Unsurprisingly in the age of no-bid contracts and other insider hanky-panky (to be polite about it), the proposed Bush Presidential Library and related "think tank" have come under withering fire from many quarters. Southern Methodist University is the leading candidate for siting the Bush complex. It is a complex, because unlike other presidential libraries, this one comes with a related-but-somehow-independent "institute" that will continue to promote Bush era policies and apparently seek to function like they had not really left office. Bush says he plans to use the facility to meet with Middle Eastern leaders. He has also issued an exectutive order placing many presidential papers under the control of expresidents and their heirs in perpetuity. It is certainly one of the more breathtaking claims of personal ownership of public property I have ever heard of. Even Nixon... but I digress.
Many of those associated with the school are disturbed by many aspects of the deal. Notably among these are the secret dealings between the SMU administration and Trustees and the Bush camp; as well as the compromising of academic freedom and intergrity by the half billion dollar Bush invasion of the school, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church -- the second largest protestant denomination in the U.S.
Today, three retired Methodist Bishops and my friend Andrew Weaver, called on 8 members of the SMU board of trustees to join fellow trustee Laura Bush in recusing themselves from voting on the proposal. Their reason? Conflicts of interest.
United Methodist Bishops raise concerns about Bush Library, Eight SMU Trustees with potential conflicts of interest asked to recuse from decision-making
Several respected Bishops in The United Methodist Church are openly expressing concerns that future generations visiting the proposed George W. Bush Library on the Southern Methodist University campus will only see a picture of the past that has been cleansed of anything that the President and his heirs find objectionable.
The Bishops called on at least eight trustees of Southern Methodist University to recuse themselves from decisions about the proposed Bush library/think tank rather than permit questions to be raised about whether they have interests that conflict with their fiduciary duty as trustees of the university.
We believe that the trustees should follow the lead of First Lady and SMU trustee Laura Bush, who stated that she would not vote on or participate in the decision-making process regarding the proposed Bush library/think tank complex.
The controversy stems from an executive order signed by President George W. Bush in 2001 that allows presidential papers to be kept unavailable to researchers in perpetuity as long as that is the wish of the president or any of his heirs.
President Bush has named SMU as the sole finalist for his presidential library, which will be accompanied by a think tank, designed to further Bush’s partisan political goals and views. The think tank has been the subject of sustained SMU faculty criticism because it would report to the Bush Foundation, rather than the university, and its fellows would be appointed by its director rather than by a standard academic search process.
One-hundred and seventy-five faculty members who object to the Bush think tank in its proposed form have asked for a faculty-wide vote, which was denied. Over 10,000 United Methodists and other people of faith have signed a petition to reject the Bush Complex www.protectSMU.org
The Bishops named seven trustees who have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for George W. Bush’s presidential and gubernatorial campaigns, as well as the pastor of Highland Park United Methodist Church, a longtime personal friend of the Bush family, as those who should recuse themselves. These eight also include Ray Hunt, president of one of the largest privately-owned petroleum companies in the world, who pledged to raise $100,000 for the 2000 Bush campaign and whose company donated $250,000 to the Bush 2005 presidential inaugural gala, and Jeanne Phillips, a senior vice president of the Hunt Oil Company, who postponed her wedding plans to chair the Bush 2005 inaugural events.
Among them are eight trustees, seven of whom have been major fundraisers and contributors to Bush political campaigns. All information stated below has been derived from public records.
- Robert H. Dedman, Jr., is Chair and CEO of Club Corp. International. The Dedmans are long time friends of the Bush family, and Mr. Dedman raised at least $100,000 for the 2000 Bush presidential campaign and gave over $16,000 to Bush gubernatorial races.
- Ruth Altshuler is a Dallas philanthropist and investor. She pledged to raise at least $100,000 for the 2000 Bush presidential campaign and gave $25,000 toward the 2001 Bush inaugural gala.
- Alan Feld is a lobbyist and one of two senior executive partners of the 25th largest law firm in the U.S., Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP. He pledged to raise at least $100,000 for the 2000 Bush presidential campaign.
- Ray L. Hunt is the Chair and CEO of both Hunt Consolidated, Inc., and Hunt Oil, one of the largest privately owned petroleum companies in the world. He was appointed to the president's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board in 2001 and pledged to raise at least $100,000 for the 2000 Bush campaign. He gave $100,000 toward the 2001 Bush inaugural festivities and Hunt Consolidated, Inc., gave another $250,000 toward the Bush 2005 presidential inaugural gala. Hunt already has donated $35 million toward the Bush Complex at SMU.
- Michael M. Boone is a corporate attorney and founding partner of the prominent law firm, Haynes & Boone, the third largest contributor to the Bush re-election in 2004. The firm and Mr. Boone have been active financial and political supporters of Bush since he ran for governor. Mr. Boone pledged to raise at least $100,000 for the 2000 presidential campaign and at least another $200,000 in 2004. According to the Center for Responsive Politics in 2004, Mr. Boone and his law firm was the ninth-largest patron of George W. Bush's overall political career.
- Jeanne L. Phillips became senior vice president of corporate affairs and international relations at Hunt Oil Company in 2005. According to her official U.S. Department of State biography, Ms. Phillips "served as Senior Advisor for National Finance in the Presidential campaign of George W. Bush, developing the original fundraising plan and structure for the finance organization...." In 2001 she was appointed Ambassador to France and Permanent Representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development by President Bush. She told the New York Times on January 2, 2005, that she had been a close friend of the Bushes since 1979 when she worked as a fundraiser with George H.W. Bush. She postponed her wedding plans to chair Bush’s 2005 inaugural events.
- Donald J. Carty is Chair of Virgin America and former Chair and CEO of American Airlines. He contributed $100,000 to the Bush 2005 presidential inaugural gala. President Bush appointed Carty in 2002 to the National Infrastructure Advisory Board.
- Rev. W. Mark Craig is Senior Pastor of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas. He has been the long-time pastor to George W. Bush and his family.
The three Bishops of The United Methodist Church (UMC) who called on at least eight trustees of Southern Methodist University to recuse themselves from decisions about the proposed Bush library/think tank include Bishops C. Joseph Sprague, Joseph H. Yeakel and Kenneth W. Hicks. These Bishops were joined by Rev. Andrew J. Weaver, a graduate of Perkins School of Theology at SMU.
The Bishops pointed to the example of First Lady Laura Bush, who sits on SMU’s trustees, and who recently stated that she would not vote on or participate in the decision-making process regarding the proposed Bush library/think tank complex.
"We believe those trustees who have had long term personal, financial, and/or political relationships with President George W. Bush should recuse themselves from this project," said Bishops C. Joseph Sprague, Joseph H. Yeakel and Kenneth W. Hicks, "rather than permit questions to be raised about whether they have interests that conflict with their fiduciary duty as trustees of the university."
"We call upon these eight trustees to recuse themselves, along with any others who have had noteworthy personal, political, or financial dealings with George W. Bush. The proposed Bush Complex will significantly affect SMU and The United Methodist Church that founded it. Such a decision requires objectivity unencumbered by personal considerations."
C. Joseph Sprague is a United Methodist Bishop (retired) who served the Northern Illinois episcopal area from 1996 to 2004. He lives in London, Ohio.
Kenneth W. Hicks is a United Methodist Bishop (retired) who served the Arkansas (1976 to 1984) and Kansas (1984 to 1992) episcopal areas. He lives in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Joseph H. Yeakel is a United Methodist Bishop (retired) who served the New York West (1972 to 1984) and Baltimore-Washington (1984 to 1996) episcopal areas. He lives in Smithburg, Maryland.
Andrew J. Weaver, Ph.D., is a United Methodist minister and research psychologist living in New York City. He is a graduate of Perkins School of Theology, SMU.