Professional Documents
Culture Documents
/
Date: 2009.05.1 0 L.
MAY 1 3 2009 00.09:46-07'00'
Plaintiff herein files Verified Statement for the Disqualification of Judge Richard J
Leon for a Cause.
I.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Table of Contents 2
II. Verified Statement for the Disqualification 2
III. Statement of Verification 6
IV. Exhibits . 7
Exhibit 1: The Hon Richard J Leon official biography . 8
Exhibit 2: The Hon Richard J Leon wikipedia biography . 10
V. Certificate of Mailing . 14
III
/II
II.
VERIFIED STATEMENT FOR THE DISQUALIFICATION FOR A CAUSE
OF THE HONORABLE RICHARD J LEON
I, Joseph Zemik, am Plaintiff in Zernik v Melson et aI., marter filed on May I,
2009, and assigned by the Clerk of the Court to the Honorable Richard J Leon,
Judge of the U.S. Court for the District of Columbia.
1) The basis for this Statement of Disqualification for a Cause is the following.
2) Instant petition claims long-term abandonment of the civil and human rights of
the 10 million residents of Los Angeles County, California, by the USDOJ and
FBI,
3) Iran-Contra scandal is central to instant petition, and a specific request was
made for incorporation by reference ofUSDOJ report in this marter. The
-2-
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 3 of 18
petition states on page 59 (page numbers per Pacer blue header security
imprints), under Request for Incorporation by Reference:
8. Special Report of Defendant USDOJ (December 1987)
regarding drug sales for profit by CIA in LA County in the 1980
as part of Iran-Contra.
331) The report is important and directly relevant to instant
case, because of its unique perspective on the origins of
corruption of the LA County justice system. It is also the best
evidence of deliberate, willful decision by U.S. officers, most
likely in Washington DC, to act in a manner that amounted to
abuse of the civil rights of the residents of LA County, in order
to accomplish their goals that were compounded violations of
the law on
other accounts. It was a willful decision to engage in criminal
means to accomplish criminal ends.
332) It is important to keep that report in mind, since many of
the most senior officers of the LA Justice system today were in
their careers formative years then. Moreover, absent this clear
historical record, many reviewers would tend to dismiss as
impossible the idea that LA County law enforcement, or U.S.
government agencies would engage in drug sales for profit in
LA County.
4) Iran Contra Scandal is central to instant petition, and a specific request was
made for judicial notice ofUSDOJ report in this matter. The petition states on
page 62, under Request for Judicial Notice:
5. Special Report of Defendant USDOJ (December 1987)
regarding drug sales by CIA in LA County in the 1980 as part of
Iran-Contra.
It is considered one of the key events that established the
discrimination against that region of the U.S.A. by Federal
agencies, and established the exclusion of its residents from
protection under Civil Rights guaranteed in the Amendments to
the U.S. Constitution.
5) Iran Contra is central to instant petition and the alleged abuse of rights of the 10
milllion residents of LA County. On page 85 the petition states:
v. In contrast, I allege that USDOJ and FBI treat me, Richard
Fine, the 10,000 FIPs - mostly black and latinos, and all 10
millions residents of Los Angeles County, California, as exempt
from rights guaranteed by U.S. Constitution and its
amendments - in principle - not much different than the
Guantanamo Bay Detainees. Such treatment of this county goes
back t least 3 decades to the early 1980's and drug sales for
-3-
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 4 of 18
6) The Honorable Richard J Leon's official biography, found online, and enclosed
as Exhibit 1, states [underline added - jhz]:
Judge Leon served as counsel to Congress in the investigations
of three sitting Presidents. In 1987, he was the Deputy Chief
Minority Counsel for the U.S. House Select "Iran-Contra"
Committee. From 1992-1993, he was the Chief Minority
Counsel to the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee's "October
Surprise" Task Force. In 1994, Judge Leon was Special Counsel
to the U.S. House Banking Committee for its "Whitewater"
investigation.
Legal career
-4-
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 5 of 18
JOSEPH ZERNIK
PLAINTIFF
in pro se
III
III
III
-5-
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 6 of 18
III.
STATEMENT OF VERIFICATION
I, Joseph Zernik, am Plaintiff in Zernik v Melson et al.
I have written and re-read the foregoing Verified Statement Of
Disqualification of a United States Judge Richard J Leon for a Cause, and I
know the content thereof to be true. It is correct based on my own personal
knowledge as Plaintiff in pro se, who wrote the petitition at bar, and as the one
who wrote instant verified statement, except as to those matters therein stated as
based upon information and belief, and as to to those matters, I believe them to be
true and correct as well.
Exhibit 1 is a true and correct copy of the the Honorable Richard J Leon's
official biography, as I obtained it online from a web site of U.S. Courts.
Exhibit 2 is a true and correct copy of the Honorable Richard J Leon's
biography as I obtained online from Wikipedia.
I make this declaration that the foregoing is true and correct under penalty of
perjury pursuant to the laws of California and the United States.
Executed here in La Verne, County of Los Angeles, on this 9th day in May,
2009,
JOSEPH ZERNIK
PLAINTIFF
in pro se
III
-6-
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 7 of 18
IV. EXHIBITS
VERIFIED STATEMENT FOR DISQ. OF JUDGE RICHARD J LEON
7116
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 8 of 18
EXHIBIT 1
VERIFIED STATEMENT FORDISQ. OF JUDGE RICHARD J LEON
8/16
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 9 of 18
Judge Leon was appointed to the United States Dlstrict Court In February 2002.
He received hIS A.B. from Holy Cross College in 1971, his J.D. cum laude from
Suffolk Law School In 1974, and his LL.M. from Harvard Law School in 1981.
ImmedIately prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Leon was engaged In
Court Reporter: Trial Attorney in the Criminal Section of the Tax DivlslOn, and as a Special
Patty A. Gels (202) 962-0200 AsSIstant United States Attorney in the Southern Distnct of New York. He also
served as a Commissioner on the White House Fellows CommIssion and the
JudIcial Review Commission on Foreign Asset Control. A former full-time law
professor at St. John's Law School (1979-1983), Judge Leon IS currently an
adjunct law professor at the Georgetown Umversity Law Center and the George
Washington UniverSIty Law Sc hool.
www.dcd.u5Courts.gov/leon-bio.html 1/1
9/16
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 10 of 18
EXHIBIT 2
VERIFIED STATEMENT FORDISQ. OF JUDGE RICHARD J LEON
10/16
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 11 of 18
Richard J. Leon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
. Contents
• I Early lite and education
• 2 Legal career
• 3 As federal judge
• 4 References
Richard J. Leon
• 5 Extemallinks
He received his Bachelor of Arts from the College ofthe Holy Cross (where he was a classmate offuture
Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas) in 1971. He received his J.D. from Su1fu1k University
Law School in 1974.
Legal career
Leon served as a law clerk to the justices ofthe Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1974 to 1975
and to Thomas F. Kelleher ofthe Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1975 to 1976. Leon was an attorney
fur the Immigration and Naturalization Service ofthe United States Department ofJustice from 1976 to 1977
and a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the office ofthe U.S. Attorney fur the Southern District ofNew
York working in the Civil Division from 1977 to 1978.
Leon was an assistant professor of law at St. John's University School of Law from 1979 to 1983 and a
senior trial attorney in the U.S. Department ofJustice from 1983 to 1987. Leon served as deputy chief
minority counsel on the Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran ofthe United
States House ofRepresentatives, which investigated the Iran-Contra affuir, from 1987 to )988.
Leon was appointed Deputy Assistant Attorney General and served from) 988 to )989, when he entered
private practice in Washington, D.C., first with Baker & Hostetler from) 989 to 1999 and then with Vorys,
Sater, Seymour and Pease from) 999 to 2002, when he was appointed to the district court.
Leon was a member ofthe President's Commission on White House Fellowships from 1990 to 1993. Leon
was appointed chiefminority counsel on the October Surprise Task Force ofthe House Foreign Affuirs
Committee from 1992 to 1993. He served as special counsel to the House Financial Services Committee in
1994. He has been an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center since 1997.
As federal judge
Leon was nominated to the United States District Court fur the District ofCoIumbia by George W. Bush on
en.wikipedia.org/wikijRichard_J._Leon 1/3
11/16
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 12 of 18
Leon was responsible fur adjudicating the habeas corpus petition~ ofseveral dozen captives held at the
Guantanarno Bay detention carnp.[I][2][3] Boumediene v. Bush, which was eventually considered by the
Supreme Court, was first heard by Leon.
By August 28, 2008, Leon had 24 cases assigned to him. [l] (http://www.webcitation.orglquery?
url=http%3A%2F%2Fap.google.confIo2Farticle%2FALeqM5gUxng-
zk12uhqdCATFQyY9_8QV3QD92QQ8309&date=2008-08-29)
The Associated Press reported Leon hoped to resolve those cases before the presidential inauguration in
2009 and was concerned that the public and the detainees will be barred from observing the hearings: "Ifit
can't be done, I have great concern that these hearings will be virtually or exclusively classified, closed to the
public and, I might add, to the detainees."
During a hearing on October 23, 2008 Leon commented on the ambiguity ofthe term "enemy combatant"
and criticized Congress and the Supreme Court fur 'We are here today, much to my dismay, I might add, to
deal with a legal question that in my judgment should have been resolved a long time ago. I don't understand,
I really don't, how the Supreme Court made the decision it made and left that question open... I don't
understand how the Congress could let it go this long without resolving." [2]
(http://www.bostoncomlnews/nation/washington/articles/2008/l 0/24/1awyers_debate_enemy_combatant/)
On November 20th, Judge Leon ordered five detainees released from Guantanamo Bay due to insufficient
evidence. [4][5]
References
I. 1\ 'Respondents' response to Court's August 7,2006 order" (PDF). United States Department of
Been Released From United States Custody" (PDF). United States Department ofJustice. April 17,
2007. http://www.pegc.us/archive/InJe_ Gitmo/gov_mot_to_dismiss_20070419 .pdf Retrieved on
2008-05-05.
4. 1\ http://www.scotusblog.comlwp/judge-orders-five-detainees-freed/
5. 1\ http://www.salon.comlopinion/greenwald/2008/l1!20/guantanmm/index.html
External links
• Richard J. Leon (http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetlnfu?jid=2921) at the Biographical Directory of
Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_J._Leon 3/3
13/16
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 14 of 18
v. CERTIFICATE OF
MAILING
VERIFIED STATEMENT FORDISQ. OF JUDGE RICHARD J LEON
14/16
I!itII .~~~:~~~~~~:~
~
d UNITED STIJTES
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL
Certificate Of To pay fee, affix stamps or
POST11L SERVICE@ Mailing meter postage here.
This Certificate of Mailing provides evidence that mail has been presented to USPS® for mailing.
This form may be used for domestic and international mail.
From:
Document 3
La Verne, CA 91750 Motion for Electronic Filing
3) Verified Statement for Disq. for a
Cause of Judge Leon.
Filed 05/13/2009
To: Postmark Here
To: See attached Addressee List for
Zernik v Melson et a/.
Page 15 of 18
PS Form 3817, April 2007 PSN 7530-02-000-9065
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 16 of 18
FROM:
Joseph Zernik
1853 Foothill Blvd
La Verne, CA 91750
TO:
PARTIES:
16/16
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 17 of 18
~
~, iir!t!f UNITED STJJ.TE!>
~ .,.,. fiOSfiiLs'ERViCi'" Certificate Of Mailing
- -;;
~
"
-;-r ,I" <:>
<:>
~
~
<:>
~ ~~
~~
" ~
mOl
.
1)
(f)
Z
'"
'-"
w
a
b
N
a
b
?(!J
a
m
c.n
PS Form 381p;'; 200i PSN 7530:02-0.9065
)'\. '-
. l
(A. ~ ~!;'~
'~ ., ~ / "\«' \
£0-171 10£000
Srl$ 0001
~:JlIIlI~S 1VJSOd
lNnow~ S~J.V.t.rO~.LINn
60,' r IA~W
.. _.Q~L16 .~
To
:i;:-
6U1
tn
/:.
Dt- £O-Id IOSOOO
3:J1/'itJ3S "1V.LSOd
lNnOW\:l S3.J,v.tr03J.INn
60, 'II ,l,\:lW
OSLi6
\:lJ'3N~3A \:ll
01\:ld
3~\:llSOd 's'n
Case 1:09-cv-00805-RJL Document 3 Filed 05/13/2009 Page 18 of 18
CertifIcate Of Mailing