"All of the records, as far as I know, about what we did with health care, those are already available."
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Not all records are available
At the Democratic debate on Oct. 30, moderator Tim Russert asked Hillary Clinton about delays in releasing White House records from her husband's administration and her tenure as first lady. The question has swirled around in recent weeks as she runs for president, in large measure on her record as a policymaking first lady.
She answered, in part: "Well, actually, Tim, the (National) Archives is moving as rapidly as the Archives moves. There's about 20-million pieces of paper there and they are moving, and they are releasing as they do their process. And I am fully in favor of that. Now, all of the records, as far as I know, about what we did with health care, those are already available."
Clinton must be misinformed. It's true that many of the documents from the unsuccessful health care effort that Sen. Clinton helmed are available, but there are several gaps in the record, such as her calendar and internal memos.
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Judicial Watch, a conservative think tank and longtime Clinton critic, is suing to have its Freedom of Information Act request on the records filled.
Also missing from the records are any correspondence on health care between her and former President Clinton. That has been designated for review at the former president's request. It's not knowable whether the documents will be cleared in time for either the primary or general election, but given delays at the National Archives and in the reviewing process, it seems questionable.
Editor's note: This statement was rated Barely True when it was published. On July 27, 2011, we changed the name for the rating to Mostly False.
Our Sources
The National Archives,
Presidential Records
The White House, Presidential Records Act Executive Order, Nov. 1, 2001
Interview with Chris Farrell of Judicial Watch
Interview with Thomas Blanton of the National Security Archive
Interview with Susan Cooper of the National Archives
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee Holds Hearing on the Presidential Records Act of 1978, March 1, 2007
Los Angeles Times, Hillary Clinton White House records still locked up, Aug. 8, 2007
Newsweek, Papers? I Don't See Any Papers, Oct. 29, 2007
Newsweek, The Hillary Paper Chase, Nov. 12, 2007
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, Judicial Watch vs. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration , Case No. 07-cv-01267, complaint filed July 17, 2007
Bruce Lindsey statement on Clinton Presidential Papers, Nov. 2, 2007
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