Hubbell: Many Files Removed From Firm
Former Associate Attorney General Webster Hubbell revealed Wednesday that he removed a large number of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s files from their Little Rock law firm after the 1992 presidential election.
In his third appearance before the Senate Whitewater Committee, Hubbell said he also removed from the firm another file - which he had kept in his office drawer - regarding a bank owned by the Clintons’ Whitewater investment partner.
Saying he gathered the material so the Clinton campaign could respond to questions, Hubbell said he moved some of the material to a Little Rock warehouse early in 1993 - insisting to skeptical Republicans on the Senate panel that he “maintained the integrity” of all documents in his possession.
Hubbell testified that he brought many of the files with him to Washington. He said he wanted to be able to “defend” the Clintons if questions continued to arise on Whitewater and other issues.
Did Hubbell “vacuum” the files? inquired Michael Chertoff, the committee’s Republican staff lawyer who is a former prosecutor.
“I don’t appreciate that, Mike,” replied Hubbell. Hubbell has pleaded guilty to two felony charges arising out of the investigation and is serving a prison term.
Hubbell testified that the file in his office drawer related to the Bank of Kingston, a financial institution owned by James McDougal, the Clinton’s Whitewater partner. McDougal also owned Madison Guaranty, the Arkansas savings and loan at the center of the investigation.
Hubbell disclosed the existence of the files under questioning by committee Republicans, who are trying to find out what happened to Hillary Clinton’s long-sought billing records of her work for Madison Guaranty. The records mysteriously appeared a month ago at the White House.
Hubbell said he oversaw the production of Hillary Clinton’s billing records from a computer at the Rose Law Firm in February 1992, after The New York Times began asking questions about the Clintons’ Whitewater real estate venture with McDougal.
Hubbell said he handed the billing records over to Vincent Foster, and never saw them again.