NLPC continues to battle the Clinton Administration in federal court over Hillary Rodham Clinton’s secret health care task force.  Although the issue has faded from public view, there remain several critical, unresolved issues.

Above all, NLPC wants to make sure that a major government initiative is never again developed in secret, illegal sessions.

It was NLPC that successfully sued in 1993 to open the secret meetings and records of the task force.  As a result, hundreds of thousands of previously secret documents have been released to the public and media.  NLPC’s co-plaintiffs in the case are the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons and the American Council for Health Care Reform.

Magaziner Lied to NLPC
Most recently, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s top aide Ira Magaziner escaped criminal prosecution for perjury when the U.S. Attorney for D.C. Eric Holder, announced that he would not prosecute Magaziner despite overwhelming evidence that he had lied to NLPC.

On March 3, 1993, Magaziner swore under oath that all participants in Hillary’s task force were government officials.

At that very moment, dozens of lobbyists for corporations that would profit under Hillary’s plan were active participants in the task force.

It was not a small point.  The whole lawsuit turned on that very question.  NLPC filed suit under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which requires open meetings if lobbyists and other private individuals meet with government officials.

As long as Magaziner claimed there were no outsiders, he could argue the meetings could stay closed.

The request for a criminal investigation was made by U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth, who presided in the case against the task force.

A Politicized Justice Department
Holder’s refusal to indict Magaziner came as no surprise to NLPC.  In fact, NLPC had questioned whether Holder could conduct an impartial investigation because of a glaring conflict of interest.

According to news reports, Holder was at the time under consideration by President Clinton for appointment as a judge to the U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C.

NLPC cited this fact in a January 23, 1995 request of Attorney General Janet Reno that an independent counsel be appointed to investigate Magaziner.  A majority of members of the House Judiciary Committee made the same demand.  On May 10, Reno rejected the request.

NLPC Chairman Ken Boehm reacted sharply, “This is nothing short of a cover-up.  It is obvious that Magaziner lied to us.  One Clinton crony cannot be expected to investigate another.” Magaziner was represented during the criminal investigation by Charles Ruff, who himself was considered by Clinton for appointment as Attorney General before it came to light that he failed to pay taxes for a domestic helper.

Jan. 25, 1993
Hillary appointed head of Health Care Task Force

Feb. 11, 1993
NLPC demands White House open meetings

Feb. 16, 1993
White House Counsel Bernard Nussbaum refuses NLPC request to open secret meetings

Feb. 24, 1993
NLPC and two other groups file suit

Mar. 3, 1993
Task force director Ira Magaziner lies to NLPC under oath

Mar 10, 1993
Federal Judge Royce C. Lamberth orders Hillary to open meetings

May 31, 1993
Task Force allegedly disbands

June 14, 1993
Washington Times reports shredding of Task Force documents

June 15, 1993
Judge Lamberth orders White House to stop destroying documents.
 
Sept. 22, 1993
Administration presents health care plan to Congress

Dec. 21, 1994
Judge Lamberth accuses Magaziner of lying and asks U.S. Attorney Eric Holder for criminal investigation

Jan. 6, 1995
Washington Post reports that Holder is under consideration for appointment to federal judgeship

Jan. 23, 1995
NLPC requests that Attorney General Janet Reno appoint special prosecutor to investigate Magaziner perjury

Mar. 3, 1995
Reno announces she won’t appoint special prosecutor

Aug. 3, 1995
U.S. Attorney Holder announces he won’t prosecute Magaziner.

EW

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