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Former St Lucia Housing Minister sues over revocation of US visa
Friday, February 28, 2014 | 12:36 AM 4 Comments
Richard Frederick
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) -- Former controversial St Lucia Housing Minister Richard Frederick has filed a lawsuit in US District Court in Washington DC, claiming compensatory and punitive damages of US$25 million in relation to the revocation in 2011 of his diplomatic and non-immigrant US visas.
Named as defendants in the action are three State Department employees at the US Embassy in Barbados, an officer at the prime minister's office in Saint Lucia, and two unnamed State Department employees.
Frederick is represented by well known Washington lawyer and former US Attorney Joe DiGenova, whose firm has been researching and preparing the case for a number of months before this week’s filing.
In an interview on local television DiGenova on Thursday explained that this was an unusual case since the action for damages is brought in the name of the United States as plaintiff “for the use of Richard Frederick”.
"The object of this conspiracy was to cause consular officers to engage in acts of willful malfeasance, abuse of power, and corrupt conduct in their offices," he said.
“An innocent man was falsely accused. This is his vindication,” DiGenova added.
Asked for comment on the filing, Frederick said, "I have every confidence in the American justice system and in my legal representatives, who are among the very best in the United States. I expect that justice will not only be done but will be seen to be done."
Frederick has expressed the view that his visa was revoked as a result of false information supplied by members of the St Lucia Labour Party, then in opposition, in combination with a local propaganda campaign designed to tarnish his reputation.
While these efforts were successful in having his visa revoked, his personal political popularity was adequate to allow him to retain his Central Castries seat, although the news of the revocation of his visa may have played a part in his United Workers Party (UWP) being defeated in the 2011 general elections.
Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, then leader of the opposition, campaigned in the last general election on a promise, if elected, to make public the reasons behind the revocation of Frederick’s US visa.
However he has not yet done so since being re-elected to office in November 2011.
Friday, February 28, 2014 | 12:36 AM 4 Comments
Richard Frederick
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) -- Former controversial St Lucia Housing Minister Richard Frederick has filed a lawsuit in US District Court in Washington DC, claiming compensatory and punitive damages of US$25 million in relation to the revocation in 2011 of his diplomatic and non-immigrant US visas.
Named as defendants in the action are three State Department employees at the US Embassy in Barbados, an officer at the prime minister's office in Saint Lucia, and two unnamed State Department employees.
Frederick is represented by well known Washington lawyer and former US Attorney Joe DiGenova, whose firm has been researching and preparing the case for a number of months before this week’s filing.
In an interview on local television DiGenova on Thursday explained that this was an unusual case since the action for damages is brought in the name of the United States as plaintiff “for the use of Richard Frederick”.
"The object of this conspiracy was to cause consular officers to engage in acts of willful malfeasance, abuse of power, and corrupt conduct in their offices," he said.
“An innocent man was falsely accused. This is his vindication,” DiGenova added.
Asked for comment on the filing, Frederick said, "I have every confidence in the American justice system and in my legal representatives, who are among the very best in the United States. I expect that justice will not only be done but will be seen to be done."
Frederick has expressed the view that his visa was revoked as a result of false information supplied by members of the St Lucia Labour Party, then in opposition, in combination with a local propaganda campaign designed to tarnish his reputation.
While these efforts were successful in having his visa revoked, his personal political popularity was adequate to allow him to retain his Central Castries seat, although the news of the revocation of his visa may have played a part in his United Workers Party (UWP) being defeated in the 2011 general elections.
Prime Minister Kenny Anthony, then leader of the opposition, campaigned in the last general election on a promise, if elected, to make public the reasons behind the revocation of Frederick’s US visa.
However he has not yet done so since being re-elected to office in November 2011.
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