Q: While reading The Vent, I noticed a reference to the Clintons stealing china when they left the White House. I didn’t know about that, but did hear that they vandalized the White House and took or destroyed computers. President Bill Clinton also did a lot of last-minute pardoning. Was this true?
—Glenda Bell, Atlanta
A: The Clintons began shipping furniture and other items, including china, flatware, rugs and TVs, to their home in Chappaqua, N.Y., up to a year before President Clinton left office in 2001, but later either returned or paid for many of the items they thought had been gifts to them but were White House property.
They initially paid $86,000 and then another $28,500 for furnishings that belonged to the National Park Service. Clinton’s office issued this statement: “Gifts did not leave the White House without the approval of the White House usher’s and curator’s offices. Of course, if the White House now determines that a cataloging error occurred … any item in question will be returned.”
The General Accounting Office, in a June 2002 report, said “damage, theft, vandalism and pranks did occur in the White House complex,” including the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, at a cost of $13,000 to $14,000. That included $4,850 to replace or repair 62 computer keyboards, many of which were missing “W” keys. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer had earlier said the “W” was missing from 100 keyboards. Other costs included replacing 26 cell phones, missing doorknobs, medallions and signs and replacing a 12-inch presidential seal that had been taken. Clinton issued 140 pardons on Jan. 20, 2001.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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