Clintons made $109 million since 2000, returns show

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have made $109 million since leaving the White House, including $51 million in speech income for Bill Clinton, according to eight years of tax records released on Friday.

The couple paid taxes of more than $33 million and gave more than $10 million to charity between 2000 -- their last year in the White House -- and 2007, tax information released by Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign showed.

Clinton, a New York senator, had been challenged by White House rival Barack Obama to release her tax returns as the two Democrats duel for the right to face Republican John McCain in November's election.

Obama made public his returns from 2000 to 2006 last week, renewing their battle over transparency. Campaign aides to Obama, an Illinois senator, have accused Clinton of being secretive and shielding documents from the public.

Presidential candidates often release their tax returns, although they are not required to do so. As senators, Obama and Clinton are required only to file disclosure statements that give a wide range of income and provide few details on finances and holdings.

The Clintons' tax returns, released late on Friday afternoon, showed their income jumped dramatically from $350,000 in 2000, their final year in the White House, to $16 million in 2001.

Their biggest money-making years were 2004 and 2007, when they made $20 million in each year. The 2004 income included more than $15 million in business income primarily from Bill Clinton's speeches.

"I never thought I'd say this, but ever since my husband got out of full-time public service, he's actually made money, much to both of our amazement," Clinton told a labor group in Philadelphia on Tuesday, before the release of the returns.  Continued...