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Morris imputed sinister motive to Clinton for disclosure extension, didn't note extensions also granted to McCain, Romney

May 24, 2007 5:38 pm ET

12 Comments

In a column that appeared in the May 24 New York Post, after noting that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) "obtained an extension of time to file her financial-disclosure statement for the presidential race," Dick Morris falsely claimed that Clinton "offered no reason for the postponement" and baselessly speculated that Clinton sought the extension because "she hopes to conceal" payments made to her husband, former President Bill Clinton, by a company named InfoUSA. Clinton has, in fact, reportedly provided a reason for seeking the extension -- to comply with a disclosure demand by a federal agency -- and Morris did not note that both former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) also received deadline extensions for reportedly the same reason.

According to a May 18 Associated Press article, in seeking the extensions, lawyers for Clinton, McCain, and Romney cited a demand by the Office of Government Ethics that they "open up their blind family trusts":

The federal Office of Government Ethics wants former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain to open up their blind family trusts because they were not set up under the agency's standards.

That means that the trusts, created so that elected officials could avoid conflicts of interest between their financial holdings and their official acts, will now be in plain sight for the public -- and the candidates -- to see.

The Office of Government Ethics won't comment publicly about their disclosure requirements. But the candidates' lawyers cited the demand to open the blind trusts as the reason for seeking extensions to file financial disclosures statements. Clinton, Romney and McCain all received a 45-day grace period to submit their paperwork. The reports had been due on Tuesday.

A May 22 New York Times article reported that InfoUSA, "one of the nation's largest compilers of consumer information," is one of "[t]wo companies accused by state and federal regulators of doing business with suspected telemarketing thieves." InfoUSA, Morris wrote, "paid [Bill Clinton] an undisclosed amount each year [since 2002] -- listed only as 'more than $1,000' for 'non-employee compensation' on Sen. Clinton's financial-disclosure forms." Sen. Clinton's "financial-disclosure statement for the presidential race ... will tell us more than her Senate statements -- she's required to list not just the sources of Bill's income but exactly how much they paid him," asserted Morris.

From Morris' May 24 column:

Last week, Hillary Clinton sought and obtained an extension of time to file her financial-disclosure statement for the presidential race. This will tell us more than her Senate statements - she's required to list not just the sources of Bill's income but exactly how much they paid him. While Sen. Clinton offered no reason for the postponement, we can't help suspecting that she hopes to conceal InfoUSA's payments to her husband while the company is under fire.

[...]

This connection between the Clintons and InfoUSA only underscores the necessity of full disclosure of income sources and amounts by all the presidential candidates and the release of their income tax returns -- a step that Sen. Clinton has, thus far, refused to take.

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    • Author by valentinian (May 24, 2007 5:40 pm ET)
         

      Well, maybe he's not "intimately acquainted" with McCain and Romney.

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      • Author by therick (May 24, 2007 9:23 pm ET)
           

        When I heard he was behind McCain and Romney, I didn't realize how close.

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    • Author by tommy (May 24, 2007 5:42 pm ET)
         

      It would be misinformation and newsworthy if Dick Morris didn't obsessively spear a Clinton in every available breath he takes. 

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      • Author by tman418 (May 24, 2007 7:20 pm ET)
           

        Tommy, this is misinformation by Morris. But newsworthy that he bashes Hillary? Not so much, you're right about that.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by DorisRussell (May 24, 2007 5:44 pm ET)
         

      Why does this man hate the Clintons so much?

      Report Abuse
      • Author by tommy (May 24, 2007 5:47 pm ET)
           

        My guess would be because he's slimy and opportunistic - and he found Fox, or they found him, and he realized he could get employed by them for his insightful Clinton bashing.......dressed up as salient political strategy insider stuff.

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      • Author by snoopy (May 24, 2007 6:03 pm ET)
           

        Maybe because Kinkaid told him Hillary was a lesbian so now he's angry that she spurned his advances in favor of eating at the y.

        Report Abuse
        • Author by pearlene_scott1602 (May 24, 2007 6:45 pm ET)
             

          Nah, it's because she still carries a torch for Vince. Or maybe it's because she used a torch on Vince. Or maybe she didn't introduce him to Miss Piggy. I'm sure Dickie has been longing for her toes for sometime. Mmmmm pigs feet.

          Report Abuse
    • Author by fatbob (May 24, 2007 6:38 pm ET)
         

      hello tommy.

      correct oh great one!

      Report Abuse
    • Author by open_mind (May 24, 2007 6:49 pm ET)
         

      Dick Morris is talking about the Clintons on Fox"News"?  MMFA needs to just print the transcript and highlight Dick's words.  MMFA could probably entirely automate the process.  No need to go through the trouble to actually write an article.

      Slam dunk every time.

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    • Author by cwazycajun1 (May 24, 2007 7:09 pm ET)
         

      let me see  here     he got busted for suckin the toes of a whore  no offence to all the whores out there  Im sure u have better standards    now he kissin the asses of whores   sorry again  ladies and gentlemen   and he's gettin paid to do it

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