I am a woman, and I would love to see a president who is also a woman. I will not vote for Hillary Clinton. I am not basing my decision solely on her failed tenure as the Secretary of State. I am not basing my decision solely on her failure to competently handle classified information or personal data devices. I don’t need to mention that Secretary Clinton and her Foundation are behind the sale of U.S. uranium rights to Russia. I could go on, but I am basing my decision mostly on a scandal that surfaced shortly after the Clintons moved into the White House: “Travelgate.” That scandal needlessly damaged the reputation of Billy R. Dale. The Dale Family lived in my home town of Clinton, Maryland, and I went to school with two of his children. I know Hillary Clinton’s actions harmed Mr. Dale professionally and deeply affected his family financially. This is not hearsay. This is not anecdotal. This is not put forth as a conspiracy theory. This is real.
Mr. Dale started with the White House Travel Office (WHTO) in 1961 and was the head of that office by 1982. When the Clintons entered the White House in January, 1993, they immediately called for the FBI to investigate Mr. Dale for alleged financial improprieties. The goal was to remove Mr. Dale and his staff from the WHTO, clearing the way for President Bill Clinton’s cousin, and Clinton friend, Harry Thomason, to run the office. This change would funnel business to Thomason’s flight charter service, World-Wide Travel, allowing Mr. Thomason to capture significant financial benefit from that business.
Mr. Dale was suddenly forced to defend himself against the Clintons’ fabricated allegations. He was indicted by a federal grand jury, charged with embezzlement and endured a trial. During that trial, Mr. Dale’s defense provided a memo implicating Mrs. Clinton in driving the investigation and removal of Mr. Dale and other members of the WHTO staff. When asked to surrender documents related to the case, the White House refused, and this was perhaps the first public example of the Clintons’ snub of the Rule of Law.
Documents prove Hillary Clinton had a direct role in removing Mr. Dale, and other WHTO staffers, to allow her friends and relatives to take over management of that office. The Clintons requested inappropriate access to Mr. Dale’s FBI file, with the intent to use the content of that file against him. The Dale Family was devastated, maligned, audited, and publicly humiliated, with Mrs. Clinton at the helm. She wanted her way, and would not let anyone stop her: least of all, an unassuming Travel Office Director.
Sam Donaldson and other White House journalists provided character witness testimony on Mr. Dale’s behalf. It took a jury less than three hours to return with a unanimous finding of not guilty for Mr. Dale.
Former FBI agent Gary Aldrich, who was involved with the case, said:
“[Travelgate] taught me that powerful politicians can misuse law enforcement authority whimsically. And because it was the first lady who was ordering the investigation, then charges have to be found. If we have reached the level that when a politician gets irritated with somebody and [they] end up in federal prison, then we have a serious problem.” (Source: Lee Bravo, July 5, 2016)
I keep in touch with Mr. Dale and one of his daughters. I showed him this letter, and he has given me his blessing to provide you with this story. He also fact-checked my details. For Billy Dale and his family, the shock of the Clintons’ allegations has settled over time, but the emotional toll remains.
Shame on you, Secretary Clinton. There are many reasons why you are not fit to be our Commander in Chief, but this is the reason I know personally.
Maura Betler
