July 26, 2007
John B. McCall, Ph.D.
576 Rocky Branch
Coppell, Texas 75019
Dear Mr. McCall:
You may recall that I sent you emails on May 25 and 26, 2005,
which made certain statements about the Conference Issue of the
Journal of Law and Economics ("JLE") which was dated October 2001
(the "Conference Issue"). I now want to clarify and correct some
of the statements I made in, and impressions I may have created
by, those emails.
In those emails, I did not mean to suggest that Dr. John R,
Lott, Jr, or anyone acting on his behalf, engaged in bribery or
exercised improper influence in the editorial process with
respect to the preparation and publication of the Conference
Issue. I acknowledge that the articles that were published in the
Conference issue were reviewed by referees engaged by the editors
of the JLE. In fact, I was one of the peer referees. As far as I
know, all papers published in the JLE are refereed.
At the time of my May 2005 emails to you, I knew that scholars
with varying opinions had been invited to participate in the 1999
conference and had been informed that their papers would be
considered for publication in what became the Conference Issue.
Along with other people, I received an email from Dr. Lott
inviting my own participation in that conference. I also was
aware at the time of the May 2005 emails to you that in
connection with the preparation of conference issues for the JLE,
that the organizer of each conference issue needs to provide
funding to JLE to cover publication and mailing expenses. I did
not mean to sugggest that Dr. Lott did anything unlawful or
improper in arranging for the payment of the publication expenses
for the Conference Issue. I have discussed the wording of this
letter with my counsel and am willingly signing it.
I hope the foregoing clarifies and corrects my statements
contained in the emails which I sent only to you.
Very truly yours,
(signed)
Steven D. Levitt.
