Fox News withholds half the story on Kagan docs

Written by Solange Uwimana

Published

Bret Baier reported that the Clinton Presidential Library recently released documents relating to Elena Kagan's work in the Clinton administration but that "[t]he library is withholding some of those documents." Baier did not mention that the documents have reportedly been made available to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Baier ignores fact that Senate Judiciary Committee reportedly has Kagan docs

Bair reports only that "[Clinton] library is withholding"* some Kagan documents. On the June 11 edition of Fox News' Special Report, Baier reported:

BAIER: The William J. Clinton Presidential Library has released about 40,000 pages of documents relating to Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's work in the Clinton administration. They show she was heavily involved in the White House public relations effort on issues dealing with Whitewater and the Paula Jones sexual harassment suit. The library is withholding some of those documents saying they contain confidential advice.

In fact, Clinton library reportedly made documents available to Senate Judiciary Committee. In a June 11 article, the Associated Press reported that the Clinton Presidential Library “won't publicly release” some Kagan memos because releasing them “would divulge confidential advice,” but that they “were turned over to the Senate Judiciary Committee that will hold hearings on Kagan's nomination.” The article further reported that according to the White House, "[President] Clinton could have chosen to keep the records off-limits entirely ... but instead gave them to the Senate panel 'in the interest of transparency.' "

* Quote corrected.