Federal judge stops distribution of oil-for-food documents News
Federal judge stops distribution of oil-for-food documents

[JURIST] A federal judge Monday ordered former UN Oil-for-Food inquiry [Independent Inquiry Committee website] investigator Robert Parton to cease distribution of commission documents [JURIST report] subpoenaed by the US House of Representatives International Relations Committee [official website]. US District Judge Ricardo Urbina issued a 10-day restraining order sought by ICC chair Paul Volcker [Wikipedia profile] until both sides resolve the issue. Parton resigned [JURIST report] from the IIC in April because he believed that the probe made into Kofi Annan's involvement in the Oil-for-Food program scandal was not thorough enough, and his sentiments have been echoed by many GOP members in Congress, who had launched their own investigation and have thusfar refused to return the documents to the UN [JURIST report]. Volcker claimed that Parton had signed a confidentiality agreement forbidding his distribution of the materials [press release]; Volcker's legal action against Parton seeks the return of any commission documents taken. Reuters has more.

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