According to Radio Habana Cuba, the official broadcasting service of the Cuban government, the public interest law firm Judicial Watch is 'reactionary' for bringing to light the Clinton administration's cooperation with Castro's government.
Regime expresses support for Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd
By I. J. Toby Westerman.. WorldNetDaily.com. June 20, 2000
The Cuban government of Fidel Castro has again interjected itself into U.S. politics, complaining about changes in the legal staff employed by the U.S. relatives of Elian Gonzalez and slamming Judicial Watch and former Independent Counsel Kenneth
Starr, according to official sources.
A report from Radio Habana Cuba, the official broadcasting service of the Cuban government, says the public interest law firm Judicial Watch is "reactionary" for bringing to light the Clinton administration's cooperation with Castro's government in the Elian Gonzalez case.
"Reactionary Judicial Watch" is "participating in Elian's retention" because it is "attempting to bring the U.S. government into court for, in its words, 'collaborating with the Cuban government,'" according to the report.
Also carried by the same Cuban broadcast were accusations that Starr is engaged in "what many call a witch hunt, not only against President William Clinton, but in essence against the Democratic Party."
The Cuban government was reacting to Elian's Miami relatives hiring staff from Kirkland & Ellis, the law firm associated with Starr.
Ironically, observers have also condemned the hiring of Kirkland & Ellis due to its ties with the Democratic Party and the senatorial campaign of Hillary Clinton.
The statements concerning Judicial Watch and Starr were made by Cuban journalists participating in a recent segment of Cuban television's ongoing "roundtable discussions," according to Radio Habana.
Judicial Watch has obtained documents through a lawsuit based upon the Freedom of Information Act that demonstrate a close, cooperative effort between the Clinton White House and the Cuban government. According to a June 7 press release from Judicial Watch, many of the documents thus far
obtained "bear directly" upon the Elian case and "may have changed the early outcome of the case," had they come to light earlier.
In a phone interview with WorldNetDaily, Chris Farrell, director of investigations for Judicial Watch, stated that Radio Habana's comments could have a bearing upon the issue of Cuban influence upon the Clinton administration. Farrell said the remarks would be studied further.
The attack on Judicial Watch and Starr contrast sharply with the favorable coverage given to Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd and his assault on "the excessive power and influence ... of the Cuban-American National Foundation" and the "anti-Cuba lobby on Capitol Hill."
Dodd, who is seeking to review U.S./Cuba relations, was quoted as condemning the Cuban-American National Foundation for having "so much power in the U.S. Congress" and for stifling discussion on issues that are "in the best interest of the United States," according to the
broadcast.
Pressure to relax ties with the Castro government is growing. Influential farm and commercial interests are seeking access to Cuban markets. They argue that barriers to Cuban trade should fall just as they have in China and Russia.
The Castro government, however, has made it clear that it demands not only greater access to U.S. markets, but also the repeal of the Cuban Adjustment Act, which allows Cubans reaching dry land in the U.S. to request -- and obtain -- asylum.
The sight of Cubans risking death to escape from the island nation is an embarrassment to Castro -- as well as to his friends in the United States.
Castro has stated that the case of Elian Gonzalez was a "lesson for us" in the value of the manipulation of U.S. public opinion. Critics of Castro predict the U.S. can expect a major "publicity blitz" on not only the easing of trade with Cuba, but also for the repeal of the
Cuban Adjustment Act.
I. J. Toby Westerman is a contributing editor to WorldNetDaily.com and WorldNet magazine.
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