Judicial Independence

For two years, the Bush administration has tried to scuttle a federal human rights lawsuit that threatens to embarrass one of China’s top political leaders. The suit accuses Bo Xilai, a member of China's elite Politburo, of supervising forced labor camps where torture and execution occurred.
> Who is Bo Xilai? Learn more.
> Beijing Olympic Chief Linked to Torture
> See original letters and source documents

A CIR/Salon investigation reveals that the system set up to protect government whistleblowers has instead been used to punish them. At whistleblower court, employees lose nearly 97 percent of the time.

At least two dozen federal judges appointed by President Bush since 2001 made political contributions to key Republicans or to the president himself while under consideration for their judgeships, government records show.
READ: Money Trails Lead to Bush Judges
READ: Judge Apologizes
DOWNLOAD: CIR's report on campaign contributions from federal judges appointed by the Bush Administration

A controversial Bush nominee apparently violated federal law on judicial conflicts of interest repeatedly. Terrence W. Boyle, a long-time federal judge in North Carolina, issued orders in at least nine cases that involved five different corporations in which he reported stock holdings.
READ: Embattled Bush Judge Disputes Salon Report
READ: Bench Warfare
READ: Key Bush Judge Under Ethics Cloud

Judge James H. Payne, who was nominated by President Bush to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, apparently violated federal law repeatedly while serving on the federal bench.
READ: Bush Withdraws Nominee
READ: Bush Judge's Rating Lowered
READ: Bush Judge Under Ethics Cloud