Clintons Want Money Back: Bill and Hillary Asking to Be Reimbursed for Whitewater Probe

ABCNews.com ^ | 7/26/02 | Jackie Judd

[GeneD]

WASHINGTON, July 26 — Bill and Hillary Clinton are asking the government to reimburse them for about $3.5 million in legal fees stemming from the independent counsel investigation of the Whitewater land deal, ABCNEWS has learned.

The Clintons racked up about $11 million in legal bills for Whitewater and other investigations during their time in the White House. Their legal defense fund paid about $7 million. So, if their request for reimbursement is successful, the Clintons would end up paying very little out of pocket themselves. Under the law, those who are investigated but not indicted have the right to seek reimbursement if they can prove they would not have been targeted but for the Office of Independent Counsel Act.

"As explicitly authorized by the statute, and following the precedent set by Presidents Reagan and Bush, the Clintons have applied for reimbursement of their legal fees incurred in connection with the independent counsel's Whitewater investigation," Clinton lawyer David Kendall — whose own law firm is owed money — said in a statement.

Both Presidents Reagan and George Bush, father of the current president, had some legal fees reimbursed stemming from the Iran-Contra probe.

Independent Counsel Found No Wrongdoing

The massive Whitewater inquiry was launched in 1994 to investigate the Clintons' role in an Arkansas real estate venture dating to the 1970s. In September 2000, Independent Counsel Robert Ray — the third independent counsel to head the inquiry — filed a report clearing the Clintons of any criminal wrongdoing in Whitewater.

After leaving office, Hillary Clinton, now a New York senator, signed an $8 million book deal. Her husband, who reportedly makes $15 million a year from speaking engagements, later scored a $10 million book deal.

Attorney General John Ashcroft and the current independent counsel will be consulted before a decision on reimbursing the Clintons is made.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Foreigners almost exclusively-- especially Asian foreigners. I'm not joking either. Other countries love him apparently.

[Octavius]

They didn't indict them so they deserve legal fees back!
They should have made the charges stick.

[RJCogburn]

Attorney General John Ashcroft and the current independent counsel will be consulted before a decision on reimbursing the Clintons is made.

Who might that be?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Larry protected them.

[Jhoffa_]

I just thought the Clintons might need an attorney.

[sakic]

Clinton is doing what Reagan and Poppa Bush did. To argue that he shouldn't be allowed argues that the other two did something wrong.

[aristeides]

Reagan and Poppa Bush weren't impeached as a result of the investigation by the independent counsel in question. They didn't strike a deal with that independent counsel under which they admitted perjury and obstruction, paid a fine, and agreed to be disbarred.

[mikeb704]

This can't be accurate. According to famous financial whiz Robert Rubin:

"We all have our faults, and Bill Clinton has his faults. But money and greed are not among them."

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[Tunehead54]

What is the origin of the term "clymer?"

Bush to Cheney while a live mike was on: "That's Adam Clymer of the New York Times. He's a world class asshole".

Cheney to Bush: "He sure is."

Adam Clymer's legacy; sure to be footnoted in various-and-sundry history books for the ages to see.

---

Close but no cigar ... Cheney's response: "Big Time!"

I think!

[mikeb704]

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[MSSC6644]

What did we do to deserve this, I want to know?

Try 40,000,000+ deaths of innocent life, or no more God in society, or toleration of evil in many of its facets.

[Kay Soze]

But first they must pay to rebuild the WTC!

[Kay Soze]

...as well as ALL costs associated with the war in Afghanistan and the cost of increased security as a direct result of NOT arresting Osama Bin Laden.

[pistolpackinannie]

Bill and Hillary promise????? They'd promise their souls to the devil, then try to back out of it and would probably succeed!

[sakic]

I'm not arguing the morality of this situation. I'm talking about what's legal and what is legal precedent. Clinton is within his rights to do what he's doing under the law. No matter one's opinion of Clinton this move is entirely legal.

[aristeides]

Legal the Clintons' request may be, but it can also be made disastrous for them politically, if it is only given enough publicity.

[Pegita]

Can you continue with the lineage of the X, ppaul? I'm so curious as to what he will look like as the years hit him ... I'm sure he will not age well, or gracefully. Gonna lose all that hair? One can hope ...

[TwoSue]

What about their legal defense fund?

[RobFromGa]

What? Clinton is endorsing a "loser pays" legal system.

[Eva]

The problem with this is that Clinton requested that an Independent Councilor be appointed so that he could get all the accusations behind closed doors. How can he claim that he wouldn't have been investigated?