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Clinton Papers Blocked

Mike

Well-known member
Archivists Block Release of Clinton Papers
AOL ^ | Mar.7,2008 | Peter Eisler



March 7) -- 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.

Photo Gallery Charlie Riedel, AP Battling to Release Presidential Papers1 of 5 Federal archivists recently refused to release hundreds of pages of White House papers on pardons approved by Bill Clinton when he was president. The decision is based on guidelines from Clinton aimed at restricting the disclosure of advice that aides gave him. Above, Clinton speaks at a campaign rally for his wife Jan. 26.

That 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 much of the requested material 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.

Rest of the story:

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/archivists-block-release-of-clinton/20080307080009990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Goodpasture said:
Before they open Clinton's archives, they should open George the 1st and Ronnie Reagan's archives. Fair is fair, right?

Sure, open them all.

I noticed again that the liberal defense isn't "That was wrong", it was, "But, he did it, too".
 

Goodpasture

Well-known member
Sandhusker said:
I noticed again that the liberal defense isn't "That was wrong", it was, "But, he did it, too".
Unlike neocons, I am not going to jump on the "bash Bill" bandwagon until we know what is going on. I will reserve my condemnation until the papers are released and we can see what is going on. I prefer hard fact to innuendo. I would also like to see all the papers behind the Iran-Contra event, behind the decision to invade Granada (was it REALLY to distract us from the Marine bombing in Beruit?), and lets look at all the papers behind Reagan's and "read my lips" Bush's pardons. I am quite willing for any and all of the criminals in all administrations to be convicted, but before I say yes or no, I want to KNOW, not just guess.....
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Goodpasture said:
Sandhusker said:
I noticed again that the liberal defense isn't "That was wrong", it was, "But, he did it, too".
Unlike neocons, I am not going to jump on the "bash Bill" bandwagon until we know what is going on. I will reserve my condemnation until the papers are released and we can see what is going on. I prefer hard fact to innuendo. I would also like to see all the papers behind the Iran-Contra event, behind the decision to invade Granada (was it REALLY to distract us from the Marine bombing in Beruit?), and lets look at all the papers behind Reagan's and "read my lips" Bush's pardons. I am quite willing for any and all of the criminals in all administrations to be convicted, but before I say yes or no, I want to KNOW, not just guess.....

This issue is the blocking of the papers. What they contain is another matter that you can bet would be shameful to an honest man - but Liberals will be able to justify it by finding somebody else in history that did the same thing..... As long as somebody else did it, it's OK.
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Heres a "fresh" look at disclosure from a Bluedog Democrat ....I wonder how many other congressional folk will agree to do this... :???:
Old Conman never could have done it.... :wink:
I click over to his website often and check who he is meeting with...

Tester asks ex-judge to audit ethics
By CHARLES S. JOHNSON
Gazette State Bureau

HELENA - U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has asked a retired Montana Supreme Court justice to conduct a comprehensive ethics audit of his office.

John "Skeff" Sheehy of Helena has agreed to perform the audit of hundreds of documents and submit a written evaluation to Tester by April 15, if possible.

"It's unprecedented, to the best of my knowledge," Tester said Thursday night. "It's all about transparency, integrity in government and honesty. Anything we can do to help restore the people's faith in the integrity of government, we'll do."

During his successful 2006 Senate campaign, Tester unveiled his "code of ethics" and made the ethics of Republican incumbent Sen. Conrad Burns a key issue. "We expect the staff and myself to run by standards that are higher than what the Senate sets for itself," Tester said.

Tester said he would make Sheehy's evaluation public.

"We're going to look and see what Judge Sheehy has to say about it, and we'll respond from there," Tester said. "If he finds problems, we'll address them. If not, that's good for us."

Sheehy, 90, is a former Billings attorney who served on the Montana Supreme Court from 1978 until he retired in 1990. He served four sessions as a Democrat in the Legislature.

Asked if he expected criticism because of Sheehy's past political ties, Tester said, "I really don't. Judge Sheehy was a very fair, honest guy and a distinguished Supreme Court justice."

Sheehy could not be reached for comment.

Among the documents Sheehy will receive are personal financial disclosure forms for Tester and his top staff; Tester's complete daily schedules; Tester's requested appropriations earmarks; Tester's legislative voting record; travel records for Tester's office; Tester's office policy manual; documentation of the use of franked or free mail sent by Tester; use of radio and television studies in Tester's office; U.S. Senate rules; federal election reports filed by Montanans for Tester and his political action committee, Treasure State PAC, in 2007.

"This truly is new ground," Tester said.

The Gazette State Bureau tried without success to reach someone at the Center for Public Integrity, a nonpartisan, nonprofit Washington group, to see if any other members of Congress had undertaken an ethics audit.
For the audit, Sheehy will use the Senate Code of Official Conduct, which is part of the Senate Ethics Manual, for his evaluation.

The Senate Code of Official Conduct covers public financial disclosure by senators and key staff; a ban on gifts from lobbyists or entities that employ them; a ban on senators being paid for speeches or appearances; a ban on conflicts of interest and improper influence exerted on a member; prohibition on unofficial office accounts; limits on official funds for foreign travel; limitations on franking or free mail; a ban on senators' staffs from engaging in campaign work except on their own time and not on Senate property; no discrimination in hiring employees; limitations on senators' interventions with agencies on behalf of constituents.

Tester said he has kept several campaign promises on ethics. He said he was the first member of Congress, to his knowledge, to post his daily schedule on the Internet.

He said he and his staff buy their own meals if they meet with a lobbyist over a meal, although these have been rare meetings.

Tester said he has made his request for appropriations earmarks public instead of having them handled in the middle of the night without senators knowing who is advocating them.

He and other Democratic freshmen senators made an overhaul of Senate ethics provisions their first priority and got Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to put it first on the Senate's 2007 agenda. Tester called it "the most broad-based ethics reform since Watergate."

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/08/news/state/38-tester.txt
 

Steve

Well-known member
Sheehy, 90, is a former Billings attorney who served on the Montana Supreme Court from 1978 until he retired in 1990. He served four sessions as a Democrat in the Legislature.

Sorry, but having a friend do an audit is not oversight..

It's like having my accountant check my taxes..


Sure if something is wrong.. he'll tell me about it.. but he isn't going to scrutinize it like an IRS agent would..
 

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