Klayman Demands That Book Be Corrected with Truthful Narrative and New Cover; Claimed Author Tom Fitton Tries to Pass Himself Off As Klayman
(Washington D.C., July 31, 2012). Today, Larry Klayman, the founder of Judicial Watch and Freedom Watch, reacted to Tom Fitton, the current head of Judicial Watch, releasing a book, published by Simon and Schuster, titled “Corruption Chronicles,” which not only misleads readers about the history of the organization, but attempts to trade off of and profit from Klayman’s accomplishments and prior book. Having demanded that this book be reissued with a new truthful version and an original non-infringing cover, and Fitton not having responded, Klayman issued a warning that a lawsuit would follow if Fitton continued on his “path of deception.”
Klayman founded Judicial Watch in 1994 after 17 years as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and in private practice, to investigate and prosecute government corruption and abuse. Before he left to run for the U.S. Senate in Florida in late 2003, Klayman’s successes and reputation at Judicial Watch grew to such a level that the NBC hit series “West Wing” created a character after him, Harry Klaypool of Freedom Watch, played by actor John Diehl. Klayman liked the name Freedom Watch so much, that he later founded a new legal watchdog by this same name.
In 2009, Klayman wrote an autobiography about his reasons for conceiving of and founding Judicial Watch and his mission to bring ethics and honesty to government and the legal profession. Titled “Whores: Why and How I Came to Fight the Establishment,” the book was widely acclaimed for its non-partisanship and importance. It was adorned with a vivid red, black and white cover. See CSPAN Washington Journal interview at www.freedomwatchusa.org.
On the jacket of the book cover, here are what various media icons and activists have said about Klayman’s accomplishments and work at Judicial Watch and thereafter.
“His idea of fun is trying to kick down a door some public official has marked secret…. Larry Klayman is himself a conservative, but there’s nothing partisan about his indignation.” Bill Moyers, “NOW” PBS.
“Larry… I appreciate your own maverick — if we can still use that word! Thinking and stands.” Frank Rich, The New York Times.
“Larry Klayman is a prickly troublemaker uncongenial to party and ideological establishment.” Robert Novak, late columnist.
“Through his challenge of secrecy rules, Larry Klayman has become a force in Washington.” Louis Jacobson, National Journal.
“That Time Magazine has yet to name Larry Klayman ‘Man of the Year’ is a failure of Time, not Klayman’s.” Jack Cashill, author of “Ron Brown’s Body.”
“Larry Klayman is my hero because he has integrity — enough to prevent him from blind loyalty to party or ideology…That’s because he is fearless in the pursuit of justice… There were other men like Larry early in American history. Their names were Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Henry.” Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily owner and editor.
Despite this, in Fitton’s “Corruption Chronicles” he claims credit for all of Klayman’s accomplishments as chairman and general counsel during the many years that he was Klayman’s underling, not mentioning Klayman’s name even once. Fitton even claims credit for Klayman’s founding of Judicial Watch and Klayman’s work prior to Fitton having been hired. Incredibly, Fitton is not a lawyer and has never once argued a Judicial Watch case in court. Nor had he graduated from college when Klayman hired him, despite him having represented to Klayman that he had graduated from George Washington University. And, to make matters worse, not only was “Corruption Chronicles” principally and secretly written, without attribution, by a ghost writer, Ben Shapiro, the cover of the book seeks to pass itself off as and profit from Klayman’s by using the same color scheme and format and is thus confusingly similar and infringing. In short, Fitton seeks to pass himself off as his former boss.
“The readers of ‘Corruption Chronicles’ deserve not to be deceived. They deserve an honest account of Judicial Watch’s accomplishments, consistent with the ethics ideals of the baby I conceived or and birthed. If the book is not corrected and reissued, I will file suit against Fitton, as he too, consistent with Judicial Watch’s mission to fight corruption, is not ‘above the law.'”
Klayman currently is the chairman and general counsel of Freedom Watch (www.freedomwatchusa.org), which he also founded. Media contact: Adrienne Mazzone 561-750-9800 x210; amazzone@transmediagroup.com.