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Hillary to State Appears a Done Deal, But What About Bill's Overseas Donors?
It appears to be a done deal: President-elect Barack Obama will appoint Senator Hillary Clinton to be his secretary of state. But while the Obama camp's vetting of Bill Clinton's foreign entanglements and activities continues, there is one thorny matter that needs to be addressed publicly: the identity of the donors to Bill Clinton's foundation and presidential library.
The former president has raised millions of dollars from overseas officials and corporations for his foundation and library--while also pocketing mega-speaking fees from businesses abroad. (He's also struck an unusual deal with transnational mining conglomerate head Frank Giustra.) All of this raises potential conflicts and ethics questions. The basic dilemma: can Bill Clinton receive millions of dollars from foreign nations and corporations that may have an interest in US foreign policy while his wife oversees US foreign policy? Unless Clinton opts out of his (often admirable) globe-trotting activities, this situation seems almost too knotty to be untied.
But aides to Obama and Bill Clinton aides are trying to work out rules that would govern the former president's actions. Last week, The Washington Post reported:
Clinton advisers say they diligently worked to resolve questions. The Clinton Foundation, for instance, turned over 208,000 donor names for review by Obama's transition team, even though many donated with promises of anonymity.
But where's the sunshine? The Clinton Foundation merely gave the names of his donors to the Obama camp for a private review. As The New York Times reported:
People close to the vetting said Mr. Clinton turned over the names of all 208,000 donors to his foundation and library and agreed to every condition requested by Mr. Obama's transition team, including restrictions on his paid speeches and his role at his international foundation. The lawyers agreed to notify all of the donors that their identities would be revealed to the Obama team, but it was not clear if they would all be made public.
As of yet, there's no indication there will be true transparency regarding Bill Clinton's donors.
If Hillary Clinton is to be the secretary of state, she will serve not just President Obama but the citizens and taxpayers of the nation. If her husband continues to solicit and bank millions from overseas sources--or domestic sources with overseas interests--the public ought to know the details. It will not be sufficient for Obama vetters to pronounce Clinton and his foundation and library clear of potential conflicts. Americans should be able to review the information and reach their own conclusions.
Is Bill Clinton willing to engage in that level of openness? This morning I contacted his office and asked if he would make the names of his donors public. So far, no reply.
As the vetting process continues, the vetters should keep in mind that the critical question is not whether they believe that the Clinton situation is free of conflicts, but whether the public can have confidence that it is.
Photo by flickr user dbking used under a Creative Commons license.
Why do you people in the media hate the Clintons so much? Sometime I think it is all jealousy....former President Clinton and his wife are baby boomers like most of you in the media and he has been President, he has a Foundation in his name and he is loved around the world and that gives you all heart burn...Chris Matthews, Brian Williams etal. Leave them alone, get a life. JC
True, the Clintons have some shady dealings but, who doesn't these days? Who do you expect Obama to pick, Nadar? We picked the lesser of the two evils and now so is Obama. Plus, the Clintons have powerful allies to protect Obama. Consequently, with that protection comes some compromise. If Hilary would have had the political capital Obama has, we would have had universal health care in the nineties. lest I remind you that Obama is still president-elect and Hilary answers to him. Will the war in Iraq stop? Probably not even with the new accord signed to be out by 2011. I'll believe that when I see it. When ruling the world one must make hard choices. Is Hilary a war-hawk; yes but, she has powerful allies on domestic policy. It's a trade. We progressives projected many things on Obama instead, of seeing him for what he really is; a politician. Don't accuse Obama for suddenly shifting right. He wasn't truly all that left to begin with.
Once again MotherJones has mentioned Frank Giustra within the context
of "potential conflicts and ethics questions," which we believe our original posting to this blog earlier this year on May 5th which follows below, makes clear is an inappropriate context in which to discuss Mr. Giustra:
(From May 5th:) Your commentary about Frank Giustra's relationship to former President
Clinton and his philanthropic activities is inaccurate. It appears to
rely on recycled commentaries that appear to have relied upon
misinformation. This inaccurate data is replete with tired and
discredited errors of fact and innuendoes about Frank Giustra that stem
from, among other agendas, highly politically motivated personal attack
against the Clintons.
There is ample corrective information available in the public domain to
have enabled you to avoid spreading this virus of misinformation.
That readily available public corrective information would have made you
clearly aware that the dated allegations you have repeated about the
mining agreements Frank Giustra's company reached in Kazakhstan had
nothing to do with his relationship with President Clinton. These
mining agreements were concluded after many months of negotiations with
private companies - not the Kazakhstan government - and involved market
value payment for the assets involved.
Additionally, there is ample information in the public domain that
demonstrates Frank Giustra's 25 year track record of highly successful
international business transactions was accomplished long before he ever
met Bill Clinton.
Frank Giustra's relationship with Bill Clinton is based solely on their
shared global philanthropic interests, nothing more and nothing less.
His longstanding philanthropic interests, and everything that he has
contributed towards shared charitable causes with Bill Clinton,
including details of what they are undertaking together under the
Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative, have already been
communicated, with detailed specificity, to the public over the past
several months.
Frank Giustra is a private Canadian citizen with no interest in US
politics. Through the spreading of misinformation of which you are now
a part, a fictionalized Frank Giustra is being created, and that
fictionalized character has become a political pawn during this highly
politically charged period of time in the United States.
Norman Stowe,
Vancouver BC
Umm.. does anyone really care?
Mr Corn: You seem to be part of the soap opera set: the usual suspects can be found among the village gasbags who take their lead from Tweety. Since when have you been a follower? I expect more from you; not more convention wisdom from those who can never find one good thing to say about the Clintons.
Sometime I think it is all jealousy....former President Clinton and his wife are baby boomers like most of you in the media and he has been President.
www.makkale.blogcu.com
Seriously! Why does President Bill Clinton need to disclose anything? Bill has retired from public life and is on the lecture circuit, perfectly within his rights to accept anything thrown his way. It's Hillary who needs to be vetted and scrutinized. Hillary's the one running in politics these days, not Bill. I'd be willing to wager my next Happy Meal that Bill isn't the least bit dependent on Hillary's earnings. And, despite Hillary's current income-to-debt ratio, thanks to the butt-load she owes that idiot Penn for her failed campaign, she's still little more than the figment on Bill's tax returns most spouses who work, yet are claimed by their spouses, are. Besides, all of this land has been raked with a fine-toothed rake before, and nothing damaging to Hillary about Bill's current business dealings and his Presidential foundation's management was turned up. So, what's the big deal?
I think these nosey martinettes need to get a clue, get a life, and then find some other worthwhile reasons to disqualify Hillary than her marriage to Bill. Accept the reality that, though they are married, they are two different people, only one of whom is still active in politics. Then go after the one who is in the political arena, not the former President who has every right to take gorgeous green cash for speaker's fees for showing up at speaking engagements. If foreign governments are pouring cash into the coffers of Bill's Presidential Foundation, good on him! That can only mean that, despite America's onerous reputation in the world, thanks to Prince Dumya the Feckless, there are still foreigners who adore and admire this Former President for his good works and goodwill around the world. That notwithstanding, though, international generosity shown to Bill has nothing to do with Hillary whatsoever! NADA!!! So, pinheaded detracting pundits need to find another reason to loathe and scorn Hillary. Reasonable attention to political detail will reveal as many justifiable reasons to like Hillary as there are crass excuses for hating her, all without constantly assailing her marriage to Bill. So, if they just have to go for Hillary's throat, fine. Hillary is a big girl, and she had to know this game was fierce when she suited up to play. Just get off Bill's back, because he's been in the grandstand now since 2000. The poor man has to be sick and tired of being tackled and floored in the grandstand, just for cheering his wife on.
The Media hates The Clintons? You've got to be kidding me. The NYT and Wa Post are complete schills with pockets full of apologies and stragems for the "power couple". I guess Obama didn't want to "change" as much as the rest of us (the US public) did.
The Wife of an Ex US President that is taking foreign money...You don't think there could be a conflict of interest, when gets her new posting in State? Get a clue!