The White House is denying published reports in The New York Times that President William Jefferson Clinton (SFS ’68) is considering building his presidential library on the campus of Georgetown University. “The President has no plans to move the library to Georgetown,” said Jennifer Smith, White House director of specialty press.
On Sept. 10, the Times reported that Clinton was considering moving the library from its originally planned location in Little Rock, Ark., because of anger over his upcoming disbarment trial in his home state. The article quoted Skip Rutherford, the man responsible for raising funds for the $125 million library, as saying, “Some of us are asking, and we think he should be asking, whether it’s worth it to bring this project [to Little Rock].” Rutherford added that the library could be built at Georgetown.
On Sept. 20, The Hill, a newspaper that covers Washington politics, quoted Rutherford as saying that moving his presidential library would not be unprecedented, as Presidents Nixon, Kennedy and Reagan’s libraries were all moved from their originally planned locations.
The Times article also quoted a “long-time friend” of Clinton as saying that Clinton was “livid, off-the-wall angry,” about the upcoming disbarment trial, which centers on Clinton’s testimony during an inquiry into a sexual harassment lawsuit in which he testified under oath that he had not had a sexual relationship with a White House intern. Following acquittal by the U.S. Senate on impeachment charges, the judge from the civil action fined him, and the matter was forwarded to the Arkansas Bar Association. Were he to be disbarred, Clinton would be the first U.S. President to lose his law license while in office.
In an interview with Washington Post staff writer John Harris on Aug. 8, Clinton said his loyalties remain in Arkansas, despite the potential disbarment. “This state, they stuck with me through thick and thin; they voted for me twice . they hung in there,” Clinton said when asked if the potential disbarment had caused him to consider moving the library. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be sitting here.”
Clinton also said that many of his friends in Arkansas thought that if the state disbarred him, he should not build his library there. Clinton added, however, that the area of Little Rock slated to house the library had considerable sentimental value to him because he declared his candidacy for president there and watched the election returns for both of his elections at the Old State House there.
Assistant Vice President for Communications Julie Green Bataille said that Georgetown had not heard from the White House in any way concerning any plans to relocate the library.
Even though it appears his library will not be built here, Clinton and Georgetown have had a close relationship throughout his two terms as President. He has visited the campus 14 times as president. University President Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J., has accompanied Clinton on several trips abroad. Last month, Clinton chose to deliver a major policy speech in Gaston Hall because he thought it would be a good way to kick off freshman orientation, which he coordinated while he was a Georgetown student.
Related Links
GU Law Program Draws Clinton Praise (9/29)
Clinton Tables Missile Shield (9/8)
Clinton in Gaston Today (9/1)