H
Harry Dope
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Clinton Library Got Funds From Abroad
Saudis Said to Have Given $10 Million
By John Solomon and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, December 15, 2007; A03
Bill Clinton's presidential library raised more than 10 percent of the cost
of its $165 million facility from foreign sources, with the most generous
overseas donation coming from Saudi Arabia, according to interviews
yesterday.
The royal family of Saudi Arabia gave the Clinton facility in Little Rock
about $10 million, roughly the same amount it gave toward the presidential
library of George H.W. Bush, according to people directly familiar with the
contributions.
The presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has for
months faced questions about the source of the money for her husband's
presidential library. During a September debate, moderator Tim Russert asked
the senator whether her husband would release a donor list. Clinton said she
was sure her husband would "be happy to consider that," though the former
president later declined to provide a list of donors.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has made an issue of the large yet unidentified
contributors to presidential libraries, saying that he wants to avoid even
the appearance of impropriety in such donations. Obama has introduced
legislation that would require disclosure of all contributions to
presidential libraries, including Clinton's, and Congress has actively
debated such a proposal. Unlike campaign donations, money given to
presidential libraries is often done with limited or no disclosure.
The Clinton library has steadfastly declined to reveal its donors, saying
they were promised confidentiality. The William J. Clinton Foundation, which
funds the library, is considered a charity whose contributors can remain
anonymous.
In response to questions from The Washington Post, the foundation reiterated
that it would not discuss specific sizes or sources of donations to honor
the commitment it made to donors. But it acknowledged that some of the money
Clinton received from the library came from foreign sources.
"As president, he was beloved around the world, so it should come as no
surprise that there has been an outpouring of financial support from around
the world to sustain his post-presidential work," a foundation statement
said.
Bill Clinton has solicited donations for the library personally, aides said,
but he also delegated much of the fundraising to others, especially Terence
R. McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and the
chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. The foundation
statement stressed that he has turned over the facility to taxpayers, as
other former presidents have.
A handful of major donors' names to the Clinton library were disclosed in
2004 when a New York Sun reporter accessed a public computer terminal at the
library that provided a list of donors. Soon after the article appeared, the
list of donors was removed.
The amount of the contribution from Saudi Arabia and several other
countries, as well as the percentage of the total given by foreigners, had
not been revealed.
The Post confirmed numerous seven-figure donors to the library through
interviews and tax records of foundations. Several foreign governments gave
at least $1 million, including the Middle Eastern nations of Kuwait, Qatar
and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the governments of Taiwan and
Brunei.
In addition, a handful of Middle Eastern business executives and officials
also gave at least $1 million each, according to the interviews. They
include Saudi businessmen Abdullah al-Dabbagh, Nasser al-Rashid and Walid
Juffali, as well as Issam Fares, a U.S. citizen who previously served as
deputy prime minister of Lebanon.
Spokesmen for Kuwait and Taiwan confirmed that each government has given the
library $1 million. Both governments also donated to other presidential
libraries. Kuwait contributed at least $1 million to the library of former
president George H.W. Bush, and Taiwan gave $2 million to the Ronald Reagan
library.
Calls to the other governments were not returned, and the Middle Eastern
individuals could not be located for comment.
Jack Kuei, a press officer for Taiwan in Washington, said his government's
donation "is a way to promote a mutual understanding and it's a kind of
public diplomacy." Kuwaiti counselor Jasem Albudaiwi called his nation's
contribution "a friendly donation from the people and the government of
Kuwait to the cause of the library."
The Reagan library does not disclose its donors, a spokeswoman said. The
Bush and Jimmy Carter libraries have made a very broad disclosure. Except
for a few donors who asked to remain anonymous, the Bush contributors have
been named publicly, and the names of the largest among them are either
chiseled into a wall or onto the bricks of a walkway at the library in
Texas. The Carter library also has a wall of founders.
Bush's large foreign donors include Kuwait, Japan, Oman and the United Arab
Emirates. The family of Bandar bin Sultan, former Saudi ambassador to the
United States, contributed $1 million or more. Carter's donors include the
late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.
Clinton has been criticized for asking for donations, including from Saudi
Arabia, at questionable moments. In an op-ed column in the Wall Street
Journal last year, former FBI director Louis J. Freeh said Clinton "hit up
[Saudi Arabia's head of state] Prince Abdullah for a contribution to his
library" during a meeting in which Freeh wanted Clinton to ask about the
1996 Khobar Towers bombing. Clinton has publicly disputed Freeh's account.
Clinton has also been challenged by members of Congress for accepting a
reported $450,000 donation to his library from the former wife of fugitive
financier Marc Rich before he granted Rich a pardon for tax evasion in 2001.
Neither Clinton nor the Rich family confirmed the donation.
The Clinton Foundation was formed in 1997 soon after Clinton chose its
30-acre site near downtown Little Rock. The foundation not only helps to run
the library, but it also oversees and finances Clinton's many policy
initiatives.
The library is an imposing glass and metal structure overlooking the
Arkansas River. Also on its landscaped grounds is the University of Arkansas
Clinton School of Public Service.
The Clinton library has also received large donations from Americans and
American entities. The Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust has
pledged $4 million, a person familiar with the gift said. The Wasserman
Foundation of Los Angeles has given between $6 million and $7 million. Casey
Wasserman, the foundation's president, has long been close to Bill Clinton.
--
Quote Of The Week
"The Clintons Are A Terminally Unethical And Vulgar Couple, And They?ve
Betrayed Everyone Who Has Ever Believed In Them." - Bob Herbert, Columnist
NY Times Clinton
Saudis Said to Have Given $10 Million
By John Solomon and Jeffrey H. Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, December 15, 2007; A03
Bill Clinton's presidential library raised more than 10 percent of the cost
of its $165 million facility from foreign sources, with the most generous
overseas donation coming from Saudi Arabia, according to interviews
yesterday.
The royal family of Saudi Arabia gave the Clinton facility in Little Rock
about $10 million, roughly the same amount it gave toward the presidential
library of George H.W. Bush, according to people directly familiar with the
contributions.
The presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has for
months faced questions about the source of the money for her husband's
presidential library. During a September debate, moderator Tim Russert asked
the senator whether her husband would release a donor list. Clinton said she
was sure her husband would "be happy to consider that," though the former
president later declined to provide a list of donors.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has made an issue of the large yet unidentified
contributors to presidential libraries, saying that he wants to avoid even
the appearance of impropriety in such donations. Obama has introduced
legislation that would require disclosure of all contributions to
presidential libraries, including Clinton's, and Congress has actively
debated such a proposal. Unlike campaign donations, money given to
presidential libraries is often done with limited or no disclosure.
The Clinton library has steadfastly declined to reveal its donors, saying
they were promised confidentiality. The William J. Clinton Foundation, which
funds the library, is considered a charity whose contributors can remain
anonymous.
In response to questions from The Washington Post, the foundation reiterated
that it would not discuss specific sizes or sources of donations to honor
the commitment it made to donors. But it acknowledged that some of the money
Clinton received from the library came from foreign sources.
"As president, he was beloved around the world, so it should come as no
surprise that there has been an outpouring of financial support from around
the world to sustain his post-presidential work," a foundation statement
said.
Bill Clinton has solicited donations for the library personally, aides said,
but he also delegated much of the fundraising to others, especially Terence
R. McAuliffe, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and the
chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. The foundation
statement stressed that he has turned over the facility to taxpayers, as
other former presidents have.
A handful of major donors' names to the Clinton library were disclosed in
2004 when a New York Sun reporter accessed a public computer terminal at the
library that provided a list of donors. Soon after the article appeared, the
list of donors was removed.
The amount of the contribution from Saudi Arabia and several other
countries, as well as the percentage of the total given by foreigners, had
not been revealed.
The Post confirmed numerous seven-figure donors to the library through
interviews and tax records of foundations. Several foreign governments gave
at least $1 million, including the Middle Eastern nations of Kuwait, Qatar
and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the governments of Taiwan and
Brunei.
In addition, a handful of Middle Eastern business executives and officials
also gave at least $1 million each, according to the interviews. They
include Saudi businessmen Abdullah al-Dabbagh, Nasser al-Rashid and Walid
Juffali, as well as Issam Fares, a U.S. citizen who previously served as
deputy prime minister of Lebanon.
Spokesmen for Kuwait and Taiwan confirmed that each government has given the
library $1 million. Both governments also donated to other presidential
libraries. Kuwait contributed at least $1 million to the library of former
president George H.W. Bush, and Taiwan gave $2 million to the Ronald Reagan
library.
Calls to the other governments were not returned, and the Middle Eastern
individuals could not be located for comment.
Jack Kuei, a press officer for Taiwan in Washington, said his government's
donation "is a way to promote a mutual understanding and it's a kind of
public diplomacy." Kuwaiti counselor Jasem Albudaiwi called his nation's
contribution "a friendly donation from the people and the government of
Kuwait to the cause of the library."
The Reagan library does not disclose its donors, a spokeswoman said. The
Bush and Jimmy Carter libraries have made a very broad disclosure. Except
for a few donors who asked to remain anonymous, the Bush contributors have
been named publicly, and the names of the largest among them are either
chiseled into a wall or onto the bricks of a walkway at the library in
Texas. The Carter library also has a wall of founders.
Bush's large foreign donors include Kuwait, Japan, Oman and the United Arab
Emirates. The family of Bandar bin Sultan, former Saudi ambassador to the
United States, contributed $1 million or more. Carter's donors include the
late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.
Clinton has been criticized for asking for donations, including from Saudi
Arabia, at questionable moments. In an op-ed column in the Wall Street
Journal last year, former FBI director Louis J. Freeh said Clinton "hit up
[Saudi Arabia's head of state] Prince Abdullah for a contribution to his
library" during a meeting in which Freeh wanted Clinton to ask about the
1996 Khobar Towers bombing. Clinton has publicly disputed Freeh's account.
Clinton has also been challenged by members of Congress for accepting a
reported $450,000 donation to his library from the former wife of fugitive
financier Marc Rich before he granted Rich a pardon for tax evasion in 2001.
Neither Clinton nor the Rich family confirmed the donation.
The Clinton Foundation was formed in 1997 soon after Clinton chose its
30-acre site near downtown Little Rock. The foundation not only helps to run
the library, but it also oversees and finances Clinton's many policy
initiatives.
The library is an imposing glass and metal structure overlooking the
Arkansas River. Also on its landscaped grounds is the University of Arkansas
Clinton School of Public Service.
The Clinton library has also received large donations from Americans and
American entities. The Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust has
pledged $4 million, a person familiar with the gift said. The Wasserman
Foundation of Los Angeles has given between $6 million and $7 million. Casey
Wasserman, the foundation's president, has long been close to Bill Clinton.
--
Quote Of The Week
"The Clintons Are A Terminally Unethical And Vulgar Couple, And They?ve
Betrayed Everyone Who Has Ever Believed In Them." - Bob Herbert, Columnist
NY Times Clinton
