Bill Clinton releases Donor List for William J. Clinton Foundation

Well it looks like Slick Willie comes clean...

From Open Secrets --

At the Center for Responsive Politics, we've asked former presidents for years to disclose the names of donors to their presidential libraries, which can accept unlimited contributions from anyone. It appears that all it takes to spur an ex-president to action is the appointment of his spouse to be Secretary of State. The William J. Clinton Foundation, which funds the former president's library in addition to his other charitable initiatives, today disclosed all donors back to 1997. Here were some of our observations in looking over the list of more than 200,000 contributors:

• Superstars of the Hollywood variety (Steven Spielberg and Barbra Streisand) and tech variety (Bill Gates) were among the most generous donors. Spielberg gave between $500,001 and $1 million out of pocket (the totals are listed in ranges), while both Streisand and Gates gave through their foundations, at least $1 million and at least $10 million, respectively. MTV and Starbucks also played politics, with the broadcast network giving at least $100,001 and the coffee company giving at least $50,001.

• Bill Clinton might be able to relate to the donors who feel that they'll never quite escape controversy. Denise Rich, ex-wife of fugitive financier Marc Rich, who received a controversial pardon from Clinton right before he left office, gave at least $250,001, and trial lawyer William Lerach, who is serving prison time for his law firm's illegal payback scheme to plaintiffs, gave the foundation at least $100,001.

• While everyone on the list clearly eventually liked Bill Clinton, they might not have always liked him or felt the same about his wife. Media tycoon Richard Mellon Scaife spent big money to discredit the Clintons while they were in the White House, but Scaife gave at least $100,001 to Bill Clinton's foundation. The late trial lawyer Fred Baron gave at least $500,001, but was a big supporter during the 2008 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton's primary-season opponent John Edwards. The foundation has also collected at least $50,000 from William Daley, co-chair of fundraising efforts for Barack Obama's inauguration.

• Big Democratic donors Steve Bing and Peter Lewis both made the list. Bing, an entertainment executive, gave the library at least $10 million, while Lewis, who founded Progressive Insurance, gave at least $500,001.

• And, of course, individuals who worked for Bill Clinton in the White House pitched in. Both former chiefs of staff Thomas F. McLarty and Erskine Bowles gave at least $50,001. Health care czar Ira Magaziner, too, donated at least $50,001.Click on this file to see an Excel spreadsheet of 500 contributors reported to have given at least $500,001: Clinton Foundation Top Donors.xls