New Czars Exercise Unprecedented Control over Government Policies and Programs While Operating Under a "Veil of Secrecy"

Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5188

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2011 /Standard Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch, the public interest organization that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, today released "President Obama's Czars," a special report on the President's appointing of "policy advisors," many of whom enjoy positions of power and authority in the administration and yet have not been subjected to vetting and confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Judicial Watch's extensive investigation exhaustively documents these czar appointments and details the control these czars exercise over government operations.

From the report's introduction:

"This Judicial Watch Special Report analyzes the proliferation of so-called 'czars' in the Obama administration. President Barack Obama has installed personal advisors in czar positions in the White House and has created new czar positions elsewhere in the Executive Branch. As of the date of this report, the number of czars that have been appointed by the President, or by others in his administration, appears to total 45. In addition, there are as many as 18 other unfilled or planned czar positions.

"Many of these 'czars' are unconfirmed by the Senate and are largely unaccountable to Congress. Further, their activities are often outside the reach of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), creating a veil of secrecy about their precise role in the administration."

The new report is available at Judicial Watch's website, www.judicialwatch.org:

• Czars appointees have seized unprecedented control over major aspects of government policy and programs. In some instances, unconfirmed czars have authority, in seeming violation of the U.S. Constitution, over certain Senate-confirmed officers.
   
• A number of the czars have been linked to scandals, thefts and kickbacks, flagrant and offensive statements, conflicts of interest, and radical leftist political ideologies and policies.

"Barack Obama's unconstitutional use of czars to help run his administration is at odds with republican, limited, and accountable government. Obama has simply installed his radical leftist allies in various positions of power while thumbing his nose at Congress and the American people. As we document in this report, too many of these czars have proven to be corrupt or radicals (or sometimes both). No wonder the Obama administration fights tooth and nail to allow these czars to operate in secret. Nevertheless, Judicial Watch managed to develop this comprehensive list of czars as part of efforts to ensure government accountability."