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Lincoln Bedroom for contributors controversy

February 15, 2024

The Lincoln Bedroom for contributors controversy was an American political controversy in the 1990s during the Clinton Administration. It refers to the alleged selling of overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom in the White House in return for political campaign contributions. It occurred in the context of the larger and somewhat separately focused 1996 United States campaign finance controversy. Despite allegations of wrongdoing the justice department never opened an investigation or pressed criminal charges in connection to the Lincoln Bedroom matter.[1][2]

Origins edit

In August 1996, the Center for Public Integrity released a 10-page report called "Fat Cat Hotel: How Democratic High-Rollers Are Rewarded with Overnight Stays at the White House". This report, written by Margaret Ebrahim, went on to win an award from the Society of Professional Journalists. The report was an examination of the connection between overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom during the Presidency of Bill Clinton and financial contributions to the Democratic Party as well as to the Bill Clinton presidential campaign, 1996.[3]

Revelations edit

In response, documents were released by the Clinton administration in February 1997. These showed that during the period 1993–96, there were 938 people who stayed overnight at the White House, of whom 821 were located in the Lincoln Bedroom. Of these, 128 were public officials and dignitaries of some kind and 67 were people from the arts and entertainment world.[4] The latter group included the likes of Steven Spielberg, Jane Fonda, Judy Collins, and Doris Kearns Goodwin.[5] Of the rest, most were friends of the Clintons, of which over half were from the couple's Arkansas days; the number of non-friends who were supporters was some fraction of 111.[4] The one-term total of 938 compared to that of 284 overnight visitors during the four years of the Presidency of George H.W. Bush.[6]

One particular document was seen as potentially damning, a Clinton annotation on a Democratic National Committee memorandum from its finance chair Terry McAuliffe, written regarding names of people who had not been in touch since the Bill Clinton presidential campaign, 1992: "Yes, pursue all 3 and promptly - and get other names of the 100,000 or more [dollar contributors]. Ready to start overnights right away - give me the top 10 list back, along with the 100."[4][6] A Washington Post report stated that: "Clinton personally authorized a variety of perks for top party contributors, including golf games and morning jogs with him and overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom ..."[5] McAuliffe would later refer to this sardonically as "the infamous Lincoln Bedroom Memo".[7]

A CNN report said that just during the years 1995-96, some $5.4 million was given to the DNC by overnight stayers, with 24 of them giving over $100,000.[8] There were also donations made in conjunction with a related perk, White House coffees.[8] Two other benefits sometimes provided to Clintons friends and benefactors were morning jogs with the president and likewise rounds of golf.[9]

Some have asserted that using the Lincoln Bedroom for fundraising may have broken the law due to the fact that federal law prohibits using government property for fundraising.[1]

Responses edit

In response to the allegations, President Clinton said in February 1997, "I did not have any strangers here. The Lincoln Bedroom was never sold. That was one more false story we have had to endure, and the facts will show what the truth is."[4]

Senator John McCain was not convinced, saying of the documents, "It does corroborate what we already suspected and what circumstantially was already known to us, and that is, that the president of the United States, in seeking to raise money for his re-election, was willing to use the Lincoln Bedroom, probably one of the more sacrosanct places in America, in order to gain those financial funds which he felt were necessary. And I'm deeply disappointed and I'm sure the American people will be too."[4]

Investigations or not edit

Fellow Republican and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott called for the naming of an Independent Counsel to investigate the matter.[4] However U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno said despite the new revelations such a step was not called for.[10]

The matter became looked into by a probe by Congressional Republicans on the into fundraising matters at the White House.[7] This investigation concluded that the overnights were "an important means by which the DNC raised funds from contributors."[7] It may have been one issued on November 5, 1998 by the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Making reference to legal proceedings, Spencer Overton, as a lawyer at Debevoise & Plimpton, represented the Democratic National Committee in the Lincoln Bedroom matter before the Congressional investigators.

No charges were ever brought by the U.S. Department of Justice in connection with the matter. In the words of the Sydney Morning Herald, the bedroom practice was "Unseemly, but not illegal and not entirely unusual."[11]

Aftereffects edit

First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 book An Invitation to the White House: At Home with History discussed the Lincoln Bedroom in terms of its decorating impact but made no mention of the contributors controversy.[12] In any case, her campaign in the United States Senate election in New York, 2000 featured fundraisers who had partaken of the Lincoln Bedroom or similar accommodations.[13]

The matter came up in the 2000 United States presidential election when the Republican nominee, the Governor of Texas George W. Bush, criticized during a general election debate, "I think they’ve moved that line the buck stops here’ from the Oval Office to … the Lincoln Bedroom."[13] However as it happened, Bush had engaged in a similar practice with visitors to the Texas Governor's Mansion.[13] Furthermore the first year and a half of the Presidency of George W. Bush also saw some instances of big-money contributors staying over at the White House.[13]

When Hillary Clinton ran for senator in 2000, her opponent, Rick Lazio, used the controversy to rebuke Clinton in a debate, saying "please, no lectures from Motel 1600 on campaign finance reform."[14]

During the presidency of Barack Obama, however, the Lincoln Bedroom was off-limits to guests. First Lady Michelle Obama said, "We don’t allow guests to stay in this room anymore."[15]

Many of the original Lincoln Bedroom guests were also big contributors to the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Willman, David; Miller, Alan C. (February 12, 1997). "Ickes Insists He Violated No Laws on Fund-Raising". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  2. ^ "AllPolitics - Reno Resisting Pressure - Feb. 27, 1997". www.cnn.com. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  3. ^ "Profile Margaret Ebrahim". Washington, DC: School of Communications, American University. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Clinton Ok'd Using Lincoln Bedroom for Contributors". CNN. February 25, 1997.
  5. ^ a b "President Had Big Role in Setting Donor Perks". The Washington Post. February 26, 1997.
  6. ^ a b c "The Lincoln Bedroom Is Still Paying Dividends". Slate.com. October 26, 2015.
  7. ^ a b c "Cuccinelli overstates McAuliffe's role in Lincoln Bedroom scandal". PolitiFact Virginia. August 26, 2013.
  8. ^ a b "AllPolitics - Bedroom Bucks - Feb. 26, 1997". www.cnn.com.
  9. ^ "Worse Than Watergate? The Ultimate White House Scandal Matrix".
  10. ^ "AllPolitics - Reno Resisting Pressure - Feb. 27, 1997". www.cnn.com.
  11. ^ O'Malley, Nick (October 28, 2016). "History of the Clintons' scandals". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  12. ^ Connolly, Sherryl (November 14, 2000). "White House Pages: Books by Hillary, others, showcase the historic home". Daily News. New York.
  13. ^ a b c d Ismail, M. Asif (August 22, 2002). "Fat Cat Hotel still open for business". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  14. ^ Nagourney, Adam (October 9, 2000). "CAMPAIGN 2000: NEW YORK; Politely, Lazio and Mrs. Clinton Debate U.N. and Supreme Court". The New York Times. p. A1. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  15. ^ "He just does what he thinks is right" The Wall Street Journal

External links edit

  • "Fat Cat Hotel", original 1996 report Center for Public Integrity
  • Congressional report mention
  • "Fat Cat Hotel Still Open For Business" - CPI follow-up 2002 report


February 15, 2024
lincoln, bedroom, contributors, controversy, american, political, controversy, 1990s, during, clinton, administration, refers, alleged, selling, overnight, stays, lincoln, bedroom, white, house, return, political, campaign, contributions, occurred, context, la. The Lincoln Bedroom for contributors controversy was an American political controversy in the 1990s during the Clinton Administration It refers to the alleged selling of overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom in the White House in return for political campaign contributions It occurred in the context of the larger and somewhat separately focused 1996 United States campaign finance controversy Despite allegations of wrongdoing the justice department never opened an investigation or pressed criminal charges in connection to the Lincoln Bedroom matter 1 2 Contents 1 Origins 2 Revelations 3 Responses 4 Investigations or not 5 Aftereffects 6 References 7 External linksOrigins editIn August 1996 the Center for Public Integrity released a 10 page report called Fat Cat Hotel How Democratic High Rollers Are Rewarded with Overnight Stays at the White House This report written by Margaret Ebrahim went on to win an award from the Society of Professional Journalists The report was an examination of the connection between overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom during the Presidency of Bill Clinton and financial contributions to the Democratic Party as well as to the Bill Clinton presidential campaign 1996 3 Revelations editIn response documents were released by the Clinton administration in February 1997 These showed that during the period 1993 96 there were 938 people who stayed overnight at the White House of whom 821 were located in the Lincoln Bedroom Of these 128 were public officials and dignitaries of some kind and 67 were people from the arts and entertainment world 4 The latter group included the likes of Steven Spielberg Jane Fonda Judy Collins and Doris Kearns Goodwin 5 Of the rest most were friends of the Clintons of which over half were from the couple s Arkansas days the number of non friends who were supporters was some fraction of 111 4 The one term total of 938 compared to that of 284 overnight visitors during the four years of the Presidency of George H W Bush 6 One particular document was seen as potentially damning a Clinton annotation on a Democratic National Committee memorandum from its finance chair Terry McAuliffe written regarding names of people who had not been in touch since the Bill Clinton presidential campaign 1992 Yes pursue all 3 and promptly and get other names of the 100 000 or more dollar contributors Ready to start overnights right away give me the top 10 list back along with the 100 4 6 A Washington Post report stated that Clinton personally authorized a variety of perks for top party contributors including golf games and morning jogs with him and overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom 5 McAuliffe would later refer to this sardonically as the infamous Lincoln Bedroom Memo 7 A CNN report said that just during the years 1995 96 some 5 4 million was given to the DNC by overnight stayers with 24 of them giving over 100 000 8 There were also donations made in conjunction with a related perk White House coffees 8 Two other benefits sometimes provided to Clintons friends and benefactors were morning jogs with the president and likewise rounds of golf 9 Some have asserted that using the Lincoln Bedroom for fundraising may have broken the law due to the fact that federal law prohibits using government property for fundraising 1 Responses editIn response to the allegations President Clinton said in February 1997 I did not have any strangers here The Lincoln Bedroom was never sold That was one more false story we have had to endure and the facts will show what the truth is 4 Senator John McCain was not convinced saying of the documents It does corroborate what we already suspected and what circumstantially was already known to us and that is that the president of the United States in seeking to raise money for his re election was willing to use the Lincoln Bedroom probably one of the more sacrosanct places in America in order to gain those financial funds which he felt were necessary And I m deeply disappointed and I m sure the American people will be too 4 Investigations or not editFellow Republican and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott called for the naming of an Independent Counsel to investigate the matter 4 However U S Attorney General Janet Reno said despite the new revelations such a step was not called for 10 The matter became looked into by a probe by Congressional Republicans on the into fundraising matters at the White House 7 This investigation concluded that the overnights were an important means by which the DNC raised funds from contributors 7 It may have been one issued on November 5 1998 by the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Making reference to legal proceedings Spencer Overton as a lawyer at Debevoise amp Plimpton represented the Democratic National Committee in the Lincoln Bedroom matter before the Congressional investigators No charges were ever brought by the U S Department of Justice in connection with the matter In the words of the Sydney Morning Herald the bedroom practice was Unseemly but not illegal and not entirely unusual 11 Aftereffects editFirst Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton s 2000 book An Invitation to the White House At Home with History discussed the Lincoln Bedroom in terms of its decorating impact but made no mention of the contributors controversy 12 In any case her campaign in the United States Senate election in New York 2000 featured fundraisers who had partaken of the Lincoln Bedroom or similar accommodations 13 The matter came up in the 2000 United States presidential election when the Republican nominee the Governor of Texas George W Bush criticized during a general election debate I think they ve moved that line the buck stops here from the Oval Office to the Lincoln Bedroom 13 However as it happened Bush had engaged in a similar practice with visitors to the Texas Governor s Mansion 13 Furthermore the first year and a half of the Presidency of George W Bush also saw some instances of big money contributors staying over at the White House 13 When Hillary Clinton ran for senator in 2000 her opponent Rick Lazio used the controversy to rebuke Clinton in a debate saying please no lectures from Motel 1600 on campaign finance reform 14 During the presidency of Barack Obama however the Lincoln Bedroom was off limits to guests First Lady Michelle Obama said We don t allow guests to stay in this room anymore 15 Many of the original Lincoln Bedroom guests were also big contributors to the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign 2016 6 References edit a b Willman David Miller Alan C February 12 1997 Ickes Insists He Violated No Laws on Fund Raising Los Angeles Times Retrieved April 21 2023 AllPolitics Reno Resisting Pressure Feb 27 1997 www cnn com Retrieved January 17 2022 Profile Margaret Ebrahim Washington DC School of Communications American University Retrieved June 10 2012 a b c d e f Clinton Ok d Using Lincoln Bedroom for Contributors CNN February 25 1997 a b President Had Big Role in Setting Donor Perks The Washington Post February 26 1997 a b c The Lincoln Bedroom Is Still Paying Dividends Slate com October 26 2015 a b c Cuccinelli overstates McAuliffe s role in Lincoln Bedroom scandal PolitiFact Virginia August 26 2013 a b AllPolitics Bedroom Bucks Feb 26 1997 www cnn com Worse Than Watergate The Ultimate White House Scandal Matrix AllPolitics Reno Resisting Pressure Feb 27 1997 www cnn com O Malley Nick October 28 2016 History of the Clintons scandals The Sydney Morning Herald Connolly Sherryl November 14 2000 White House Pages Books by Hillary others showcase the historic home Daily News New York a b c d Ismail M Asif August 22 2002 Fat Cat Hotel still open for business Center for Public Integrity Retrieved April 21 2023 Nagourney Adam October 9 2000 CAMPAIGN 2000 NEW YORK Politely Lazio and Mrs Clinton Debate U N and Supreme Court The New York Times p A1 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved January 28 2019 He just does what he thinks is right The Wall Street JournalExternal links edit Fat Cat Hotel original 1996 report Center for Public Integrity Congressional report mention Common Dreams George W Bush Fund Raisers Among Overnight Guests in the Lincoln Bedroom Fat Cat Hotel Still Open For Business CPI follow up 2002 report Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lincoln Bedroom for contributors controversy amp oldid 1168455303, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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