Clintons Leave Lawyers High & Dry on Legal Tab

New York Daily News ^ | 13 May 2002 | TIMOTHY J. BURGER

[Asmodeus]

Clintons Leave Lawyers High & Dry on Legal Tab

By TIMOTHY J. BURGER Daily News Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON

Bill and Hillary Clinton have become fabulously wealthy since leaving the White House, but they're still stiffing their lawyers, the Daily News has learned.

Various documents and sources familiar with the Clintons' legal debts reveal they have yet to retire hefty bills from the Whitewater, Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky scandals, as well as Bill Clinton's impeachment battle.

The former President owes $1 million to Robert Bennett, his Paula Jones attorney. Bennett's firm hasn't seen a nickel in nearly a year.

The Clintons also are believed to be in seven-figure hock to David Kendall. He and Bennett refused to comment.

A year ago, Clinton aides confirmed the former First Couple still owed $3.9 million in legal fees. Since the Clintons left the White House in January 2001, their legal defense fund has paid $254,000 to Kendall's firm, Williams & Connolly, and $86,000 to Skadden Arps, Bennett's firm.

In all, about $7.7 million in legal debts have been paid off. But the fund is now tapped out, and the Clintons haven't done any new fund-raising for it.

It's possible the Clintons may have paid some of Kendall's outstanding tab from their own pockets, but a Clinton loyalist said that was unlikely.

"They would prefer not to [pay] and don't think they should have to," said one former senior aide.

Aides to Sen. Clinton and her husband refused to say how much — if anything — the couple might have paid themselves.

"They have publicly disclosed everything they're required to disclose," said Jim Kennedy, a spokesman for the senator.

Washington lawyer Tony Essaye, who ran the defense fund for years, said he has not been informed that any of the Clintons' outstanding $3.9 million debt has been paid down.

The Clintons' financial fortunes have brightened considerably since a dramatic 1998 fund-raising letter for the legal trust said they faced a "financial crisis" of bills "far beyond the President's total compensation or the First Family's net worth."

Now, the Clintons' personal wealth includes $18 million in book advances and $10 million to $15 million that the ex-President has raked in for speeches. They also receive $302,000 a year in federal checks for his pension and her senatorial salary.

[poet]

Serves them right for defending these two scum. Did they really expect them to be honorable?

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Well why should William Jefferson Clinton pay? He's never paid for anything in his sorry life.He does not believe there are consequences to bad behavior.Sounds like the firms of Bennett and Kendall ought to take them to Civil Court to collect. Or better yet put him on one of those collection agencies that keep calling and asking him when they can expect payment?BWHAHAHAHAHAHA

[LurkedLongEnough]

Wait till the "poor people" read this exposé. What goes around comes around, dear Hitlery and Willie...

[shadowman99]

Sounds like just some more "dirty soft money" donations to the DNC.

[Russ]

$18 million in book advances and not one chapter to show for the money. What a couple of bunko artists!!

[sphinx]

D'ya think any of the pressies are going to ask Billn'hil 'bout this?

Nah.

[MozarkDawg]

If these lawyers do not do whatever necessary to receive for their services, then the IRS considers that a gift, these two crooks MUST pay gift tax on the total outstanding that would end up being *forgiven*.

It is incredible to me that the over-taxed, over-burdened citizenry in this country do not rise up and in one voice demand the heads of these two rip-off artists, instead of lauding and applauding them, even so far as wanting that fat bozo to have a TV show ... bad enough when they were writing off his used underwear and store-bought cookies given to church functions, this ought to be the last straw for some of these Clinton-die-hards.

[Pagey]

I wish someone would put a lien on one of their pieces of property.That would really make my year.Once again they are above everyone else,and those dumb lawyers are not going to call them on it.Nothings changed.
Like you thought they would?<=========Sarcasm

[Zack Nguyen]

You are exactly right. All the people who took pity on the "poor Clintons" and ponied up to pay their legal bills should look upon this with disgust. The Clintons have the money to pay their bills but choose not to. And no one will force them too either. The Clintons slide through life, taking advantage of some, destroying others, and playing the rest for suckers.

[Revolting cat!]

Oh no, those lawyers will now have drive Yugos if not ten speed China made bikes from K-mart to chase ambulances!

[Cicero]

Clinton and his friends certainly deserve each other.

[Goldi-Lox]

These two were the most expensive bad lesson we've had in our history yet. Let's all learn that you GET what you vote in. If you vote in a crook, he's going to steal the country, the people, and the future from everyone and everything.

[Tacis]

He has much more pressing demands on his resources than lawyers. There is a fortune in back hush money, money that he promised for the silence of others. He avoided while he was in office because it was clear he was un trouble, It would be logical to think that, now that he is out of office, he didn't need to keep secrets. But, you forget Willie's ego. Since continuing silence is the only thing that may allow his hacks to protect his "leagacy," he must continue to keep his friends quiet.

Do you think Susie spent time in jail as a matter of principle? A friend of Willie's; principle? There are state troopers and the widows of state troopers, Danny Williams and his mother, assorted bag men, Foster witnesses, Craig Livinstone and colleagues, Vern, and some current and former colleagues of Hillie's, all of whom probably need an occasional gift to ensure continued silence.

Willie may have a lot more since he left office, but his expenses must have also increased, more than he will ever be willing to talk about.

[goody2shooz]

Those two, Bill and Hill, will never pay their IOU's, period. And I'm frankly ticked off at the Bushies for not publicly trouncing the Clintons on all their obvious faults.

The American people don't care about Mena Airport and Contragate. They just don't want to hear about old stuff. The Libs keep beating that old dead horse "Evil Tricky Dick Nixon" in the newspapers. Heck, you would think nothing new has happened in the last 25 years. But the public doesn't care about a president who has been dead for quite some time, journalists just do that for pandering value to the Left.

The Clintons aren't dead. And there is plenty of scandal to go 'round about him OR her. Journalists just aren't covering them and are probably too scared of what might happen if they dished dirt, even now.

[Still Thinking]

I'm sure someone would pay a couple mil to get their hands on the legal files in order to write a book. Seems to me the legal eagles could sell the files to the highest bidder (National Enquirer, etc.). Attorney-client privelige shouldn't be too much of a bother as the 'Toons haven't paid their bill, thus breaching the contract anyway.

[RippleFire]

"They would prefer not to [pay] and don't think they should have to," said one former senior aide.

LOL! Are you in debt? Use the Clinton One Step Program!

[Alberta's Child]

It's worth remembering here that when the Clintons bought that home in Chappaqua, they approached three of their "closest friends" for assistance in obtaining a mortgage. Two of these "friends" told them to take a hike -- being a "friend" of these morons is acceptable, but once your money is involved, it's a whole different matter.

Note to the Clintons' lawyers: A man who has no respect for his office, the truth, or his integrity sure isn't going to give a damn about paying his bills in a timely manner.

[steve-b]

Maybe the lawyers should file a lien against their liebrary and threaten to put in some exhibits describing his real legacy unless he pays up.

[Honcho]

Wait till the "poor people" read this exposé.

Yea, right. Most of the die hards will suggest that the Law Firm sue the Republican Party for bring the charges in the first place.