White House Holds Back Clinton Papers

The Washington Post ^ | April 4, 2004 | Dan Eggen and Dana Milbank

[ReleaseTheHounds]

The White House has not turned over thousands of pages of documents from the Clinton administration to a commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, even though the records are relevant to the panel's mission, one of Clinton's attorneys said yesterday.

Bruce R. Lindsey, who represents the former president on records issues, said yesterday that the Bush administration has turned over about 25 percent of the nearly 11,000 pages of Clinton records that document custodians had determined should be released to the commission investigating the terrorist attacks. Lindsey said that, as a result, the commission may not have a full picture of the Clinton administration's anti-terrorism efforts.

"I was concerned that the commission was making findings of fact based on an incomplete record," Lindsey said.

White House spokesman Sean McCormack said documents that have not been turned over are not relevant to the inquiry. "We're applying the same standards to documents from our administration and from the Clinton administration," he said.

[ReleaseTheHounds]

4th of 5 articles appearing under the Yahoo News Grouping: Political News Stories from the Washington Post... bias anyone?

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[lawdude]

Of course, you know they DO NOT want those records released and are politicizing the issue. I would bet the telephone conversation was something like,

"If you hold back the records, we won't leak info about your daddy and certain illicit activities, and further, we won't leak the FBI files we have on all you good pubbies!"

[Owen]

They want whatever they can get to extend the commission. As is, it will be entirely off the radar screen by May.

[MACVSOG68]

Yes, it's likely biased, but it does put the White House in a tough position. Clinton has said ok to the release, the 9/11 Commission theoretically should be the one to decide on relevancy, and all the members (as I understand it) are cleared for top secret documentation. With all of that, the baloney over the Rice testimony, the joint testimony of Bush and Cheney, the latest whistle-blower, the John Dean book, and the Clark book, it does make the White House look somewhat defensive in the latest document withholding episode.

...and I'm a Bush supporter!

[Republic]

Doesn't to me. Sounds more like a cover from a clinton stooge-brucie the woman terrorizer (if reports about his trailing of Kathleen Willey are true) and clinton defender (personally watched him slink into the WH while protesting the LIAR years ago), a stooge who knows they did NOTHING to go after Osama and wants it to appear differently. Clinton the panty man has all of his records, anyway, he needs um for his memoirs, has to know where to lie and where to spin.

[Common Tator]

Yes, it's likely biased, but it does put the White House in a tough position.

I can see you have never watched George Bush play poker.

He holds back until the Democrats demand it, then he will release a bunch documents that make CLINTON LOOK VERY BAD.. Let them hit the air and fester for a while then release all the rest.

IF the documents made Clinton look good Bush would have released them last fall.. when no one cared. Since he held back and made the media and Democrats demand them, it is obvious that the Bush people want the contents to get a lot of attention.

The media, like a lot of people, lack the smarts to get in the ring with Dubya.

[joesbucks]

Yes Mr. Bush sometimes does play a good hand of poker. But recently he has been called and has had to display his cards. There have been a good many times when the cards he was holding showed he nothing more than a bluff.

So I wouldn't bank on a Clinton expose.

[MACVSOG68]

Doesn't to me. Sounds more like a cover from a clinton stooge-brucie the woman terrorizer (if reports about his trailing of Kathleen Willey are true) and clinton defender (personally watched him slink into the WH while protesting the LIAR years ago), a stooge who knows they did NOTHING to go after Osama and wants it to appear differently. Clinton the panty man has all of his records, anyway, he needs um for his memoirs, has to know where to lie and where to spin.

Uh huh. And you figure that the independent voters in the battle-ground states will look at it just like that, right?

[MACVSOG68]

Hope you're right. A good start on turning this around should be Condi's testimony next week.

[King Prout]

I think maybe you have the right idea.

wishful thinking, perhaps.

[Unicorn]

Lindsey is just looking for an excuse in case they turn up anything.He just say the other papers would have cleared that up. premtive strike of sorts.

[CyberAnt]

I think the WH withheld some of the stuff for the exact reasons they said they did .. the documents were not related to 9/11 or terrorism or Al Queida.

However, I'm confident some of the other documents were withheld because Bush wanted to protect the OFFICE of the presidency .. not Clinton.

But .. now that Bruce Lindsay has "demanded" everything be released .. so be it. I'm just wondering what they'll do when something gets revealed that they didn't want revealed. The Clinton goons can no longer blame the WH for releasing stuff. I think that's cool - and typical of the dems.

I believe the dems think the WH is hiding some of Clinton's documents which would prove his admin was doing something about terrorism. I also believe the documents may do just the opposite.

[Delta 21]

The media, like a lot of people, lack the smarts to get in the ring with Dubya.

I really have enjoyed watching the media come up short so many times when dealing with the President. Bush has never swung at anything in the dirt and it pisses the newshounds off so bad they dont know how to act.

[Ruth A.]

nearly 11,000 pages

Does anyone really think that there is anything worthwile in this stack of papers or just typical Clinton hot air?

[ottothedog]

John Dean? Puh-lease. If he came out saying something against demokrats how much would you like to bet that ever mention of his name would be preceded by "convicted felon".

[ottothedog]

I definitely agree with that Bush has really tried to protect the office of the president. He really has (despite what the media portrays) has been quite soft on Klinton. Hopefully the buildup for Condi Rice's testimony continues this week. It will be a great chance for them to get their side of the story out.

[Eva]

Nah, more likely there was no conversation because the Clintons and their comrades know that the administration is not going to turn over the documents. It would be really abdicating the power of the presidency. It just won't happen, so Lindsey is free to claim whatever he wants to about what is in those papers, because Clinton has nothing to lose in regard to separatio of powers. On the other hand Hillary does.

[CyberAnt]

Yep! But not that Bush would purposefully expose Clinton; the demands to have these documents released, provides a way for them to be released without blaming Bush. I don't think the dems realize what they've done.

The reason Bush would never purposefully expose Clinton is because he believes what the Bible says about "love covers a multitude of sins". He'd rather take the high road. Now the dems have forced him to release stuff which may not be very kind to the dems.

[Steely Tom]

And the toothless FEC/liberal media won't do anything about it.

You've got it all wrong. Here is just one example of what is being held back by a terrified White House:

Minutes of Cabinet Meeting; 16 August 1998

SecState Albright: Sir, I must ask you again to reconsider this whole thing. You are putting yourself at needless risk...

POTUS: It's me, or no one. Bin Laden is a direct threat to my fellow citizens, I can't let them down. How's it look for tonight, Dick?

SecDef Cohen: The SR-71's ready for you on 5 minutes notice, Mr. President. Here's your sidearm...

POTUS: Thanks, Dick. Did you get that 'special load' I asked for? I only expect to get one shot...

SecDef: Yes sir. Those explosive-tipped cyanide bullets should do the trick. Sir, may I just say, I hope you'll reconsider. We have 11 special forces teams in the immediate theater, including Delta and Seal squads. They're paid to take this kind of personal risk...

POTUS: That's OK, Dick, thanks. Maybe they'll have to get me out! I hope not, though.

SecTreas Rubin: Mr. President, whether this works out or not, the Lewinsky thing is just the kind of diversion the public needs. I only hope the true story comes out some day, so the public can see how you put it on the line for our great country.

POTUS: I don't care about that. I've got a job to do; let's leave history to the historians, whaddya say? OK, Dick, let's boogie.

SecDef Cohen: Yes sir. Godspeed, Mr. President.

transcript ends

(steely)