Hillary Clinton Facts - "Factually False" Statements (Travelgate)

In 1993, Hillary Clinton helped her friends at Little Rock, Arkansas based World Wide Travel land in the White House Travel Office (“WHTO”). She began by firing 7 longtime employees of the WHTO, making room for her friends. She drummed up charges against the employees and the FBI investigated. A jury dismissed all charges against the former Director of the WHTO in less than 2 hours, but it was too late to save his job.

Mrs. Clinton was able to use these connections to fund about $1 million in campaign travel for her Senate run in the waning months of her husband’s administration. These “fly-now-pay-later” flights basically financed the last stages of her campaign. (Source, Source, & Source)

After an investigation, Independent Counsel Robert W. Ray determined that Hillary was the driving force behind the firings. She, of course, continued to claim that she had no part in the firings that resulted in many personal friends and relatives taking the fired individuals' jobs.

Ray determined that Hillary Clinton’s statements regarding the matter were “factually false.” The report showed that Clinton did in fact discuss the firings on 8 separate occasions with White House Chief of Staff Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty, Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster, and Hollywood producer Harry Thomason. Ray, who had taken the investigation over for Ken Star, neglected to bring charges against Hillary because he felt he could not prove the allegations. (“Report Cites Clinton Part in Travel Office Firings; First Lady Made 'Inaccurate' Statements, but Evidence of Illegality Was Insufficient, Counsel Says.” The Washington Post. October 19, 2000, Thursday, Final Edition, A SECTION; Pg. A06.)

The report concluded by stating:

It is, in the independent counsel's judgment beyond peradventure that as a matter of historical fact, Mrs. Clinton's input into the process was a significant -- if not the significant -- factor influencing the pace of events in the travel office firings and the ultimate decision to fire the employees. Accordingly, the independent counsel concludes that Mr. [sic] Clinton's sworn testimony that she had no input into Watkins's decision or role in the travel office firings is factually inaccurate.

(“New Criticism of First Lady In Final Travel Office Report.” The New York Times. October 19, 2000, Thursday, Late Edition - Final, Section A; Page 1.)

The WHTO Director who Clinton attacked later stated:

Everyone, especially Robert Ray, knows Hillary Clinton lied under oath about her role in firing me and my colleagues. . . . It is disappointing that the Office of Independent Counsel, which is charged with enforcing the law, would not prosecute her simply because of a fear of what a Washington, D.C., jury might do.

(“Hillary role in firings identified; Ray says a jury would not convict.” The Washington Times. October 19, 2000, Thursday, Final Edition, PART A; Pg. A1.) (More on Travelgate may be found here.)

In a boldly hypocritical move, Hillary Clinton recently called for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over his role in the firing of a similar number of U.S. Attorneys. In an exclusive interview with Good Morning American, Clinton accused Gonzales of “so many examples of an abuse of power, of going in and removing people not on the basis of performance but, in fact, because they were performing well.” She argued, “The buck should stop somewhere, and the attorney general . . . should resign.”

Upon Gonzales' resignation, Senator Clinton issued a statement condemning Gonzales for the firings, stating, “Because he betrayed his obligations and the trust of the American people, I welcome today’s announcement that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned his post as Attorney General of the United States.”

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