Clintons Suppressing Papers in Library, National Archives

Tuesday, October 23rd, is the publication date for Sally Bedell Smith's FOR LOVE OF POLITICS, which I first wrote about last month.

I've ordered the book, as I've enjoyed several of Smith's previous books. I think it's important to be as informed about the Clintons' pasts as possible, before we deal with the Clintons' future as it unfolds over the coming year.

Smith says that she was stonewalled by the Clinton Library, who refused to allow her access to Hillary's White House papers. The papers at the library are controlled by longtime Clinton associate Bruce Lindsey.

According to the National Archives, "barely one half of 1 percent of the 78 million pages of documents and 20 million e-mail messages" are public. Keep in mind that the library is funded by taxpayers -- yet taxpayers have no access to over 99% of the Clinton records we are paying to store.

Newsweek, in a surprisingly acidic piece titled "Papers? I Don't See Any Papers," writes that while Bill Clinton has claimed he wants his administration's papers released to public scrutiny -- blatantly lying that the Bush Administration is responsible for delays in his records being released -- he has privately written to the National Archives urging that the Archives withhold large sections of his administration's records from the public.

Clinton's requests for document suppression go far beyond anything requested by the last two Republican Presidents. It is believed that the documents will remain under lock and key until after the 2008 election...eight years after the end of Bill Clinton's Presidency.

That's just not right.

More on Smith's book at NewsBusters.