Clinton Counsel Defends Archive Letter
EmailABC News’ Jennifer Parker and David Chalian Reports: In the wake of continuing accusations that former President Clinton is trying to block the release of records from his administration — including his communications with his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. — Clinton’s lawyer Bruce Lindsey issued a statement Friday to the media defending the former president.
"In the last few days, there have been several inaccurate reports regarding Clinton Presidential records," Lindsey said in the statement.
"Contrary to recent reports, Bill Clinton has not asked that records related to communications with Senator Clinton be withheld," he said. "Bill Clinton has not blocked the release of a single document from his Library."
During this week’s Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton was challenged by moderator Tim Russert about a 2002 letter written by her husband to the National Archives requesting certain documents from his administration be withheld.
The Republican National Committee is portraying the issue as an example of how "the Clinton team continues to mislead Americans."
"It is unfortunate that the Clinton team continues to mislead Americans about the availability of materials related to their presidency," said Republican National Committee spokesperson Danny Diaz. "Mr. Lindsey states that the healthcare task force records have been released, if that is the case, where are they and when will they be presented to the public?"
Lindsey defended the 2002 letter, arguing Clinton authorized the release of substantive policy materials that involve confidential advice from his advisors, including the former first lady.
The Archives is in the process of making records available as quickly as they can — over 1 million pages of the Clinton Administration records have already been released, including Health Care Task Force records," Lindsey said.
"No other President subject to the Presidential Records Act has authorized such a broad release," Lindsey argued.
CPAC: Romney Struggles to Convince Voters 
Obama Backs Off Birth Control Battle?
Because the clintons would not release needed info and if they did right this second, what they would do is go through them and take out anything of real interest. I propose to find out some of the important information to simply ask George Steph.
Posted by: dlake | November 2, 2007, 8:52 pm 8:52 pm
If you and others like you had any idea about the operation of the National Archives, you would realize that presidential records are the property of the United States in the custody and control of the Archivist who works under 44 USC Chapter 22 and the advantages and limitations of the Freedom of Information Act. The Clintons have no direct control over presidential records. They cannot ban records. There are laws and regulations that clearly govern the disposition of presidential records.
It is uninformed and thoroughly ignorant people, like those representing the Republican National Committee, that make such unbelievably ill-informed statements based on nothing but knee jerk, copy-cat thinking based in an error to serve the purpose of defamation.
And the Democrats cannot even present the facts straight.
Are we considered to be mush brains by the media?
Is this the level of knowledge and intellect that leads and informs America?
How long will we last continuing in such abject ignorance when all is available to anyone interested.
How can a person as historically manipulative as Tim Russert get away with suckering the nation’s populace?
God help us.
Posted by: Lester | November 6, 2007, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm