Petrelis Files

Hillary Missing From
Clinton Oral History Project?

As bloggers, pundits and reporters wait to see if Hillary Clinton keeps her promise to finally release her tax returns in the coming week, and we anticipate learning what is the returns, I had a look today at the latest IRS 990 filing, for FY 2006, for the William Clinton Foundation, just to see what his foundation reported to the federal tax authorities.

First off, I was surprised to see a total of $135.8 million reported in the direct public support category, because it's a significant increase from the same figure in 2005, which was $80 million, and represents a 40% jump in donations. That's quite an expansion of revenue for a non-profit.

Secondly, I noticed the list of groups that received funding from the foundation included a $192,200 grant to the Oral History Project on the Clinton Presidency, housed at the University of Virginia.

Putting aside snarky thoughts about Monica Lewinsky's, um, contributions to the project, I visited the project's web site.

Here's how they explain their mission, who've they've spoken to and how long it will be before transcripts are released:

The Clinton Presidential History Project involves an extensive program of in-depth oral history interviews with key individuals in and outside the White House during the Clinton years. To date we have held interviews with more than seventy individuals, among them Samuel Berger, Warren Christopher, Lloyd Cutler, Thomas Foley, John Hilley, Harold Ickes, Christopher Jennings, Mickey Kantor, Anthony Lake, Jack Lew, Mack McLarty, Roy Neel, Leon Panetta, John Podesta, Janet Reno, Alice Rivlin, Lawrence Stein, and Lawrence Summers.

Very impressive list of the big power-wielders from the Clinton administration, but one name I expected to be on it is missing -- Hillary's. I don't know if she's been interviewed for the project and the foundation simply left her off the list, or if the project only involves White House staff and cabinet appointees. Just seems odd Hillary's name is not on the list, but I should be careful not to read too much into the omission.

Miller Center transcripts will be released after the interviews are completed several years hence . . . A complete listing of the transcripts will appear on this web site at the time of release.

Regardless of Hillary not being on the list of people interviewed thus far, it seems totally in keeping with Bill and Hillary Clinton's allergies to basic transparency standards, like the failure of not providing their recent tax returns for public inspection, that more than seven years after they left the White House, completed oral interviews with staff have not been transcribed and shared with the public.

And forget about the Clinton Foundation allowing itself to be pinned down with a firm date, heck, even a year, of when they intend to have the transcripts ready for release.

Sure would be great of the foundation, and the Clintons, to make transparency a key component to Hillary's bid for the Oval Office.