A former aide in the Bill Clinton White House linked "financial benefits" and Clinton support to a specific outcome in the search for the next leader of the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock.
Marsha Scott, a former White House personnel office chief of staff and now working at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, sent a "talking points" document on May 21 to Monticello attorney and University of Arkansas System board of trustees member Cliff Gibson.
UA and the University of Arkansas System's Clinton School would receive Clinton support under a scenario outlined with a list of numbered points that name Todd Shields, dean of UA's Fulbright College since 2014, as the choice for a management and mentoring role.
The points take shots at UA System President Donald Bobbitt and state that some people close to Clinton are "even advocating" that he "pull" the Clinton School from the UA System, under which it was founded in 2004, "if Bobbitt continues to resist."
The Clinton School holds a unique place in the UA System. The main campus is at the Bill Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock. Similar schools linked closely to presidential libraries tend to focus, as the Clinton School does, on graduate training in public policy and related issues.
The "talking points" message bypassed Bobbitt, leader of the search to find a Clinton School dean to replace Skip Rutherford, who retired June 30. Bobbitt is chairman of a search committee and is expected to make a hiring recommendation to the board's 10 trustees.
The disclosure of the "talking points" note -- a document that also referred to the Clinton Foundation and included statements written in the voice of the former U.S. president -- comes amid increased scrutiny on the role those with political and financial clout play in hiring decisions by public universities.
(Walter E. Hussman Jr., publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, has come under fire after concerns he expressed about journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones' work on The 1619 Project for The New York Times, but Hussman has said he didn't lobby against her hiring at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).
The "talking points" document used the acronym "WJC" for the former president, whose full name is William Jefferson Clinton.
"WJC and his team are prepared to lend support to the school if Todd is managing the process," stated one numbered point. "To avoid the fight they anticipate, Todd suggested and they agreed, to another course of action," another point said.
Other numbered points went into detail about how to create a role for Shields as a mentor -- with 20% of Shields' duties assigned to the Clinton School -- while keeping him at UA-Fayetteville.
[DOCUMENT: Read Lindsey's letter to Bobbitt in support of Shields » arkansasonline.com/718lindsey/]
"Todd's duties will be to mentor the new dean for a period of two years while he also remains Dean of Fulbright," stated a point enumerated as No. 9.
"This allows all the resources of personnel and expertise to be made available to the Clinton School and for Fulbright and U of A to benefit from close alliance to Clinton world and the prestige it can bring -- including financial benefits," stated point No. 10, with "Fulbright" an apparent reference to UA's Fulbright College.
Clinton, through a spokesman, declined an interview request and did not respond to questions about the document.
Scott pushed back when asked by the Democrat-Gazette if the document made promises of Clinton support contingent on certain decisions being made.
"There are no promises implied or otherwise. The talking points were to provide context and background, and an outline for a path to success for the Clinton School. The intent was always to better build relationships between the Clinton School, the Clinton Foundation and the UA System," Scott said in an email, adding that she wrote the talking points without assistance.
The "talking points" document also included a section that began, "The following are points I wrote for WJC," with five statements written in the voice of Clinton.
"I don't want a fight but will engage because I feel strongly about the school and its' potential to benefit our state as well as being a central part of my personal legacy," the first such statement said.
The last stated: "I and my team will be more publicly involved in promoting and raising money for the school."
The points in the document "appear to have been drafted by an individual attempting to circumvent the university's normal process for leadership searches," UA System spokesman Nate Hinkel said in an email.
Shields, in a statement, said he did not approve, review or help create the points sent to Gibson. A political science professor, Shields said he served as interim associate dean at the Clinton School from July 2010 through August 2011.
In text records, Shields is described as having at least some backing to become the next chancellor at UA-Fayetteville, a position open after Joe Steinmetz stepped down last month.
Provided excerpts from the note to Gibson -- including the statement, "WJC and his team are prepared to lend support to the school if Todd is managing the process" -- Shields was asked by the Democrat-Gazette if he viewed some of the "talking points" as promises of support contingent on the suggested course for the Clinton School being followed.
"No, to my knowledge no promises have been made -- just the offer to facilitate, mentor and help with the transition of bringing in a new dean to the Clinton School," Shields said in his statement.
Shields said he "only offered to serve as a mentor to this new colleague in the capacity needed or desired by President Bobbitt and the Board of Trustees."
About the chancellor position, Shields said it "would be an incredible honor to be considered."
"If President Bobbitt, the board of trustees, our faculty, and our campus community asked me to serve in this role, I would do all that is possible to live up to this tremendous responsibility through servant-leadership and by maintaining a people-first focus as key to the U of A's continued success," Shields said.
'PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS'
In a statement, Gibson said that after receiving the list of points he "took no action beyond reading it." An email and texts show Scott arranging a phone call with Clinton.
Gibson said he had a "friendly private" conversation with Clinton, and that he encouraged Clinton "to continue his support of the Clinton School."
Bobbitt declined to respond to questions about the document.
In a statement, he said he has had "productive conversations with President Clinton and representatives of the Clinton Foundation, including discussions after the original post-date of many of the documents you received."
Bobbitt continued: "I believe we all agree that the school is making a significant impact globally and has a strong foundation on which to build. We all share the same goal of finding a dean who can help further raise the school's academic profile."
The "talking points" document and additional emails and texts -- including an April letter from Clinton Foundation representative Bruce Lindsey to Bobbitt about the dean search -- were released under the state's public disclosure law.
Hinkel said Bobbitt did not know of the "talking points" email to Gibson until a request for records made by the Democrat-Gazette. The texts and emails were provided July 6.
Referring to the "talking points," Hinkel said these "efforts ultimately did not impact our dean search." Three finalists were announced July 7.
CLINTON FOUNDATION
The May "talking points" document sent to Gibson took Bobbitt to task for his lack of a relationship with the Clinton Foundation, a nonprofit organization with more than $310 million in assets, according to a recent financial report.
The first numbered point stated: "WJC and his team want Bobbitt to embrace their vision and work with them to raise the profile and status of the Clinton School."
The second point stated: "Some on the Clinton team are even advocating WJC pull the school from the U of A system if Bobbitt continues to resist." No. 3 said: "WJC and his team have not put money into the school because of several reasons, one being Bobbitt himself."
"Bobbitt has allowed it to remain a 'small school in Central Arkansas.' (Bobbitt's words). It is seen as failing because he has from the beginning fought with and resisted a collegial or cooperative approach to relationships with the Clinton Foundation and its leaders. Consequently, there is little to no confidence in Bobbitt's leadership," point No. 4 states.
The foundation provides space for the Clinton School in Choctow Station, said Lindsey, a director on the Clinton Foundation's board and counselor to the board's chairman, Bill Clinton.
But the foundation "has never 'contributed' to the Clinton School," Lindsey said in an email.
"Any 'financial benefits' to the Clinton School would be the added faculty and resources that a collaborative relationship would provide, and the benefit to the other campuses would be the association with a 'world class' graduate program in public service," Lindsey said.
Records provided by the UA System for the past two years show that the Clinton Family Foundation, a separate entity from the Clinton Foundation, provided a gift of $25,000 in 2019 and $25,000 in 2020, with a request made that the money go to support the Clinton School.
CLINTON SPOKESMAN
Angel Urena, a spokesman for Clinton, in a statement July 9 said Clinton "is proud of the Clinton School, its graduates, and its students," and that Clinton "has had a number of conversations with Dr. Bobbitt about the Dean's successor and he believes that they are in agreement about the direction of the school moving forward."
The Clinton spokesman did not respond to a request for further comment about the memo sent to Gibson.
Schools similar to the Clinton School include the University of Texas at Austin's Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, founded in 1970; and the Bush School of Government and Public Service, founded in 1997 as a unit of Texas A&M University. The George H.W. Bush presidential library is on the Texas A&M University campus.
"Bush always emphasized he would not interfere with the school and university's independent operation; however, he and his circle of friends watched with great interest and indicated their willingness to help if asked," wrote Charles Hermann, founding director of the Bush School, in a 2017 book he co-authored with Sally Dee Wade, "Called to Serve: The Bush School of Government and Public Service."
George C. Edwards III, a retired Texas A&M political science professor, directed the Center for Presidential Studies, which at one point was a part of the Bush School.
Edwards said he did not believe Bush made a recommendation that resulted in Robert Gates, a former deputy national security adviser in Bush's White House, becoming the school's interim dean in 1999. Later, Gates served as Texas A&M University president.
"He was definitely hands off," Edwards said of Bush.
Clinton's autobiography, "My Life," included Scott in a list of "personal friends" who helped as political campaign organizers. Early in her career, Scott was a staff member for U.S. Sen. J. William Fulbright, the longtime Arkansas senator often described as a mentor to Clinton.
The "talking points" document sent by Scott was an email attachment with the file name "TPsfor Cliff," the communication records show.
In the body of the email from Scott to Gibson, she wrote: "WJC has gotten his summation and hopefully he will call you tomorrow. He knows you have a meeting on Tuesday.
"Thanks again for all you are doing to help..It will not be forgotten."
SCOTT RESPONDS
Scott, in response to questions from the Democrat-Gazette, wrote in an email that she "was asked by Cliff Gibson to give some context and background which I put in the form of talking points that could be used when discussing one course of possible next steps for the Clinton School."
Shields and Scott have worked together on what's known as the Fulbright Legacy Project, a collaborative effort with the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board launched in 2018 to collect and preserve the histories of Fulbright scholarship recipients.
Gibson, in a lengthy statement, said that's how he came to personally know Scott and Shields, calling Shields "one of the truly remarkable leaders" at UA-Fayetteville and Scott "an accomplished lady in her own right." Her ties to the Fayetteville campus include her father, former Razorback football star Clyde Scott.
At UA-Fayetteville, Scott works as a project and program specialist who helps with fundraising strategy and "big ideas and relationship-building," including work with business and government leaders, she said.
Gibson said he "considered it only natural that she could and would provide me with her perspective" on the Clinton School dean search.
"Ms. Scott was, however, critical of Dr. Bobbitt relative to the Clinton School, and she is certainly entitled to her opinion, although I feel sure she didn't intend for her opinions to be put on public display, but such is the world in which we live," Gibson said.
Scott said statements written in Clinton's voice were not intended solely for one person to use.
"I created all these points based on what I thought could be a possible path for success for the Clinton School. The talking points were intended to be used for any who needed them or were interested in the possibilities they outlined," Scott said.
Other statements written in Clinton's voice were:
"Todd is my first choice but I understand that Bobbitt is resisting working with me or my team to make this happen."
"I want you to help Bobbitt embrace my vision and follow this new plan."
"I want my school to be a showcase for both the U of A system as well as the state."
Scott said she's not employed by the Clinton Foundation, or by the former U.S. president who held office from January 1993 to January 2001 after more than a decade as governor of Arkansas.
"I'm a friend, a proud Arkansan, and a very vocal Razorback. I always work to bring about better collaboration, open communication, and stronger relationships between Fulbright College, the UA System, and our state," Scott said.
LINDSEY LETTER
Records show Scott sharing with Gibson an April letter from Lindsey, who represents the Clinton Foundation on the Clinton School dean search committee.
Lindsey, writing to Bobbitt on April 19, began his letter by stating: "I have reviewed all of the applicants and, based on their cover letters and professional experience, don't believe any of them have the background, vision or understanding of the Clinton School and its role in the U of A system, to take the Clinton School to the next level or, more relevant, back to President Clinton's original vision."
Lindsey went on to state that he was "not sure the Clinton School could survive a bad choice," before describing a potential option involving Shields.
"In talking with Stephanie and President Clinton, there is one person that we believe could take the Clinton School where it needs to go and that's Todd Shields," Lindsey wrote to Bobbitt.
Bobbitt, in a statement, said he did not reply in writing to Lindsey's letter.
"I did, however, have a conversation with him explaining the high quality of our candidate pool at that time and my confidence that we would continue to attract top notch individuals to consider the position. I believe the high quality of our three finalists reflects that," Bobbitt said.
Lindsey, responding to a question from the Democrat-Gazette, said his letter was about the candidates' unfamiliarity with the Clinton School's founding and purpose, citing a document from 2004 that he said described the Clinton School as "designed in partnership" with other UA System campuses and also as "one component of the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Center" and "the academic arm for many of the President's public policy initiatives."
"All of the major applicants for the deanship were from out of state with no knowledge of this history," Lindsey said, going on to say that Shields "had both the knowledge of the Clinton School and of the U of A system to restore this original vision."
"I was not trying to circumvent the process, but rethink the position," Lindsey said. He said he was not directed by Clinton to send the email, though Clinton "shared my view" about Shields' abilities.
"In the end, Dr. Bobbitt was not agreeable to changing the nature of the position," Lindsey said.
Bobbitt, asked about Lindsey's April letter, said "it is part of a committee member's role to provide feedback during a search process."
DEAN FINALISTS
The "talking points" sent in May to Gibson also include a reference to Lindsey and the dean search.
"The new dean will be one of the two women (GW and LBJ candidates). Bruce is adamant on this point. None of the others are worth mentioning," states one of the numbered points.
The three finalists for the Clinton School dean position include Lara M. Brown, professor and director of George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, and Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto, assistant dean for civic engagement at the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs.
The third finalist is Mitchell B. Lerner, professor and director of Ohio State University's East Asian Studies Center.
Bobbitt, in his statement, said "the high quality of the finalists we have attracted is a testament to the school's success and reputation, and I remain confident each of the finalists possess the background and skills to succeed as dean."
Urena, the Clinton spokesman, said: "President Clinton has been kept informed about the search committee's deliberations and is supportive of all three finalists."
Communication records between Scott and Gibson appear to show some support for Shields to take over for Steinmetz.
"Just got this regarding Todd - FYI," Gibson wrote in a text message to Scott, going on to share a message stating: "I did want to put in a good word for Dr. Todd Shields, one of the candidates for the new Chancellor position." The message went on to praise Shields as well-respected, tough and "incredibly fair."
The name of the person making the comment did not appear in the records released.
Scott replied in a text to Gibson: "What a great letter and I couldn't have said it better. Thank you. It boosts my spirits. I tend to always concentrate on the flaws and this is a great reminder of the positive."