A federal judge has dismissed a racketeering case accusing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of giving out official favors in exchange for financial contributions to her family foundation.
The long-shot lawsuit from conservative legal activist Larry Klayman was filed in March and tossed out Tuesday because Klayman did not have standing to sue and was unable to show the depth of the Clintons’ alleged criminal enterprise.
Klayman’s court filings do “not allege any facts” to support his claim that he has been hurt by the Clintons’ alleged scheme, Judge Donald Middlebrooks wrote.
{mosads}“Critically, [Klayman] fails to allege how [Clinton’s] mail or wire fraud, which allegedly involved obtaining money from others, directly injured [him].” Middlebrooks added. “Therefore, the relationship between [Clinton’s] mail or wire fraud and [Klayman’s] alleged compromised ability to earn a living is too remote” to meet the legal test.
Klayman quickly blamed the dismissal on the fact that former President Bill Clinton nominated Middlebrooks to the bench.
“This case was a hot potato for a Clinton-appointed judge,” said Klayman, who has repeatedly needled the Clintons over the last two decades. “Had he allowed it to proceed, he would have been potentially retaliated against by the Clintons.
“In this regard, he would not have had a chance to be nominated for a higher judgeship or other post should Hillary Clinton be elected president,” he added.
Klayman plans to swiftly appeal the case.
The case centered on actions by the Clintons that Klayman had alleged were violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act.
According to Klayman, Clinton peddled her influence as the nation’s top diplomat in exchange for contributions to the Clinton Foundation. Evidence of the scheme, he had claimed, was concealed on the personal email account housed on a private server that Clinton had used while in office.
As part of the case, Klayman had asked the court to seize a USB flash drive containing copies of Clinton’s emails, which is now in possession of her lawyer, David Kendall.
The case listed both Bill and Hillary Clinton as defendants.