The head of the University of Arkansas library has banned a conservative news outlet from accessing its special collections archives after she said the outlet improperly published audio of a recorded interview of former First Lady Hillary Clinton.
The dean of the library, Carolyn Henderson Allen, donated to Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Last week, the Washington Free Beacon published audio from an interview Clinton gave to Arkansas journalist Roy Reed in the 1980s. In the interview Clinton talked about a case she handled in which she was the defense attorney for a 41 year-old man accused of raping a 12 year-old girl.
Clinton is heard on the tape laughing while describing how she handled the case, in which she ultimately obtained a plea deal after she sought out a forensics expert known to be favorable to whichever side of a case was paying him.
And now Allen has told the Free Beacon that it will no longer be allowed to view the library’s special collections.
The University of Arkansas is located in Fayetteville.
On Tuesday, Allen sent a letter to Free Beacon editor-in-chief Matthew Continetti informing him that outlet’s library privileges had been “officially suspended.”
“I am writing you to direct you and the Washington Beacon Press to cease and desist your ongoing violation of the intellectual property rights of the University of Arkansas with regard to your unauthorized publication of audio recordings obtained from the Roy Reed Collection,” wrote Allen, according to the Free Beacon. (RELATED: Tapes Reveal Hillary Clinton Discussing Defense of Rapist)
Allen demanded that the Free Beacon, which has published material housed at the library critical of Clinton in the past, “immediately remove the audio recordings of the Roy Reed Collection from your website.”
Allen also requested that the Free Beacon immediately return other audio materials the library had provided it.
The Free Beacon noted that Allen gave $500 to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2007.
“The University…does not tolerate the blatant and willful disregard of its intellectual property rights and policies,” wrote Allen, who claimed that doing so was a breach of library rules which require a formal request for permission.
If the Free Beacon removes the audio recording from its site, said Allen, she would consider lifting the suspension.