48-610: Vincent Walker Foster Jr. (January 15, 1945 – July 20, 1993) was an American attorney who served as deputy White House counsel during the first six months of the Clinton administration . Foster had been a partner at Rose Law Firm in Little Rock, Arkansas , where, as The Washington Post later wrote, he rose to "the pinnacle of the Arkansas legal establishment." At the White House, he
96-404: A Mockingbird . In Bill Clinton's memoir, he characterizes Foster as "a tall, handsome, wise, good man." Writer Carl Bernstein has described Foster as "tall, with impeccable manners and a formal mien ... elegant in perfectly tailored suits, and soft-spoken to the point of taciturnity." Writer Dan Moldea characterized him as "a 'can-do' lawyer who worked best when under pressure." Phillip Carroll,
144-682: A bachelor's degree in psychology in 1967. His father wanted him to join the family real estate business, but instead, he opted to attend law school. After starting at Vanderbilt University Law School , he joined the Arkansas National Guard during the height of the Vietnam War to avoid the military draft . To be closer to his guard responsibilities, he transferred to the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, Arkansas , where he
192-659: A case that relied on materials collected under an immunity agreement with Hubbell. Starr appealed to the Court of Appeals and Judge Robertson was affirmed. Starr then appealed to the United States Supreme Court. In an 8–1 decision (with Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist the lone dissenter), the Supreme Court also ruled in favor of Hubbell. On November 14, 1998, Starr obtained a third indictment, this time alleging that Hubbell had committed fraud and given false testimony to
240-414: A congressional hearing at which he might have been called to testify. Disliking the public spotlight and having continued weight loss and insomnia , he considered resigning his position but feared a personal humiliation upon returning to Arkansas. Struggling with depression , which after his death was assessed as clinical depression , Foster was prescribed the anti-depressant medication trazodone over
288-667: A convicted felon, Hubbell entered Federal Correctional Institution, Cumberland in August 1995, and was released from a halfway house in February 1997. In 1997, William Morrow & Co published Friends in High Places , Hubbell's autobiographical account of his rise in Arkansas politics and his time in the Clinton administration. During the months after Hubbell's resignation, he entered into legal consulting contracts with several clients including
336-561: A lot of the right-wing talk show people ... and all the sleazy stuff they said. They didn't give a rip that he had killed himself or that his family was miserable or that they could break the hearts [of Foster's friends and family]. It was just another weapon to slug us with, to dehumanize us with." Foster's death also had an effect on Rose Law Firm, as many within the firm had expected Foster to become its leader once he returned from service in Washington. As one partner later said, "In meetings of
384-660: A number of awards and in June 1993 would name him as its Outstanding Lawyer of the Year. He was also listed in the Best Lawyers in America book. His wife Lisa described him as driven to prevail, staying up around the clock to prepare for big cases, believing he would lose the case even though he rarely did; she later viewed this as an early sign of depressed behavior. By 1992, Vince Foster was, as The Washington Post later wrote, at "the pinnacle of
432-642: A private kindergarten, although Foster was a year ahead in school. Then, around late 1952, the Clintons moved away to Hot Springs . However, Clinton would often return to visit his grandparents in Hope during summers, weekends, and holidays and he maintained connections with the people there. Foster excelled as a student and athlete. At Hope High School , he became president of the student council, with McLarty serving as vice president. He graduated from Hope High School in 1963. Foster attended Davidson College , graduating with
480-402: A year. Known for his extensive preparation of cases ahead of time, including the creation of decision trees , Foster developed a reputation as one of the best trial litigators in Arkansas. Hillary Rodham Clinton's memoir calls Foster "one of the best lawyers I've ever known," and compared him in style and substance to Gregory Peck 's portrayal of Atticus Finch in the classic 1962 film To Kill
528-476: Is thought by some to have ended the optimism and remaining innocence of the White House staff. White House chief of staff and childhood friend Mack McLarty said that "It was a deep cut. It clearly had a tremendous impact." Nussbaum speculated that if Foster had lived, he would have helped resist the calls to appoint independent counsels and the many investigations lumped under the Whitewater umbrella that occupied
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#1732858972645576-437: Is worth even a blemish on your reputation for intellect and integrity. ... Dents to the reputation in the legal profession are irreparable. One faculty member listening to it recalled telling another that it was "the most depressing graduation speech I had ever heard, in both content and manner." A friend of Foster's has said, "Look, it's just crazy, right? You get one dent and it can never be fixed? In Washington, you get them all
624-778: The Pulaski County Bar Association to recognize members who contributed to the bar and advanced the legal profession. An endowed chair at the University of Arkansas School of Law , the Vincent Foster University Professor of Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility, was created in his name. In 2015 a holder of the chair, Howard W. Brill, was appointed Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court . [REDACTED] Media related to Vince Foster at Wikimedia Commons Deputy White House Counsel Too Many Requests If you report this error to
672-589: The United States Department of Justice , arriving at Justice on January 20, 1993. During the period before an Attorney General was approved, Hubbell worked as the assistant to the Attorney General, but reported to Republican appointee, Acting Attorney General Stuart M. Gerson . Clinton considered Hubbell for the Attorney General position on January 30, 1993, after Zoë Baird 's name was withdrawn, but Clinton nominated Janet Reno instead. Hubbell
720-506: The Whitewater controversy pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of failing to disclose a conflict of interest, and was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas , Webster Hubbell was a three-sport letterman at Hall High School . He attended the University of Arkansas on a football scholarship where he played offensive tackle for the Arkansas Razorbacks . In his senior year (1968/69),
768-553: The Arkansas legal establishment." He was also an established figure in Little Rock society, serving as the chair of the board of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre and belonging to the exclusive Country Club of Little Rock. After Clinton's 1992 election , Foster joined Clinton's presidential transition team. Once Clinton was inaugurated, Foster joined his White House staff as Deputy White House Counsel in early 1993. This
816-714: The Chief Operating Officer of Department and its 100,000 employees and $ 10 billion budget. During the Whitewater controversy , Hubbell was indicted for allegedly overbilling clients while in private practice. Hubbell had previously resigned as associate attorney general on April 14, 1994, to avoid controversy regarding his work at Justice and in hopes of reaching a resolution with the Rose Law Firm. In December 1994 Hubbell pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax fraud and on June 28, 1995, Judge George Howard sentenced Hubbell to 21 months' imprisonment. As
864-489: The Country Club of Little Rock once its all-white membership became a political issue for others in the administration. As Deputy Counsel, Foster was also involved in a range of other matters, including preparation of executive orders , analyzing the legal effect of various policies, examining international treaties, discussing the ramifications of authorizations for use of military force , and authorizing expenditures within
912-594: The House Banking Committee and federal banking regulators. On June 30, 1999, the day Starr was required to step down as Independent Counsel, Hubbell entered into a plea agreement resolving the indictments. Hubbell pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to disclose a potential conflict of interest from ten years earlier. He was sentenced to one year of probation; in exchange, the prosecutor dropped charges against Hubbell's wife, lawyer, and accountant, and Starr agreed not to bring further charges against him. During
960-632: The Independent Counsel about his consulting agreements. Despite this agreement, Starr used this information to obtain an indictment of Hubbell, his wife, his accountant and his tax lawyer. District Judge James Robertson dismissed the charges against Hubbell and his wife on July 1, 1998, ruling that Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr had overstepped his authority in bringing the Hubbell indictment. Judge Robertson ruled that Starr had violated Hubbell's Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination by building
1008-552: The Indonesian Riady family and Revlon . This activity became the focus of another Starr investigation while Hubbell served out his sentence. Despite years of investigation, and although Independent Counsel Starr alleged that Hubbell "did little or no work for the money paid by his consulting clients", Starr ultimately concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove that any legal consulting contract or payments were intended to influence Hubbell's cooperation with investigators in
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#17328589726451056-729: The Razorbacks were SWC co-champions and beat undefeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl . Hubbell was selected in the eighth round (197th overall) in the 1969 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears , but an injury ended his football career. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1970, then graduated with a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law with honors. Hubbell began
1104-406: The University of Arkansas Law School, his alma mater, and said: The reputation you develop for intellectual and ethical integrity will be your greatest asset or your worst enemy. You will be judged by your judgment. ... Treat every pleading, every brief, every contract, every letter, every daily task as if your career will be judged on it ... There is no victory, no advantage, no fee, no favor, which
1152-412: The White House. Foster worked on placing the Clintons' financial holdings into a blind trust . He handled the Clintons' Madison Guaranty and Industrial Development Corporation paperwork and also several Whitewater -related tax returns . He worked twelve-hour days, six or seven days a week, and although thin to begin with, began losing weight. On May 8, 1993, Foster gave the commencement address at
1200-464: The Whitewater investigation. Starr and his prosecutors were convinced that Hubbell knew all the Clintons' secrets that were under investigation and that, if pressured enough, Hubbell would tell all. On April 30, 1998, Hubbell and his wife were indicted for conspiracy, tax evasion and mail fraud. Hubbell had, in the course of Starr's investigation, provided documents as part of an immunity agreement with
1248-481: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 766350563 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:42:52 GMT Webster Hubbell Webster Lee "Webb" Hubbell (born January 18, 1948) is a former United States Associate Attorney General from 1993 to 1994 who as part of
1296-470: The administration and Clinton for the rest of his presidency might not have happened. As it did happen, how Hillary Clinton's chief of staff, Maggie Williams , in particular handled Foster's files and documents immediately after his death became an issue of much investigation itself. Years later, Bill Clinton expressed his continued anger about the Foster rumors and theories, clenching a fist as he spoke: "I heard
1344-831: The board of the Arkansas State Board of Bar Examiners. After the 1992 election , Hubbell was one of the Clinton Administration transition's senior officials, Counsel to the Transition Board and responsible for vetting appointments to the Cabinet and other top positions, among others George Stephanopoulos , Henry Cisneros , and Jim Woolsey , former head of the Central Intelligence Agency and Bernard W. Nussbaum , White House Counsel . After Clinton's inauguration , Hubbell became White House liaison to
1392-763: The chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. After his service on the Court, he returned to the Rose Law Firm where he remained until he left for Washington, D.C. in January 1993. Hubbell was active in community affairs including, serving as president of the Visiting Nurses Association, on the Board and Treasurer of the Arkansas Arts Center , on the board of the UAMS Foundation , and as chairman of
1440-452: The failed Zoë Baird nomination; he had thought that Baird had been justified in following her lawyer's advice regarding the payment of taxes on household employees, but he had failed to anticipate the political backlash that led to it becoming known as " Nannygate " and that blemished the early days of the administration. The equally unsuccessful Kimba Wood and Lani Guinier appointments were also under Foster's purview. He had to resign from
1488-427: The leading litigator at Rose Law Firm, once said of Foster, "He was my ideal of a young lawyer." The ABA Journal reported that Foster was "acknowledged by many as the soul of the firm". He appeared to experience only success at Rose Law; a partner later said, "I never saw a professional setback. Never. Not even a tiny one." The firm grew five times its size during his time there. The Arkansas Bar Association gave him
Vince Foster - Misplaced Pages Continue
1536-472: The partners, he didn't often take a vocal stand. ... But when he did, it almost always swayed the firm. When he left for Washington, people here spoke openly about the emotional vacuum." Colleagues speculated that Foster might have someday become president of the state bar association or a choice for a federal judgeship. Beginning in 1993, the Vince Foster, Jr. Outstanding Lawyer Award was given out annually by
1584-573: The phone by his Arkansas doctor, starting with a low initial dosage. The next day, Foster was found dead in Fort Marcy Park , a federal park in Virginia. He was 48 years old. An autopsy determined that he was shot in the mouth and no other wounds were found on his body. A draft resignation letter was found torn into 27 pieces in his briefcase. The letter contained a list of grievances, including, "The WSJ editors lie without consequence" and saying, "I
1632-512: The practice of law with the Rose Law Firm in 1973, where in February 1977 Hillary Clinton joined him as a law partner. In September 1978 he was appointed to Little Rock's City Board of Directors, and in 1979 he was elected Mayor of Little Rock. He served in that position until 1981. Hubbell was re-elected to the City Board of Directors in 1980 where he served until he resigned in 1984 to become
1680-529: The reluctance of other partners to hire a woman. The hiring occurred soon after Bill Clinton was elected attorney general of Arkansas , which led Clinton and Rodham to move from Fayetteville to Little Rock. Foster and Rodham worked together on a number of cases. And as Bill Clinton's political career gained force, Foster supported him. They were also personal friends and Foster was the one who taught their daughter Chelsea Clinton how to swim. Foster practiced mostly corporate law , eventually earning nearly $ 300,000
1728-476: The six years of Starr's investigation, Hubbell worked for criminal justice think tank NCIA . Afterwards, Hubbell worked as an independent legal consultant, general counsel for an Internet start-up, and general counsel and senior vice-president for a large commercial insurance company until July 2010. After a liver transplant instigated by a rare form of hepatitis , he moved to Charlotte, North Carolina , where he now writes novels. His first novel, When Men Betray ,
1776-466: The time. You get twenty dents and you go to the body shop. Vince couldn't see that, apparently." Four days after the commencement speech, the White House travel office controversy erupted. Foster was the target of several critical Wall Street Journal editorials in June and July 1993, with titles such as "Who is Vincent Foster?" He became quite upset over the travel office matter and the possibility of
1824-402: Was a childhood friend of Bill Clinton , then known as Billy Blythe. Clinton, a year and a half younger than Foster, resided in an adjoining property to Foster's with his grandparents while his mother was often away studying nursing. Clinton later recalled, "I lived with my grandparents in a modest little house across from Vince Foster's nice, big, white brick house." Another Clinton recollection
1872-486: Was a small rented house in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Foster had difficulty making the transition to life and politics in Washington. Unlike some other Clinton-associated figures, he had no experience with campaigns or electoral politics. His wife and youngest son were not with him, having stayed behind in Arkansas so the son could complete his senior year of high school at Catholic High in Little Rock. His initial role
1920-510: Was despite Foster's initial reluctance to leave his Little Rock life behind and come to Washington. There he worked under the White House Counsel , Bernard W. Nussbaum , although Nussbaum would consider the pair to be "co-senior partners". He was also joined with two other Rose Law Firm partners, William H. Kennedy, III , who served as his associate counsel, and Webster Hubbell , who became Associate Attorney General . The Foster residence
1968-470: Was formally nominated as Associate Attorney General on April 2, 1993, and was immediately attacked for his ties to the Clintons. Hubbell's nomination was nonetheless quickly confirmed by the U.S. Senate and he served as Associate Attorney General until April 1994. He oversaw all the civil divisions of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and was appointed by Janet Reno as
Vince Foster - Misplaced Pages Continue
2016-463: Was in vetting potential administration appointees. As one subject of the vetting process later said, "I wondered why I was being interviewed by the guy who would be deputy counsel. Seemed his job was to find out how honest I was, and what level of ego I was bringing. It's a measure of how much the Clintons trusted him." But Foster found this involvement in vetting appointments to be causing him depression and anxiety . In particular, he blamed himself for
2064-583: Was made partner, one of only nine in the firm at the time. He was the head of the Arkansas Bar Association committee that oversaw legal aid , and as such worked with legal aid clinic worker Hillary Rodham in successfully overcoming an unreasonable measuring requirement for indigent clients. Foster then initiated the hiring of Rodham at Rose Law Firm, where she became its first ever female associate (and later first female partner); Foster and fellow partner Webster Hubbell were instrumental in overcoming
2112-624: Was managing editor of the law review . He received his Juris Doctor in 1971, graduating first in his class. He scored the highest in his class on the Arkansas bar exam . Foster met Elizabeth Braden, known as Lisa, during his sophomore year at Davidson; she was the daughter of an insurance broker from Nashville and was attending Sweet Briar College . They married on April 20, 1968, at St. Henry Catholic Church in Nashville. They had three children: Vincent III, Laura, and John. In 1971, Foster joined Rose Law Firm in Little Rock, Arkansas , and in 1974
2160-570: Was not meant for the job or the spotlight of public life in Washington. Here ruining people is considered sport." His funeral mass was held at the St. Andrew's Cathedral in Little Rock. Bill Clinton gave a eulogy in which he recalled their boyhood times together and quoted a line from Leon Russell 's " A Song for You ": "I love you in a place that has no space and time." Foster was buried in Memory Gardens Cemetery in his hometown of Hope. Foster
2208-516: Was survived by his wife and three children. Five official or governmental investigations into Foster's death all concluded that he died of suicide. In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in National Archives and Records Administration v. Favish that the pictures of the scene and autopsy should not be released. Foster's death, occurring just six months into the new administration,
2256-409: Was that Foster "was kind to me and never lorded it over me the way so many older boys did with younger ones." Another childhood friend was Mack McLarty , who would one day become White House Chief of Staff for Clinton. In 1950, Clinton's mother remarried and they relocated to a different part of Hope. By several accounts, Foster and Clinton attended Miss Marie Purkins' School for Little Folks together,
2304-555: Was unhappy with work in politics and spiraled into depression , and in July 1993, he was found dead of a gunshot wound in Fort Marcy Park . Five official governmental investigations ruled his death a suicide, but several conspiracy theories emerged . Foster was born in Hope, Arkansas , to Vincent W. Foster Sr. and Alice Mae Foster (1914–2012). His father became a successful real estate developer. Vincent had two sisters, Sheila and Sharon. Vincent
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