sys- the system. tem, U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth called the Clinton email Hillary Clinton court submission of answers to questions about her email system issue “one of the gravest modern offenses to government transparency” and ordered additional discovery into whether Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email system while Secretary of State was an intentional attempt to “stymie” FOIA. “Mrs. Clinton’s assertion that she used a separate email system as a matter of ‘convenience’ is simply not credible and is belied by evidence and testimony,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “We intend to pursue additional questions with Mrs. Clinton and others on this blatant attempt to hide her emails from Judicial Watch, the courts, Congress and the American people.” In 2016, Clinton was required to submit under oath written answers to Judicial Watch’s questions. Clinton objected to and refused to answer questions about the creation of her email system; her decision See EMAIL on page 7

6 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 Message from the President Message Fight Corruption From page 5 And Receive people with ties to the company focused on the emerging markets of made donations as well. Income For Life Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and sub-Saharan Africa. Renaissance “And, shortly after the Russians Capital has also been linked to announced their intention to Russian efforts to gain control of acquire a majority stake in Ura- Uranium One. nium One, Mr. Clinton received According to a 2013 New $500,000 for a Moscow speech York Times report, the Clinton from a Russian investment bank Foundation hid many of the [Renaissance Capital] with links beneficiaries of the Uranium One to the Kremlin that was promot- deal approved by CFIUS and Mrs. ing Uranium One stock.” Clinton: The evidence is ample to war- “As the Russians gradually as- rant serious investigation of the sumed control of Uranium One Clinton Foundation. And, there is in three separate transactions evidence that a serious investiga- from 2009 to 2013, Canadian tion of the Clinton Foundation was records show, a flow of cash suppressed by the Obama Justice made its way to the Clinton Department. In January 2018, re- Foundation. ports surfaced that the FBI reportedly launched a new investigation You can fight corruption and “Uranium One’s chairman used into potential Clinton Foundation receive income for life through a his family foundation to make pay to play but there has been no Charitable Gift Annuity with Judicial four donations totaling $2.35 indication it is proceeding. Watch. million. Those contributions If you are 55 or older and live in a were not publicly disclosed by A video of the complete hearing is qualifying state*, you could receive the Clintons, despite an agree- available on YouTube: http://jwatch. income for life through a Charitable ment Mrs. Clinton struck with us/TomTestimony. My full opening Gift Annuity with Judicial Watch. A the Obama White House to pub- statement begins at minute mark minimum irrevocable donation of licly identify all donors. Other 11:54. $5,000 is required, of which a portion is tax-deductible. For a free no-obligation illustration of how a Charitable Gift Annuity can Email work for you, please contact Steve From page 6 Andersen at the Judicial Watch Devel- to use the system despite warnings emails “in the State’s system.” opment Office at (888) 593-8442 or by from State Department cybersecurity The answers now provided by email at [email protected] officials; and the basis for her claim Clinton are the latest development in that the State Department had “90 to a Judicial Watch FOIA lawsuit about 95 percent” of her emails. the controversial employment sta- If your age is: You could earn: After a lengthy hearing on No- tus of Huma Abedin, former deputy 60 4.7% vember 13, 2018, U.S. District Court chief of staff to Clinton. The lawsuit, 65 5.1% Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled that which seeks records regarding the 70 5.6% Clinton must address two questions authorization for Abedin to engage in that she refused to answer under outside employment while employed 75 6.2% oath. by the Department of State, was 80 7.3% Judge Sullivan read his opinion reopened because of revelations about 85 8.3% the clintonemail.com system (Judi- from the bench, deciding that the 90+ 9.5% question about the creation of the cial Watch v. U.S. Department of State email system was within the scope (No. 1:13-cv-01363)). The court also (Single-life rates. Call for two-life rates.) of discovery. Judge Sullivan rejected granted discovery to Judicial Watch to Clinton’s assertion of attorney-client help determine if and how Clinton’s *Not available in Hawaii and privilege on the question about the email system thwarted FOIA. Washington state.

www.JudicialWatch.org 7 Judicial Watch Court Report State Dept. Gave Classified Docs To Senators Just Before Trump Inauguration Judicial Watch obtained two sets of heavily redacted State Department documents, 38 pages and 48 pages, showing classified information was re- searched and disseminated to multiple U.S. senators by the Obama administration immediately prior to President Donald Trump’s inauguration. The documents reveal that among those receiving the classified documents were Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and notable anti-Trump Republican Sen. Robert Corker (R-TN). Judicial Watch obtained the documents through a June 2018

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) APIMAGES lawsuit filed against the State De- Senator Ben Cardin, (D-MD) partment after it failed to respond to a February 2018 request seeking (In June 2016, Nuland permitted a “I told Cardin’s folks … that the records of the Obama State Depart- meeting between Christopher Steele process is long. Can we ensure ment’s last-minute efforts to share and the FBI’s legal attaché in Rome. that there are no holdups on our classified information about Russia’s Nuland told CBS News that the State end?” alleged election-interference issues Department knew about the Steele with Democratic Senator Ben Cardin dossier on Trump by July 2016.) Minutes later, Abassi confirms (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of In the email, with the subject line that Nuland was fully aware of the State (No. 1:18-cv-01381)). “For Immediate Review — Call Sheet information that the State Depart- The documents reveal the Obama for S Call with Senator Warner,” ment was providing to members of State Department urgently gather- Abassi writes: Congress alleging Russia interference ing classified Russia investigation information: information and disseminating it to www “This is definitely on EUR A/S members of Congress within hours The documents reveal the of Donald Trump’s taking office. radar!” In a Thursday, January 5, 2017 Obama State Department email chain, then-State Department urgently gathering classified Leaving no doubt that the State Congressional Adviser Hera Abassi Russia investigation infor- Department officials knew they were indicates that then-Assistant Sec- transmitting classified information, retary of State for European and mation and disseminating in a Wednesday, January 18, 2017 Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland’s it to members of Congress email with the subject line, “Ca- bureau was attempting to get Rus- within hours of Donald bles/M,” former Foreign Service sian investigation-related documents Officer Kerem Bilge writes to State to the office of Senator Mark War- Trump’s taking office. Department Congressional Adviser ner’s office as quickly as possible. www See RUSSIAGATE on page 9

8 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 Court Report Russiagate From page 7

Hilary Johnson and others: “Highest President Trump was inaugurated www class is SECRET/NOFORN.” less than 24 hours later. In a Wednesday, January 18, 2017 “We made the deadline! Johnson replies: email, Naz Durakoglu signed off Thank you everyone for what on the document transmittal letter was truly a department- “FYI — so we can keep the on behalf of her bureau. This letter SECRET/NOFORN header, and accompanied “the documents to wide effort!” should declassify it 25 years from Senator Corker and Cardin.” ~Former senior adviser to the tomorrow. In a Thursday, January 19, 2017 assistant secretary for European email, Durakoglu appears to confirm and Eurasian Affairs, less than 24 “I forwarded the fully cleared that she is who carried the docu- hours before Trump inauguration version to the two of you on the ments from the State Department to high side, but let me know if Capitol Hill. She states: “I will be www there’s anything else you need carrying over the cables to the Hill.” from me on this. [Editor’s note: “These documents show re- ‘high side’ is a State Department markable evidence of the nonstop, Russia reportedly sought to foster term for high security classification unethical effort in the Obama State relationships with groups in Germany, system.] Department to gather and send its Austria and France, to include pay- own dossier of classified information ing members to travel to conferences “Note: we’ll need to make sure on Russia in an effort to discredit the in Crimea and Donbas, “where they there is someone in Senate secu- incoming Trump administration,” stoutly defend Russian policy.” rity tomorrow who can accept said Judicial Watch President Tom The following section, these.” Fitton. “Pro-Kremlin NGOs and Think According to a March 2017 report Tanks,” also marked as sensitive, dis- On Wednesday, January 18, 2017, in The Baltimore Sun: cusses the Russian government-fund- Johnson confirms that classified doc- ed Caucasus Research Network, uments were sent to Senator Corker “Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin re- which helped to spread anti-EU in addition to Senator Cardin: ceived classified information about and NATO reports throughout the Russia’s involvement in elections region. Also discussed is the Human “Flagging that I sent you a high when the Obama administration Rights Accountability Global Initia- side request for clearance of the was attempting to disseminate that tive, which was founded by Natalia draft transmittal letter to send material widely across the govern- Veselnitskaya. The Initiative report- documents to Senators Corker ment in order to aid in future in- edly was “working to erode support and Cardin.” vestigations, according to a report for the Magnitsky Act, which im- Wednesday…Obama officials were poses sanctions on…gross human Also involved in providing classi- concerned, according to the report rights violations. The organization fied information to members of the [in The New York Times], that screened an anti-Magnitsky film at Senate was Naz Durakoglu, senior the Trump administration would Washington’s Newseum in June.” adviser to the assistant secretary for cover up intelligence once power The Magnitsky Act attracted pub- European and Eurasian affairs. In changed hands.” lic attention earlier in 2018 when it an email dated Thursday, January 19, was reported Veselnitskaya obtained 2017 with the subject line, “Signed, Judicial Watch has confirmed a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. sealed, delivered.” Durakoglu ap- through previously obtained State De- with the purpose of seeking to un- parently confirms that Obama State partment documents that the Obama dermine the Act. It has been report- Department officials were eager to State Department did, in fact, pro- ed that Russian President Vladimir provide the classified material before vide classified documents to Senator Putin wanted to repeal the Act at Trump was sworn into office. Dura- Cardin. The documents also show least in part because it targeted top koglu states: Russian political interference in elec- Russian officials who had committed tions and politics in countries across human rights violations and were the “We made the deadline! Thank Europe. In a section of the documents beneficiaries of a $230 million tax you everyone for what was truly a provided to Cardin titled, “Political fraud that Magnitsky exposed. department-wide effort!” Parties,” and marked as sensitive,

www.JudicialWatch.org 9 Court Report JW Sues Justice Dept. For Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Security Detail Costs

Judicial Watch on November 2, 2018 filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for records of costs incurred by and logs maintained by the security detail for Spe- cial Counsel Robert Mueller (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:18-cv-02537)). Judicial Watch filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after the agency failed to respond adequately to its March 19, 2018 FOIA request for:

l “All records reflecting expenses AP PHOTO/J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE, FILE incurred by, and disbursements of Special Counsel Robert Mueller funds for, the security detail for Special Counsel Robert Mueller; In a related lawsuit filed in Oc- American people have a right to know and tober 2017, the Justice Department how much taxpayer money is being had refused to release the proposed thrown at Mueller’s massive investiga- l “All logs maintained by the se- budget of Robert Mueller’s special tion. Judicial Watch has never before curity detail assigned to Special counsel office’s but later was forced seen this level of secrecy surrounding Counsel Robert Mueller.” to release details from the heavily the operation of a special or indepen- redacted August 2, 2017 memo- dent counsel.” The special counsel’s office report- randum in which Deputy Attorney Judicial Watch is pursuing numer- edly has spent over $25 million so General Rod Rosenstein granted ous additional FOIA lawsuits related far. broad authority to Special Counsel to the surveillance, unmasking and Robert Mueller, illegal leaking targeting President three months after Trump and his associates during Mueller’s appoint- the FBI’s investigation of potential ment. The ini- Russian involvement in the 2016 tial appointment presidential election. memo, controver- sially, was written www in May 2017. “The Justice De- Judicial Watch is pursuing partment, the FBI numerous additional FOIA and Special Coun- sel Mueller contin- lawsuits related to the ue to operate as if surveillance, unmasking they are above the and illegal leaking targeting law,” said Judicial President Trump and his Watch President associates during the FBI’s Tom Fitton. “The investigation of potential Russian involvement in the 2016 Judicial Watch FOIA complaint seeking presidential election. details on Mueller investigation budget www

10 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 Corruption Chronicles “Crisis” Of Seriously Ill Migrants At Border— TB, Pneumonia, Influenza, Parasites

Weeks after mainstream media outlets reported that illegal immigrants don’t bring disease into the United States, the Border Patrol reveals that it is getting slammed daily with dozens of illegal immigrants carrying “serious illnesses.” This includes tuberculosis, influenza and pneumonia. In fact, a Guatemalan migrant who died in U.S. custody on Christmas Eve had influenza B, a vi- rus that causes respiratory infections. Federal agents are referring 50 illegal immigrants a day for urgent medical care, according to figures obtained by The Washington Times,

D.C.’s conservative newspaper. OMAR MARTINEZ/PICTURE-ALLIANCE/DPA/AP IMAGES Authorities say “it’s unlike anything Central American migrants in Tijuana, Mexico, cross a bridge to the U.S. border they’ve ever seen before.” Many of the migrants have tuberculosis, McAleenan refers to the situation as can be particularly pervasive and parasites or the flu, the feds confirm. a “crisis.” Here’s an excerpt from the dangerous this time of year.” There also are lots of pregnant wom- article: en about to give birth. The article The story proceeds to reveal that quotes Customs and Border Pro- “The ill migrants have been ar- 17 illegal immigrants have been hos- tection (CBP) Commissioner Kevin riving with all kinds of ailments, pitalized and that the Coast Guard McAleenan saying that most of the many with flu or pneumonia that has been deployed to help, send- illegal immigrants were sick when www ing medical teams to Border Patrol they arrived at the U.S. border: sectors getting bombarded with sick Judicial Watch has migrants. They include Yuma and “Many were ill before they de- interviewed medical Tucson, Arizona, as well as the Rio parted their homes. We’re talking Grande Valley. about cases of pneumonia, tuber- experts that confirm illegal It’s unbelievable that a “news” culosis, parasites. These are not immigrants do indeed pose narrative can change so quickly things that developed urgently in a serious public health in just a few weeks. Right before a matter of days.” Christmas, the mainstream media threat to the U.S. by bringing proclaimed illegal immigrants don’t A separate story published by USA dangerous diseases into bring disease into the United States. Today on New Year’s Eve discloses the country, including In various articles, reporters took that in the last few weeks of 2018, tuberculosis, dengue and it a step further by claiming that more than 450 illegal immigrants re- migrants actually help fight dis- quired medical attention for illness- chikungunya. ease. One story, published by NBC es. More than half were children. News and reiterated by various other In the piece, CBP Commissioner www See ILL page 12

www.JudicialWatch.org 11 Corruption Chronicles ILL From page 11 www tens of thousands of illegal immi- outlets, focused on a study commis- grant minors into the country, health sioned by a medical journal. One of The biased coverage experts warned about the serious the researchers received lots of print marked a great example hazards to the American public. for declaring that migrants spreading Most of the Unaccompanied Alien disease is a “false argument” used of the mainstream Children (UAC) came from Central to keep them out. The editor of the media distorting America, like the current caravan, medical journal that conducted the and they crossed into the United study was quoted saying this: “In information to promote States through Mexico, in the same too many countries, the issue of a liberal agenda. way that the caravan expects to. migration is used to divide societies Swine flu, dengue fever and Ebola www and advance a populist agenda.” were among the diseases that the The biased coverage marked a great hordes of UACs brought with them, example of the mainstream media according to lawmakers and medi- distorting information to promote a in the form of potentially deadly cal experts interviewed by Judicial liberal agenda. diseases carried among millions of Watch during the influx. Judicial Watch has interviewed refugees.” As an example, the story At the time, a U.S. congressman, medical experts that confirm illegal reveals that “measles reappeared who also is a medical doctor, told immigrants do indeed pose a serious with a vengeance” in a Brazilian city Judicial Watch about the danger to public health threat to the U.S. by near the Venezuelan border that the American public as well as the bringing dangerous diseases into the had declared the highly contagious Border Patrol agents forced to care country. This includes tuberculo- airborne disease “vanquished” nearly for the UACs. Former lawmaker sis, dengue and chikungunya. After two decades ago. “Measles already is Phil Gingrey referred to it as a “se- returning from covering the Central spreading beyond the Brazilian Ama- vere and dangerous” crisis because American caravan along the Gua- zon to other Brazilian states, as well the Central American youths were temala-Honduras border, Judicial as Colombia, Peru and as far south importing infectious diseases con- Watch spoke with a prominent phy- as Argentina, according to recent sidered to be largely eradicated in sician in a border state who warned Pan American Health Organization this country. Many migrants lack that the migrants will undoubtedly reports.” The article states: basic vaccinations such as those to bring infectious diseases into the prevent chicken pox or measles, United States. Among them are “Other diseases racing through leaving America’s young children and extremely drug-resistant strands of communities in Venezuela are the elderly particularly susceptible, tuberculosis and mosquito-borne dis- now crossing borders and raising Gingrey pointed out then. To handle eases such as dengue and chikungun- concerns among health authori- the escalating health crisis, the CDC ya that are widespread in the region. ties as far away as the U.S.” activated an Emergency Operations The same week, Judicial Watch Center (EOC) that largely operated published the story about the cara- Years ago, when Barack Obama let in secrecy. van health threat that a major newspaper reported on the health crisis created by the influx of Venezuelans fleeing to neighboring countries. Was this issue of the Verdict® passed along to you? Want your own copy each month? the Judicial Watch The migrants are spreading malaria, ® yellow fever, diphtheria, dengue,

march 2019 a News Publication from Judicial Watch Volume 25 / issue 3 Verdicta News Publication from Judicial Watch tuberculosis and AIDS throughout To receive your very own copy of the Verdict WWW.JUDICIALWATCH.ORG Ca and l.a. County to remove up to 1.5 South America. Many of the diseas- each month, make a tax-deductible contribution Million Inactive Voters, Settle JW lawsuit Judicial Watch signed a settlement agreement with the state of California and county of Los Angeles under of $35 or more payable to Judicial Watch and which they will begin the process of removing from es had been considered eradicated their voter registration rolls as many as 1.5 million inactive registered names that may be invalid. These removals are required by the National Voter Registration mail to: Act (NVRA). The NVRA is a federal law requiring the removal of in the neighboring Latin American inactive registrations from the voter rolls after two general federal elections (encompassing from two to four years). Inactive voter registrations belong, for the most part, to voters who have moved to another county or countries, according to government state or have passed away. The Judicial Watch Verdict Los Angeles County has over 10 million residents, more than the populations of 41 of the 50 United

See VoterS ap photo/rich pedroncelli,File officials cited in the article, which on page 2 Former California Governor Jerry Brown 425 Third Street, SW, Suite 800 Clinton Files answers under oath states that “contagion from Venezu- Washington, DC 20024 about email System In JW Discovery Hillary Clinton on December 14, 2018 submitted additional written answers under oath about her email system. Clinton testifi ed that she used the controver- ela’s economic meltdown is starting sial email system for the “purpose of convenience.” 3 Message from Clinton initially objected and refused to answer the the President questions, but was ordered to do so by U.S. District Or you can go online to Court Judge G. Emmet Sullivan. 8 to spread to neighboring coun- The court ordered Clinton to “[D]escribe the cre- Court report ation of the clintonemail.com domain name and the 11 decision to set the domain up on the existing server, Corruption www.judicialwatch.org/donate the date it was decided to create the domain and set it Chronicles up on the existing server, who made those decisions, tries — not financially, but literally, and when the domain became operational on the exist- 15 ing server.” government Mrs. Clinton answered under oath: uncovered

BY eVan el-amin “Subject to and without waiving the foregoing 18 Hillary Clinton In the Media See eMaIl on page 6

12 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 Corruption Chronicles Obama’s Fast And Furious Gunrunning Op Could Help Sinaloa Drug Lord’s Defense

Obama’s scandalous Mexican gunrunning operation could help in the defense of a notorious drug lord on trial in New York, and the feds are trying to ban its mention in the court- room. It’s yet another ripple effect of a shameful Obama experiment known as Operation Fast and Furious that let Mexican drug traffickers obtain U.S.- sold weapons. The failed program was run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and allowed guns from the U.S. to be smuggled into Mexico so they could eventually be traced to drug cartels. Instead, federal law enforcement officers lost track of hundreds of weapons, which were used in an AP PHOTO/EDUARDO VERDUGO, FILE unknown number of crimes, includ- Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, head of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel ing the murder of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry in Arizona. into the United States and, as the arrested. Guzman’s attorneys want Now Joaquin “El Chapo” Guz- leader of a multinational criminal en- to use Fast and Furious as part of the man, head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, terprise, used violence — including defense strategy, according to a New wants to use Fast and Furious to torture and murder — to maintain York newspaper covering the trial, strengthen his defense. The Sinaloa an iron-fisted grip on the drug trade and federal prosecutors are trying to cartel is one of Mexico’s most pow- across the U.S.-Mexico border. The stop it. The article contends the feds erful criminal organizations, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) “are asking a federal judge to block Guzman has been charged with a refers to Guzman as one of the most any defense questions about the pro- multitude of crimes, including drug dangerous and feared drug kingpins. gram in which federal agents allowed trafficking, illegal firearms, money He was extradited from Mexico in illegal weapons to flow over the laundering and conspiracy. Federal 2017. border to Mexico in an effort to gain prosecutors say Guzman smuggled In 2016, Judicial Watch obtained intelligence on drug cartels.” Why? enormous amounts of cocaine, hero- Justice Department documents Prosecutors assert that, by focusing in, methamphetamine and marijuana showing that Fast and Furious on the failures of Fast and Furious weapons have been widely used by (and there are many), Guzman will members of major Mexican drug “distract and confuse the jury.” www cartels, including Guzman. The The government pulled the same documents reveal that 94 Fast and stunt when two of the men involved U.S. intelligence agencies Furious firearms have been recov- in Terry’s murder were tried in fed- knew from the start that the ered in Mexico City and 12 Mexican eral court. A seasoned Border Patrol Sinaloa cartel was the prime states, with the majority being seized agent and Marine Corps veteran, recipient of [Fast and Furious] in Sonora, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa. Terry was killed by a Mexican gang Of the weapons recovered, 82 were member in 2010 in Peck Canyon, weapons. Regardless, the rifles and 12 were pistols. Twenty Arizona. Federal authorities say he United States continued the were involved in “violent recover- was fatally shot when he and other operation and lied to the ies,” which means they were utilized agents encountered a group of men in several mass killings. Among known as a “rip crew” (a criminal Mexican government. them was a .50 caliber rifle seized gang that attempts to steal from drug www from Guzman’s hideout in Los Moch- and alien smugglers) operating in is, Sinaloa, where eventually he was See GUNRUNNING page 14

www.JudicialWatch.org 13 Corruption Chronicles Gunrunning From page 13 www a rural area north of Nogales. The guns — assault weapons known “If I commit a crime with as AK-47s — were traced through a gun, don’t you think their serial numbers to a Glendale, it’s relevant to ask where Arizona, dealer that led to a Phoe- I got that gun? They’re nix man the feds repeatedly allowed to smuggle firearms into Mexico. protecting the criminal.” Six men have been charged with ~ Kent Berry, brother of crimes involving Terry’s murder, and murdered patrol in 2018, the alleged assailant was agent Brian Terry extradited from Mexico. A few years ago, when two members of the rip www crew were tried in connection with

Terry’s murder, federal prosecutors AP PHOTO/MATT YORK asked the judge to ban mentioning Two of these weapons were found at the fatal able to access more weapons thanks Fast and Furious during proceed- shooting of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry to Operation Fast and Furious. One ings. The judge agreed, ruling that Brian Terry border patrol outlet published an in-depth piece, defendants could not refer to or “Fast and Furious: Arms for El Cha- elicit any testimony regarding the “If I commit a crime with a gun, po,” which reveals U.S. intelligence failed gunrunning operation. Ter- don’t you think it’s relevant to ask agencies knew from the start that the ry’s brother, Kent Terry, told Judicial where I got that gun? They’re Sinaloa cartel was the prime recip- Watch the government wants to keep protecting the criminal.” ient of weapons. Regardless, the Fast and Furious out of the limelight United States continued the opera- for political reasons. “It’s upsetting,” Even Mexican media have report- tion and lied to the Mexican govern- Kent Terry said: ed that the Sinaloa drug cartel was ment, the article states.

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14 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 Government

JW Files SCOTUS Brief Opposing Utah GOP Power Grab Aimed At Grassroots Activists Republican Party leadership pushed through law to undermine party activists www Judicial Watch joined with Allied contrary to Supreme Court prece- Educational Foundation (AEF) dent…. November 13, 2018 in filing anamici “If allowed to curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme stand, the Tenth “As the Tenth Circuit majority ac- Court in an effort to overturn a deci- knowledged, the Utah Legislature sion of the Tenth Circuit U.S. Court Circuit’s decision will that adopted SB 54 is ‘comprised of Appeals upholding a Utah law en- significantly degrade of overwhelming Republican gineered by Republican legislators to majorities in both the State House compel Republican Party members the associational and State Senate.’ to change the way they choose their rights of political political candidates. “In other words, members of the Until 2014, GOP members, parties..” Utah Republican Party who could meeting in neighborhood and local not convince fellow members to caucuses, elected delegates to rep- adopt the changes incorporated in resent them at the party nominating ~ Judicial Watch/ SB 54 reconvened as legislators, convention, which then selected AEF amici curiae brief voted their preferences into law, candidates to appear on the general and in this way compelled their election ballot. That changed when fellow members to accept these the Utah legislature enacted into law www changes.

SB 54, which effectively compels “The rationale offered for this par- parties to hold primary elections. ty coup was remarkably thin.” The law was challenged in the courts, was upheld by the Tenth Judicial Watch also points to the Circuit and is on appeal to the U.S. importance of upholding the con- Supreme Court (Utah Republican stitutional rights of free political Party v. Spencer J. Cox, et al. (No. associations: 18-450)). Judicial Watch argues that the “[T]he Tenth Circuit’s facile Republican Party rammed through approach fails to do justice to a the legislature provisions they fundamental First Amendment could not get voluntarily from right. As Alexis de Tocqueville their fellow party members: discerned almost 180 years ago, free political associations are “If allowed to stand, the Tenth particularly important in a dem- Circuit’s decision will significantly ocratic system like ours, where degrade the associational rights the tendency is for individuals of political parties. This result is to go their own separate ways. As he also foresaw, governments Judicial Watch and Allied Educational Foundation amici curiae brief See BRIEF page 17

www.JudicialWatch.org 15 Government Uncovered

INVESTIGATIVE BULLETIN The New York Way: Corruption And Coverups

By Micah Morrison Judicial Watch Investigative Reporter

The Christmas season in New York City truly is a wonderful time. Ev- eryone seems caught up in the spirit of giving, even the crooks. Last year, Christmas brought a special gift: the AP PHOTO/HANS PENNINK denouement of the long-running saga New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio of the mayor, the rat and the NYPD. went away. Reichberg got a license to raised upward of $250,000 for entities Once, in an only-in-New-York mo- carry a gun. Rechnitz was provided linked to de Blasio. ment, the rat and a key co-conspirator, with high-speed police escorts to the Right after the new year, Reichberg both Orthodox Jews, dressed as Santa’s airport. Police closed a lane in the was convicted in federal court on elves and delivered pricey gifts to po- Lincoln Tunnel to whisk a Rechnitz four corruption charges. His former lice officials at the center of a corrup- business associate into Manhattan. friend, Jona Rechnitz, testified against tion scheme. Then there was the time Cash was bestowed on Bill de him. Rechnitz had begun cooperating they flew an NYPD deputy inspector Blasio’s political campaigns — a lot with federal authorities in April 2016, and a detective to Vegas in a private jet of it. “Love you brother,” wrote de after being implicated in a $12 million with a hooker for Super Bowl week- Blasio in an email to Rechnitz the day Ponzi scheme. In August, Rechnitz’s end. And, the time the rat shoved after his 2014 inauguration as mayor. testimony sent another former friend, $60,000 in a Ferragamo handbag to And why not? Rechnitz himself had union boss Norman Seabrook, to pris- pay off a union boss. They showered been showing de Blasio a lot of love, on for bribery and conspiracy. cash on public officials. They bought bundling more than $41,000 for the It’s a mock epic of petty vanities their police friends jewelry, cigars and mayor’s campaign. And there was a and temptations and the erosion of meals at pricey restaurants. They paid lot more to come. The New York Post values, of greed and corruption and for trips to Rome and Israel and the reports that Rechnitz and his allies the flouting of many laws by many Dominican Republic. people in positions of power. Alan In return, the NYPD did favors for www Feuer tracked the sprawling saga for the rat, Jona Rechnitz, and co-con- It’s a mock epic of petty The New York Times in April, detail- spirator Jeremy Reichberg. In a ing a “Dickensian cast of characters” midtown office, The New York Times vanities and temptations and connected in an “intersecting web reported, Rechnitz and Reichberg the erosion of values, of greed of venality and vice.” Bill de Blasio met with “people seeking help with shows up frequently but was charged police matters.” The men would later and corruption and the flouting with no wrongdoing. Lucky him. “split the profits” after the problems of many laws by many people in Reichberg’s co-defendant, for- were resolved. Tickets were fixed, positions of power. mer NYPD Deputy Inspector James jury duty was avoided, problems Grant, was acquitted on all charges. with business rivals and city officials www See CORRUPTION page 17

16 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 Government Uncovered Corruption Brief From page 16 From page 15 Sadly, the bromance did not last. In Grant’s case, prosecutors appar- By April 2016, as Rechnitz began will tend to view private politi- ently failed to meet the public cor- cooperating with federal authorities, cal associations as enemies and ruption standard set by the Supreme de Blasio started to distance himself will try to restrict their freedom. Court’s 2016 McDonnell decision. from his friend. It turns out they Amici respectfully submits that McDonnell narrowed the legal defini- were “not particularly close” after all, the Court plays a vital role in tion of public corruption, mandating de Blasio said. defending these institutions from that prosecutors must show a clear By October of last year, de Blasio needless government encroach- quid pro quo “official act” benefiting was blasting Rechnitz as “a liar and a ments and intrusions — like a crooked scheme. Actions such as felon.” those SB 54 imposes on the Utah “setting up a meeting, talking to an- The mayor and the police com- Republican Party.” other official, or organizing an event” missioner continue to run away from are not enough, the court ruled. “To the story. But for the NYPD, it’s an “Republican power-brokers in qualify as an ‘official act,’ the public important case. Read Feuer’s compre- Utah hate party conventions, which official must make a decision or take hensive report for the galaxy of senior they can’t control, so they passed an action on that question or matter, cops drawn into the scandal here: an unconstitutional law to control or agree to do so.” http://jwatch.us/NewYorkCityGraft the party at the expense of grass- Mayor de Blasio has spent the But, the case calls to mind the roots activists,” said Judicial Watch last two years running away from Knapp Commission’s famous distinc- President Tom Fitton. “The Su- Reichberg and Rechnitz. In March tion between “grass eaters” and “meat preme Court should not allow this 2017, city and federal prosecutors eaters” in police corruption. Most of to stand.” announced they would not bring the improper behavior in the case was The Allied Educational Founda- charges against de Blasio for his of the grass-eating, petty corruption tion is a charitable and educational fundraising practices, some which variety — favors done, tickets fixed, foundation dedicated to improving involved the crooked duo. But Man- etc. — rather than major league, the quality of life through educa- hattan District Attorney Cy Vance meat-eating felonies committed for tion. In furtherance of that goal, criticized the de Blasio effort as a financial gain. Maybe that’s why most the Foundation has engaged in a violation of the “intent and spirit” of of the cops involved were allowed to number of projects, which include, state campaign finance laws. escape with “only” disgrace, demo- but are not limited to, educational In December, the Post revealed tion and early retirement. But cor- and health conferences domestical- that it had located more than 20 ruption is a slippery slope and God ly and abroad. AEF has partnered undisclosed emails between Rech- knows what this crew would have frequently with Judicial Watch to nitz and the mayor. The de Blasio done next, had they not been exposed fight government and judicial cor- administration had failed to produce by good police work. ruption and to promote a return to the emails in response to the Post’s The money was bigger for poli- ethics and morality in the nation’s request under New York’s Freedom of ticians involved in the scandal. Bill public life. Information Law. A de Blasio spokes- de Blasio took a beating in the press, man told the Post that the emails — but avoided prosecution. Union head some of which surfaced in redacted Norman Seabrook was not so lucky. versions during the recent corruption The slippery slope applies to public trial — “weren’t discovered in the figures too, of course. Small crimes search during the FOIL process.” embolden bigger ones. What can How convenient. you get away with? In New York, The new emails show that de defying freedom of information laws Join over 5.3 million Facebook Blasio “had a much cozier relation- has become routine. And around the Friends by “liking us” at ship with Jona Rechnitz than he has country, the case of former Virginia www.facebook.com/judicialwatch admitted,” the Post reported. Governor Bob McDonnell has made “Always stay in touch,” de Blasio prosecuting public corruption more emailed Rechnitz. difficult, raising the bar on hon- “Call upon me anytime I can est-services fraud. help,” says another. Micah Morrison is chief investigative Rechnitz is a “brother,” a reporter for Judicial Watch. “mensch,” a “friend.” Follow us on Twitter and Instagram

www.JudicialWatch.org 17 Judicial Watch

At U.S. Supreme Court Argument, Indiana Claims It Can Forfeit Cars For Speeding, Minor Drug Crimes Forbes November 29, 2018 Arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, Indiana’s solicitor general was already trying to defend confiscating a $42,000 Land Rover taken from Tyson Timbs, who sold less than $400 worth of drugs. Before the day was through though, Solicitor General Thomas Fisher found himself arguing that the Constitution would let him forfeit luxury cars caught going five miles JW President Tom Fitton appears on Fox News with host Todd Piro, January 2019 over the speed limit. Both scenarios involved civil Judge Orders Clinton Email tem was a deliberate effort to thwart forfeiture, which allows law Handling Evidence to Be the Freedom of Information Act. enforcement agencies to seize and Disclosed In a scathing opinion issued keep property, even over the most Bloomberg News Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge tenuous links to wrongdoing, as well December 6, 2018 Royce Lamberth said that despite FBI, as the Eighth Amendment’s ban on A federal judge ordered the U.S. inspector general and congressional excessive fines. During Wednesday’s State Department to disclose possible investigations into Clinton’s use of a oral argument, Fisher claimed that the evidence whether Hillary Clinton private account for all her email traffic latter didn’t apply to the former. used her private email while she was during her four years as secretary of *** secretary of state to intentionally state, the conservative group Judicial Even before Wednesday’s argu- flout public information requests for Watch should be permitted to demand ment, which saw Gorsuch and Soto- government documents. documents and additional testimony mayor offering some of the harshest U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth about the practice. criticisms of civil forfeiture, the Timbs in Washington on Thursday directed case had already scrambled many the State Department to work up a Reporter who broke news of ideological lines. Dozens of organiza- plan to provide relevant records to Steele dossier used to surveil tions filed 18 separateamicus briefs in Judicial Watch, a conservative watch- ex-Trump aide calls its claims support of Timbs. As a result, pro- dog group that sued for emails related largely ‘false’ gressive heavyweights like the ACLU, to the attack on the U.S. diplomatic Fox News the NAACP, and the Southern Poverty compound in Benghazi. Report by Paul Sperry Law Center found themselves on the December 18, 2018 same side as the U.S. Chamber of Judge orders more fact-finding in The salacious and unverified Commerce, Judicial Watch, and other Clinton email case opposition research dossier cited by conservative groups. Meanwhile, Politico the FBI as its main justification to left-leaning municipal organizations, December 12, 2018 surveil a top Trump aide contains including the National Association of The email controversy that dogged several claims that are “likely false,” Counties, National League of Cities, Hillary Clinton through much of the according to the Yahoo News reporter and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2016 presidential race could well be who was among the first to break the jointly filed the onlyamicus brief kicking around through the 2020 news of the dossier’s existence. agreeing with Indiana’s position. contest after a federal judge ordered Michael Isikoff’s statements on additional fact-finding into whether John Ziegler’s Free Speech Broadcast- Clinton’s use of the private email sys- See MEDIA page 19

18 The Verdict l MARCH 2019 In the Media Media From page 18 deployed in Afghanistan — winding America. No surprise, then; this ing podcast came a day before Michael down our 17-year entanglement in the decision reflects consistency of Cohen adviser Lanny Davis reiterated “graveyard of empires.” messaging and action. Promises made, that Cohen has never been to Prague The next day, Defense Secretary promises kept. — where, according to the dossier, James Mattis tendered his resignation, he traveled to arrange a payment to citing President Trump’s “right to have California and Los Angeles Russian hackers during the 2016 pres- a Secretary of Defense whose views County to Remove 1.5 Million idential campaign. are better aligned with yours.” Mattis Inactive Voters from Voter Rolls *** prefaced that acknowledgment of the — Settle Judicial Watch Federal But London court records show president’s prerogative, highlighting Lawsuit that contrary to the FBI’s assessments, a philosophical commonality that Canada Free Press Steele briefed Yahoo News and other Mattis apparently no longer felt January 3, 2019 reporters in the fall of 2016 at the di- comfortable acting upon: “Like you, WASHINGTON — Judicial Watch rection of Fusion GPS — the opposi- I have said from the beginning that announced today that it signed a tion research firm behind the dossier. the armed forces of the United States settlement agreement with the state The revelations were contained in should not be the policeman of the of California and county of Los heavily-redacted documents released world. Instead, we must use all tools Angeles under which they will begin earlier this year after a Freedom of of American power to provide for the the process of removing from their Information Act lawsuit by the organi- common defense, including providing voter registration rolls as many as zation Judicial Watch. effective leadership to our alliances.” 1.5 million inactive registered names There’s an interesting that may be invalid. These removals Media’s ‘19th nervous contradiction in the policy views are required by the National Voter breakdown,’ as Trump fulfills articulated in the Mattis resignation. Registration Act (NVRA). another campaign promise What changed? President Trump The Hill has been consistent in his desire to Los Angeles County agrees to Op-ed by Chris Farrell, Judicial implement a sweeping “America purge up to 1.5 million voters from Watch Director of Investigations First” strategy across all sectors of its rolls in settlement and Research his administration. He is on-record The Washington Times December 18, 2018 as Citizen Trump, as early as 2012, January 7, 2019 President Trump declared victory calling for our withdrawal from Los Angeles County has agreed to over ISIS in Syria on Dec. 19 and Afghanistan, an end to wasteful conduct a purge of its voting rolls, in ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops military spending and endangering a move that could strip perhaps 1.5 from the war-torn region, as well of U.S. forces, and the investment of million inactive voters from the lists of as a substantial reduction in forces taxpayer dollars back into rebuilding See MEDIA page 20

JW Earns Nationwide Media Coverage 1/15 SBS Australia, International – Mention December 19, 2018 – January 19, 2018 1/16 WJIM Lansing, MI – Live The following list partially details recent radio and 1/18 Salem Radio Network National – Live television appearances by Judicial Watch spokesmen, as well as general television and radio coverage of Judicial TV Watch’s investigations and lawsuits. 12/19 Fox News Channel National – Live 12/22 CSPAN2 National – Mention 12/22 Fox News Channel National – Live Radio 12/26 Fox News Channel National – Live 12/18 KFTK St. Louis, MO – Live 1/1 CSPAN2 National – Mention 12/26 WRKO Boston, MA – Live 1/7 Newsmax TV National – Live 12/27 WMAL Washington, DC – Live 1/7 OAN National – Live 12/27 Hannity Radio National – Live 1/8 Fox News Channel National – Live 1/3 SBS Australia, International 1/10 OAN National – Live 1/4 KFTK St. Louis, MO – Live 1/14 Fox News Channel National – Live 1/4 WHO Des Moines, IA – Live 1/15 Fox News National – Mention 1/7 Sirius XM Radio National – Live 1/16 Fox News National – Mention 1/7 KRLA Los Angeles, CA – Live 1/16 OAN National – Live 1/8 WNJC Sewell, NJ – Live 1/16 Fox Business Network National – Mention 1/10 KLZ Denver, CO – Live 1/16 Fox News Channel National – Live 1/10 Bill Martinez Radio National – Live PLUS 355 More!

www.JudicialWatch.org 19 In the Media Media From page 19 Bill Barr’s First Order of talking points for FBI Director James those eligible to cast ballots. Business? Find Out What Obama Comey to brief Obama on the sham The county made the deal in a Knew and When He Knew It investigation. settlement last week with Judicial The Daily Caller You will recall that in 2015 Watch, a conservative public interest Op-Ed by Judicial Watch Director Obama lied to CBS’ Bill Plante when firm, saying that under a recent of Investigations and Research answering how he learned Hillary Supreme Court ruling, it has a duty to Chris Farrell Clinton had used an unsecured email remove names of people who appear January 10, 2019 server. “The same time everybody to have either died, moved from the At 1:50 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 2, else learned it, through news county or lost interest in voting. 2016, Federal Bureau of Investigation reports,” Obama said. The county committed to mailing attorney Lisa Page revealed President In fact, Obama exchanged hundreds of thousands of voters Obama’s direct involvement in the 18 emails with Clinton over her already deemed inactive to see insidiously corrupt Clinton email unsecured, outlaw server. The whether they are still eligible voters, investigation, texting her “secret Department of Justice (DOJ) and to removing names of people who society” conspirator boyfriend, FBI Inspector General (IG) report on the don’t respond to notices and who miss Special Agent Peter Strzok: “Yes, bc Clinton email investigation further two subsequent federal elections. The potus wants to know everything we identifies Comey’s complicity in county also agreed to try to weed out are doing.” the cover-up to shield Obama and dead people still on the rolls. Page’s text was a reply to Strzok, minimize Clinton’s crimes. confirming that she was preparing

Tax Time Is A Good Time to Evaluate Charitable Giving Goals

As income tax day approaches, now may be a good time to evaluate your charitable giving options and plan your 2019 charitable giving goals. As Judicial Watch is a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization, you might consider taking better advantage of charitable giving options offered by Judicial Watch.

1. Become a monthly Amicus donor to Judicial Watch and 3. Consider establishing a Charitable Gift Annuity fight corruption every month If you are 55 or older, you might consider establishing a If you developed a plan for donating a certain amount to Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) with Judicial Watch. A charity this year, consider joining the Judicial Watch Amicus CGA is a financial instrument that provides a donor with a Society and have your support spread out over the year by lifetime of guaranteed income. Through a CGA, a donor can having us automatically charge your credit card or debit make a charitable donation to Judicial Watch (a minimum your bank account each month. In this way you won’t have of $5,000 is required), receive a guaranteed income for the to worry about making last-minute year-end contributions rest of their life, and receive a charitable deduction for the to ensure your charitable giving goals are met while helping gift while supporting our important work. fight corruption every month. 4. Consider leaving Judicial Watch in your will 2. Donate Appreciated Securities When you remember Judicial Watch in your will or other You might consider making a donation of appreciated estate plans, you could receive important tax benefits while securities to Judicial Watch. By donating securities you leaving a legacy of freedom for your loved ones and future have owned for longer than one year, which have increased generations of Americans. Request our brochure, “How to in value, you can deduct the full value of those shares. You Make a Will that Works,” to help you as you make or update also would not have to pay capital gains taxes that would your estate plans. have been owed if you had sold those shares. For more information on donating securities, please call for our “Giving Securities” brochure.

To discuss your charitable giving plans, or for information on any of the charitable giving ideas mentioned above, contact Steve Andersen, Director of Development, at (888) 593-8442 or by email at [email protected].

20 The Verdict l MARCH 2019