Posted on 07/26/2002 6:31:26 PM PDT by 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.
But as to these two absolute horrors of human beings who STOLE White House treasures, including one PRICELESS PAINTING, when they left the WH, for HEAVENS SAKE, tell um sure, you can be REINBURSED FOR YOUR COSTS IN THE WHITEWATER INVESTIGATION when you PRODUCE all of the evidence Hillary had shredded at her law firm.
And if they don't like that.....
Then tell these two arrogant fatuous slobs that they can be reinbursed when they PAY ALL OF US BACK-that would be the United States TREASURY- for SEVEN MONTHS of the Independent Counsel's office investigation wherein BILLY CLINTON LIED and cost all of US SEVEN MONTHS of Ken Starr's work. I mean....how many MILLIONS was that?
We cannot allow that SOB to get money back into his greedy pockets when HE, by LYING in order to save his own sorry skin, was willing to trash the rights of a rather powerless citizen. It took SEVEN MONTHS for him to decide to tell the truth. Seven months that cost all of us WHO KNOWS WHAT?
So here is the deal-billy and hilly pay the US treasury back for the seven month stall while billly lied to the IC investigation-initiated under his OWN AG- Ol Reno, and THEN maybe he can be reimbursed for SOME of the money he shelled out.....er....OOOOOOPS....as I understand it, they haven't PAID any of their bills yet.
Actually, isn't this when Cheney says: Yeah, BIG TIME
So VP Cheney is affectionately known as "Big Time".
I hope the Rpublicans will finally stup up and say NO. This is going to take more than Ashcroft.
While I respect the Bush administration, I am disappointed with the tone. Already, you can read into what into I am saying.
Have you ever seen such a pandering administration? I haven't. Frankly, I think they are scared to death of the second election and are treading water like crazy instead of taking the initiative.
Wasn't Cheney's reply "Big Time"?
Like all the rest to the best of knowledge..
government handouts anyone?
Don't forget the rest of it:
"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.
I wouldn't count on any "re"imbursement coming anytime soon.
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