(2017-0496-F) William "Bill" Gates - Co-founder of Microsoft and Philanthropist

23 folders, approximately 1,366 pages

This collection consists of records from the White House Staff and Office Files relating to Microsoft founder, Bill Gates. William Henry (Bill) Gates III is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and philanthropist. He and his friend Paul Allen founded the Microsoft Corporation. The files contain correspondence memoranda, press releases, magazine and news articles, handwritten notes, remarks and statements. The records also contain copies of court materials regarding the United States v. Microsoft. The Department of Justice filed this antitrust suit against Microsoft alleging that the company attempted to monopolize the computer software market.

The materials in FOIA 2017-0496-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the following FOIA’s for related material: 2017-0497-F 2017-0510-F (photographs) Freedom of Information Act Request 2017-0496-F is for all records from the White House Staff and Office Files relating to Microsoft founder, Bill Gates. This collection contains correspondence memoranda, press releases, magazine and news articles, handwritten notes, remarks and statements. The records also contain copies of the court case regarding the United States versus Microsoft. The Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit against Microsoft related to the possible monopolization of the computer software market. Janet Reno made remarks regarding the case as did Michael Morris who was the Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for Sun Microsystems, Inc. There are papers related to Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of WEBTV, the Anticompetitive Effects of Microsoft’s Acquisition on WEBTV and the complaint regarding Microsoft and WEBTV. President Clinton appointed Gates to be a member of the National Infrastructure Assurance Council (NIAC). NIAC was established by Executive Order 13010, which was issued on July 14, 1999. NIAC worked on enhancing the partnership between the public and private sectors to address threats to our Nations’ critical infrastructure. William Henry (Bill) Gates III is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and philanthropist. He and Paul Allen, founded the Microsoft Corporation. Bill Gates is also known for his generous monetary donations to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs. He and his wife Melinda established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in June of 1997. The Foundation provided every public library in low-income communities with computer hardware and software required to access the Internet and provided training and support for the library personnel. Bill and Melinda Gates gave a $200 million dollar cash contribution to start the program and Microsoft matched that contribution with software of equal value.

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Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in this collection area— Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files Staff and Office files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. Staff and Office files are processed at the folder level, that is, individual documents are not selected and removed from a folder for processing. While this method maintains folder integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of documents that are not wholly responsive to the subject area.

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22, as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Staff Archives Specialist, 2017. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.

The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2017-0496-F:
Box 1
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Cabinet Affairs
Marshall, Thurgood Jr.
Visit to Microsoft [loose] [OA/ID 23486]
Chief of Staff
Cutler, Lynn
Gates Foundation [OA/ID 21231]
Ickes, Harold
Microsoft – General [OA/ID 9157]
Panetta, Leon
Microsoft [OA/ID 5725]
Counsel’s Office
Bushmiller, Ann
Microsoft [OA/ID 24295]
General Files
Microsoft [OA/ID 20843]
Mills, Cheryl
Microsoft [OA/ID 24587]
Oetken, Paul
U.S. v. Microsoft [OA/ID 40188]
Pally, Maura
Vetting Materials – Summit of the Eight: Microsoft [OA/ID 14436]
Vetting Summaries and Lexis Nexis Searches: Gates Family Foundation [OA/ID 14436]
Ruff, Charles
Microsoft [OA/ID 17983]
Weiner, Robert
Microsoft [OA/ID 12817]
Box 2
Domestic Policy Council
Magaziner, Ira
Microsoft and WEBTV [loose] [OA/ID 10852]
Intergovernmental Affairs
Redington, Rachel
May 7, 1997 VPOTUS Boeing Plant/Microsoft CEO Seattle, Washington [OA/ID 14616]
Legislative Affairs
Subject Files
[National Journal’s Technology Daily, September – December 2000 (Microsoft)]
[OA/ID 22048]
National Economic Council
Katzen, Sally
Microsoft [OA/ID 17444]
Sperling, Gene
Bill Gates [OA/ID 19143]
Microsoft Trial [binder] [OA/ID 20239]
Presidential Personnel
Haley, Maria
William H. Gates [OA/ID 24514]
Press Secretary
Engebretsen, Jenni
Microsoft [OA/ID 21380]
Public Liaison
O’Keefe, Peter
Gates, Bill 6/26/97 [OA/ID 18253]
Microsoft CEO Event – VP May 8, 1997 [OA/ID 18253]
Subject Files
Microsoft Corporation [OA/ID 14432]