Clinton won't release names of donors of Foundation or Library unless elected

[Ichingcarpenter]

Why won't Clinton, McCain make tax returns public?
By William Douglas | McClatchy Newspapers



WASHINGTON — During Hillary's Clinton's New York race for the Senate in 2000, a man in an Uncle Sam suit calling himself "Tax Man" followed Republican candidate Rick Lazio around, demanding to know why Lazio was so slow in making his income tax returns public.

"The people of New York have a right to know what he's hiding," said Howard Wolfson, then a top Clinton aide who often trailed behind "Tax Man" feeding reporters campaign spin. "Rick Lazio's 15 minutes are up — he should stop making excuses and come clean with New Yorkers."

Eight years later, Clinton and her presidential campaign aren't making her income tax returns public. She's promised to release her income tax information on or around April 15.

Wolfson, now the Clinton campaign's communications director, won't say why Clinton wouldn't release her tax information earlier. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, released his 2006 tax returns last April.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, released his tax information in December 2003, for example.

Since Clinton launched her presidential campaign, the Clintons have refused to disclose all the names of donors to Bill Clinton's presidential library in Little Rock, Ark., and to the former president's foundation.

Clinton, responding to an open-government questionnaire in connection with the American Society of Newspaper Editors' Sunshine Week initiative, vowed Sunday to disclose the names of the Clinton library and foundation donors only if she's elected president.

[Patsy Stone]

1. That's a little too much like Priceline for me.

I like to know what I'm getting up front.

[autorank]

2. K*R - Wonder what they're hiding. No reason not to release "the first guy's" returns.

[roguevalley]

28. too many Arab names on that list for them to want anyone to know

about.

[Coexist]

3. THANK YOU! for posting this - great part:

"I believe in an open, transparent government that is accountable to the people," Clinton wrote. "Excessive government secrecy harms democratic governance and can weaken our system of checks and balances by shielding officials from oversight and inviting misconduct or error. ...To me, openness and accountability are not platitudes — they are essential elements of our democracy."

The Obama campaign has made an issue of the Clintons' financial secrecy, hinting that it could haunt Democrats in November if she's the party's nominee.

Robert Gibbs, the communications director for the Obama campaign, on Sunday called on Clinton to release her and her husband's full tax returns, all congressional earmark requests and the names of all donors to Bill Clinton's foundation and presidential library.

"What is Senator Clinton hiding, and what is lurking in those documents?" Gibbs asked during a conference call with reporters.

[Ichingcarpenter]

11. If she is elected President wouldn't that have executive privilege problems

I guess the records could be subpoenaed if she refused
and if that didn't work she could be impeached
but we know how that works these days.

[JimGinPA]

4. I'm Guessing They Never See The Light Of Day Then

:shrug:

[Umbram]

5. More Bush Co. secrecy. Just what this country does NOT need. (nt)

[Scurrilous]

6. "..only if she's elected president."

IOW never.

[BringBigDogBack]

7. ridiculous.

[bunnies]

8. Ha! After you elect me, I will crap on you and theres nothing you can do about it.

bwaaaaahahahaha.

[Johnny__Motown]

9. Oh sure, once elected then they will tell us.

[roseBudd]

10. I think they will reveal hypocrisy & quid pro quo, like the Rich pardon, it was sleazy then

& it's still sleazy, especially the 200K to brother Rodham

[Jensen]

25. I believe it was 400K but was a few dollars more or less among the Corporate greed!

[Kittycat]

12. K&R For More of the Same - No Transparency

[niceypoo]

31. Ken Starr

is he advising Obama now?

[City Lights]

13. What is this, "Let's Make a Deal?"

You can keep your secrets, Hill. I'll take President Obama behind Door #1.

[Selatius]

14. We could take the boat. Or, we could take what's in the mystery box.

A boat's a boat, but the mystery box could be anything. It could even be a boat! You know how much we wanted one of those!

-- Peter Griffin, Family Guy

[Ichingcarpenter]

19. I remember that episode

Joe: Hey neighbors, where's your boat?
Lois: We didn't take the boat, we took the mystery box. Hop in!

[4themind]

30. "Ugh, It's time for your bribe"

"You can either have the washer and dryer where the lovely Mr. Smithers is standing..or you can trade it all in for what's in this box".."The Box, the Box!"

[bigtree]

15. Why should the Clintons release theirs before a law is passed requiring the Bushes to, also?

[TheZug]

16. I would say unbelievable, and yet it's all too believable.

[quantass]

17. YET ANOTHER REASON WHY SHE SHOULDN'T BE PREZ --HillBillary you'r making it too easy

[Raine]

18. Talk about a "pig in a poke"...

well I'm not buying. :crazy:

[Glimmer of Hope]

20. There must be something she doesn't want us to know, ya think?

[EmilyAnne]

21. Gross. This really pisses me off.

[Medusa]

22. How can there be any doubt now that she is hiding something?

Or trying to?

[Cha]

23. Nita Lowry said you can't win the nom without

winning Iowa and hilary would be releasing her tax returns on April 15th.

I guess we'll never get to see that bil clinton donor list, oh well, maybe the m$$$m will start screaming for it anyway?

[Martinezsousa]

24. Too much secrecy is probably already costing her

I don't see how the American people will tolerate this degree of secrecy. the automatic question in people's minds is, "what is she hiding"?

[RoadRage]

26. Wow.. whatever is in those records must be pretty awful..

Because Hillary knows she's going to take a lot of heat for not releasing them, but she's taking her chances that the heat she'd take by not releasing them is better then what would happen if she DID.

That to me says all that needs to be said on why she shouldn't be elected.

[quantass]

27. agreed

[Coexist]

29. what is Hillary hiding that might make her unelectable?

Release your taxes.

[Exilednight]

32. Why am I not surprised?