Hillary lied about travelgate, Independent counsel Robert Ray conclusion, NewsMax October 19, 2000, Overwhelming evidence that president’s wife played a role in dismissals

The following article can no longer be found at NewsMax. Apparently their archives only go back to 2007.

Since it was scrubbed it is presented in it’s entirety.

From NewsMax October 19, 2000.

“Ray: Hillary Lied About ‘Travelgate’

Hillary Clinton gave “factually false” testimony about firing the White House travel staff, but not enough to warrant indictment, independent counsel Robert Ray has concluded.

The first lady had wanted those longtime employees, who arranged travel for reporters accompanying the president on official trips, replaced by a private firm that she sponsored.

According to Reuters news service:

In concluding his 243-page report, Ray said the evidence he would be allowed by a court to introduce in a trial was insufficient to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt that the false statements were made with the criminal intent required to convict the first lady of perjury.

With less than three weeks remaining in her campaign to become a Democratic senator from New York, she seized upon that technicality, commenting from Syracuse:

“I said when they issued the press release months ago [that Ray had concluded his investigation] I was glad it was over after all these years and millions of dollars [spent investigating her], and I really have nothing to add to that.”

When asked what impact Ray’s report, released Wednesday, would have on her campaign, she said, “I just think most New Yorkers and Americans have made up their minds about all of this.”

Her Republican opponent, Rick Lazio of Long Island, wasted no time taking advantage of her bad news.

He told the New York Times that “we believe that character counts in public service, because we believe that integrity needs to be restored to our public servants.”

From the White House came this dismissal of the independent counsel’s report by spokesman Jake Siewert:

“The suggestion that Mrs. Clinton somehow testified falsely is belied by the text of the report itself. This report should close the matter once and for all.”

Siewert said the report confirmed the White House’s contention all along that there were financial improprieties, the 1993 firings were lawful and the decision was made by White House staff, not the first lady.

However, Ray said his office found “overwhelming evidence” that the president’s wife played a role in the dismissals of the seven longtime employees in the White House travel office.

Despite her denials to Congress and to his office, Ray said in his report, the first lady played a role and provided input into the decision to fire the employees.

“Her statement to the contrary under oath to this office was factually false”; her sworn testimony was “factually inaccurate.”

Ray said the first lady’s concerns about the office did ultimately influence the decision by then-White House aide David Watkins to dismiss the employees.

He said she expressed her wishes about getting rid of the travel office staff with:

• Watkins during one direct telephone conversation;

• White House aide Harry Thomason, a longtime friend of the Clintons;

• Deputy White House counsel Vince Foster, who purportedly committed suicide in 1993; and

• The White House chief of staff at the time, Thomas “Mack” McLarty.

Ray said he also investigated whether there was a cover-up of the White House’s management of the firings, but decided “the answer is simple:

The evidence is insufficient to prove a cover-up involving any violations of federal criminal law.”

David Kendall, a lawyer for the Clintons, leapt immediately to her defense, calling Ray’s conclusion that the first lady gave inaccurate testimony as “highly unfair and misleading” and the several investigations of the travel office largely “a wasteful partisan extravagance.”

The probe of White House travel office scandal, known as “Travelgate,” was among several investigations by Ray and his predecessor, Kenneth Starr, dating back more than six years and costing more than $55 million.

Last month, Ray found insufficient evidence to warrant criminal charges against the Clintons in the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas.

However, he said he will wait until after President Clinton leaves office in January to decide whether he will prosecute him for perjury in the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.”

http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=2000/10/19/95541.txt