Breaking: Clinton-papers release blocked

[Hope And Change]

Clinton-papers release blocked


By Peter Eisler, USA TODAY

LITTLE ROCK — Federal archivists at the Clinton Presidential Library are blocking the release of hundreds of pages of White House papers on pardons that the former president approved, including clemency for fugitive commodities trader Marc Rich.

The archivists' decision, based on guidance provided by Bill Clinton that restricts the disclosure of advice he received from aides, prevents public scrutiny of documents that would shed light on how he decided which pardons to approve from among hundreds of requests.

Clinton's legal agent declined the option of reviewing and releasing the documents that were withheld, said the archivists, who work for the federal government, not the Clintons.

The decision to withhold the records could provide fodder for critics who say that the former president and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, now seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, have been unwilling to fully release documents to public scrutiny.

Officials with the presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., criticized Hillary Clinton this week for not doing more to see that records from her husband's administration are made public. "She's been reluctant to disclose information," Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, told reporters in a conference call in which he specifically cited the slow release records from the Clinton library. "If she's not willing to be open with (voters) on these issues now, why would she be open as president?"

more...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-03-06-clinton-library-foia_N.htm

[JimGinPA]

1. Move Along Folks, Nothin' To See Here...

Why am I not surprised?

[uberblonde]

3. Still waiting for answers on the Rezko deal.

((((Crickets chirping))))

[Alexander]

5. Patrick Fitzgerald already gave an answer - one you apparently aren't happy with.

Obama has not been accused of wrongdoing in the Rezko case. Is Fitzgerald's word not good enough for you? Maybe you'd prefer Mark Penn's word?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

26. Is Fitzgerald the guy I found under the bus?

Fitz! Are you O.K.!?!

[Hope And Change]

6. First you have to ask Hillary an explanation for this pic...

[JimGinPA]

8. Quick, There's A Scatch & Sniff At The Bottom Of The Pool!

[burythehatchet]

12. how the HELL did you get to 300 posts without my shitcanning you????

anyway. Done.

[blm]

36. Rezko's deals led to 9-11 or Jackson Stephens' BCCI deals led to 9-11?

If you care to talk about 'deals' you best bring along a sense of proportion.

[superkia]

34. Sad that reality is now making us say the same things about...

the Clintons as we have about bush. Is something going on that Americans are seeing or does it just look like the Clintons share the elite and corrupts agendas?

[Adelante]

2. Transparency

Bad.

[blm]

4. So Bill doesn't want Dems to UNDERSTAND that he pardoned a BCCI-IranContra figure for GHWBush

They've fooled so many Dems into thinking Rich was just a wealthy tax evader who deserved pardoning.

Clintons know that if more Democratic voters UNDERSTOOD how he protected Poppy Bush on these matters throughout the 90s, including the pardoning of Marc Rich as one of Poppy Bush's operatives in IranContra and BCCI, then most Democrats would NOT vote for Hillary at all.

Clintons are like Bushes - they NEED their parties to not know what they have really been doing all these years to protect the powerful elite and their fascist agenda.

[NightWatcher]

7. Dont forget Marc Rich. Hilary's brother also sold a few other delegates too

[JackBeck]

9. Agreed.

When Obama speaks of "change", this is the type of change that comes to mind.

Many Democrats refuse to look at these issues, and simply dismiss them as "conspiracy theories". Some of us, at least, are paying attention and are connecting the dots.

[KoKo]

16. Did Poppy Bush release "His" Pardon papers for Iran Contra felons?

:shrug:

[blm]

20. Nope. Bushboy controls those papers. Clinton knows he pardoned Rich FOR Poppy Bush

and he didn't want regular Dem voters to REALIZE it until after Hillary already won the nomination as they expected.

They needed to get into office again to continue the protection of BushInc as Bill did throughout the 90s.

Whether Dems realize it or not, that is what they are supporting when they support Clintons.

[KoKo]

27. The problem is why should Bill release his papers...unless the others do..?

That's how Dems lose...they aren't tough enough. Clinton let them roll all over him.. Allowed he and his wife to be villified by a RW that grew tougher under his administration because they didn't fight back the way Repugs have and will again. Repugs delight in forcing Dems to buckle under for the slightest reasons while they rob the country and fill their pockets with their ill gotten gains, invade countries and kill their citizens.

[blm]

29. Bushboy controls those papers. Clinton is hiding HIS culpability with BushInc from DEM VOTERS.

That's something Democratic voters need to start noticing before they continue their devotion to Clintons.

[KoKo]

39. Why should Clinton be singled out as the "Only One" who wont release papers, though?

:shrug: The ONLY ONE!

[dansolo]

42. Bill Clintons pardons are very relevant

His wife wants us to give her the power of pardons. Remember, she wants to claim credit for everything Bill did during his presidency. So his pardons are her pardons.

[catgirl]

28. Bill decided not to go after Poppy

Maybe that's why the Clintons and the Bushes are such good friends.

[seabeyond]

10. bush.... bush.... is that you..... n/t

[SoxFan]

11. The archivist ate my homework

Check the file cabinets at Rose Law Firm, it's only a few blocks away...

[JackORoses]

13. and of course Marc Rich is one of the Clinton library Donors...

[KoKo]

18. Scooter Libby convinced Clinton to pardon March Rich....would be interesting to

have those pardon papers released...and that's one of the reasons why they wont be. Those former Presidents have got to cover for each other...so that the "Powers that Be" tentacles don't get exposed.

[blocker]

23. Bush/Clinton's team...same old politics!

[KoKo]

14. Bush/Cheney wouldn't release any of their papers...so that's the "norm" for everyone these days.

I don't blame Clinton for this. Why should he be more vulnerable than Poppy or Reagan whose papers on even Iran-Contra...or their pardons haven't been released. :shrug:

[NightWatcher]

19. so it's fine that she's acting like a Bush?

that is a piss poor defense

[ORDagnabbit]

15. How many of Bill's white water friends got pardoned?

[Shakespeare]

17. Discussion here, too:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=4951523&mesg_id=4951523

[eleny]

21. She has not been and never will be fully vetted

[blocker]

22. It's gotta be Kenneth Star faults!

[OzarkDem]

24. Job Losses Worst in 5 years

Please Obama supporters, keep it up. Voters are going to grow very tired of this garbage and throw your candidate overboard.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/07/news/economy/jobs_february/?postversion=2008030709

[bellasgrams]

33. Throw Hillary over and say hello to another Repb president.

People don't want people like BO supporters to have any power in America. We want the country to remain civilized and reasonable. You don't see that in BO supporters. Then of course is the problem with BO himself. We all know about him. You guys are just blind to the facts.

[NMMatt]

25. Vetted my ass

We'd be insane to send this corrupt power mad couple up for election to the highest position in the country. I suppose if they are able to steal the nomination, because they sure as hell won't do it on votes, we Democrats will get what we deserve.

[Bigleaf]

31. Yep, and let's vet these:

Have any of her Democratic opponents, including Obama, sought more detailed answers from her about stories such as:

Norman Hsu and his bundling of money for her campaign?

How "dishwashers, waiters and others" poured "$1,000 and $2,000 contributions into Clinton's campaign treasury?"

Bill's trip to Kazakhstan with Canadian magnate, Frank Giustra, that netted Giustra $3 billion and Bill's foundation a $131 million contribution from Giustra?

How powerful foreign donors to Bill's presidential library, such as the Saudis, may pose a serious conflict of interest to Hillary's foreign policy actions as president?

How Bill's tangled ties to an investment concern of Clinton friend, Ron Burkle, and it's dealings with Dubai may yet, again, threaten to compromise Hillary Clinton's execution of foreign policy as president?

The fact that with all of these questionable financial dealings, the Clintons have been unwilling to release their tax returns, especially in light of Hillary Clinton claiming that the $5 million she lent the campaign was "her own money?"

And, finally, though we, as Democrats, don't care who Bill schtupps (and, no, none of us believe he has kept his fly zipped the last seven years), you can be damn sure the Republicans will be digging hard (no pun intended) to see just what Bill has been up to since leaving office.




http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/5/151147/0655/...

[Melinda]

30. An HRC flip-flop: Hillary Clinton on transparency in government...

The issue I intend to explore briefly this morning is whether we are applying the fundamental principles of democracy, rule of law, transparency and accountability, informed consent, not only to what we do at home, but to what we do in the world"

"If we are to lead this world commensurate with the power we possess, the ideals we proclaim, into a free and hopefully democratic future, we must first be consistent in the principles we champion and pursue. Nowhere is this more important than in the transparency of government decisions."

"Without such transparency, how can leaders be accountable? How can people be informed? And without such transparency, the openness and information that is required for the lifeblood of a democracy to be healthy and strong, the pillars of that democracy are shaken."

--snip--

But we must always be vigilant against letting our desire to keep information confidential to be used as a pretext for classifying information that is more about political embarrassment than national security.

Let me be absolutely clear. This is not a propensity that is confined to one party or another. It is a propensity of power that must be guarded against. Because when that happens, we move away from the bedrock principle of informed consent that should govern all state actions in a democracy.

--snip--

more at:

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/kfiles/b11179.html

I looked and looked for the part wherein she states her remarks don't apply to her personally, but came up short. :shrug:

[blm]

38. heh...that deserves its own thread.

.

[Melinda]

40. You're absolutely right, it does. And you have just the right amount of tenacity & determination....

to not only begin the thread, but keep it moving along as it should.

I, on the other hand, can hardly post at all, so I'd be the poor choice.

No-one else can fight the good fight on DU as you can, ms. anti-bcci. No one. :)

[Melinda]

32. K&R

[Zachstar]

35. What the hell is going on here?

Does Clinton really think voters are going to continue to support here when she is hiding so much?

[Hope And Change]

37. Obama camp slams Clinton for secrecy

Obama camp slams Clinton for secrecy


March 7, 2008

Posted: 04:44 PM ET

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Barack Obama's campaign stepped up its effort Friday to target Hillary Clinton for delaying the release of her income tax returns, saying the New York senator has a "pattern of secrecy" and has yet to be fully vetted by the American people.

"Senator Clinton is one of the most secretive politicians in America today," Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe said in a conference call with reporters. "She has consistently refused to release her tax returns. They have said they are going to release them around 15, but there is no reason why the prior six years of tax returns couldn't be released right now."

Obama's campaign has long criticized Clinton for not releasing her previous tax returns, though it stepped up its attacks earlier this week. In a conference call the morning after Obama lost three out of the four March 4 primary contests, Obama strategist David Axelrod said Clinton is the least-vetted candidate in the presidential field because of her refusal to disclose the documents.

Clinton's Communications Director Howard Wolfson released a statement shortly after the call repeating recent assurances that the New York senator will release last year's tax returns in April. He also said over 20 years of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s tax returns are already public.

Clinton did release a Senate disclosure form last May that revealed the couple’s joint income for the previous year was upwards of $12 million. But a tax return would present a more comprehensive account of the Clintons’ income, and include revenue sources that aren't required on Senate disclosure forms.

"Considering the huge amounts of money they have made in recent years, they've contributed their money to the campaign, some of those relationships financially have been with individuals who have come under quite a bit of scrutiny for possible ethics transgressions, its essential to know where the American people are getting there money from," Plouffe said Thursday.

"If Sen. Clinton is not being open and honest about her tax returns or her experience on the campaign trial, you have to wonder if she'll be open and honest with the American people as president," he added.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/07/obama-camp-slams-clinton-for-secrecy/

[KittyWampus]

41. kick