If This Were Anyone But A Clinton...
...just imagine the uproar, especially if it were a Republican. Cal Thomas has written a rather disturbing article regarding the wads of money made by Bill Clinton, most of which has come from speeches sponsored by foreigners.
A Washington Post story by John Solomon and Matthew Mosk is staggering in its revelations of Clinton's greed. In the six years since he left the presidency, Clinton has taken in nearly $40 million - between nine and 10 million of it last year. Clinton averaged "almost a speech a day" in 2006. Twenty percent of his fees reportedly "were for personal income." The rest of his speeches, says the Post, were for no fee or for donations to Clinton's foundation.
Unlike liberal Democrats, I am not obsessed with how much others make, as long as it's honest money and they pay their taxes. It ought to be a concern, though, when so much money is paid to a former president by foreign governments, foreign entities and corporations with interests in U.S. foreign and domestic policies. While Bill Clinton is no longer in a position to determine such policies, his wife, the junior senator from New York and Democratic presidential candidate, is and she may soon be in an even more powerful position. Given the Clintons' history of questionable political, business and personal relationships, can anyone say with certainty that the providers of this largesse are uninterested in influencing a President Hillary Clinton through her husband?
You know, of course, they'll get away with this. However, unlike Jim, I do not think Hillary Clinton will be elected President. But...what if she was?
The Clintons are plowing new ground. Ethics and election laws should keep pace. Never before has the spouse of a former president run for president. One of the reasons for disclosure forms is to ensure no improper influences are exerted on public officials by outside groups, or governments. Among those for whom Clinton spoke were a Saudi Arabia investment firm ($600,000 for two speeches), a Chinese real estate firm, run by a Communist Party official ($200,000), and a Toronto company, founded by a Kenyan immigrant who was convicted of stock fraud and barred for life from the brokerage business ($650,000 in 2005 and an undisclosed sum last year). The public needs to know more about their backgrounds.
While other ex-presidents have spoken for money, there has been nothing on this scale and none of their spouses served as elected officials.
Exactly. And of course we know the Clintons aren't above *anything*, including putting their country at risk for their own financial gain and political power. This should be vigorously looked into. The Republicans are going to have to be the ones to demand it, though. Pelosi's "ethics" are worth about as much as Bill Clinton's.
JASmius chortles: And we all know how adept Republicans have always been at exercising oversight of the Clintons (eyeroll). If GOPers have to be the ones to demand another investigation of Bill Clinton, I'm afraid we're gonna be in a lot bigger mess than just gagging at Mr. Bill's avarice.
Get ready to start saying "Madame President," gentles. And I don't just mean every Sunday night at 10PM on the SciFi Channel.
A Washington Post story by John Solomon and Matthew Mosk is staggering in its revelations of Clinton's greed. In the six years since he left the presidency, Clinton has taken in nearly $40 million - between nine and 10 million of it last year. Clinton averaged "almost a speech a day" in 2006. Twenty percent of his fees reportedly "were for personal income." The rest of his speeches, says the Post, were for no fee or for donations to Clinton's foundation.
Unlike liberal Democrats, I am not obsessed with how much others make, as long as it's honest money and they pay their taxes. It ought to be a concern, though, when so much money is paid to a former president by foreign governments, foreign entities and corporations with interests in U.S. foreign and domestic policies. While Bill Clinton is no longer in a position to determine such policies, his wife, the junior senator from New York and Democratic presidential candidate, is and she may soon be in an even more powerful position. Given the Clintons' history of questionable political, business and personal relationships, can anyone say with certainty that the providers of this largesse are uninterested in influencing a President Hillary Clinton through her husband?
You know, of course, they'll get away with this. However, unlike Jim, I do not think Hillary Clinton will be elected President. But...what if she was?
The Clintons are plowing new ground. Ethics and election laws should keep pace. Never before has the spouse of a former president run for president. One of the reasons for disclosure forms is to ensure no improper influences are exerted on public officials by outside groups, or governments. Among those for whom Clinton spoke were a Saudi Arabia investment firm ($600,000 for two speeches), a Chinese real estate firm, run by a Communist Party official ($200,000), and a Toronto company, founded by a Kenyan immigrant who was convicted of stock fraud and barred for life from the brokerage business ($650,000 in 2005 and an undisclosed sum last year). The public needs to know more about their backgrounds.
While other ex-presidents have spoken for money, there has been nothing on this scale and none of their spouses served as elected officials.
Exactly. And of course we know the Clintons aren't above *anything*, including putting their country at risk for their own financial gain and political power. This should be vigorously looked into. The Republicans are going to have to be the ones to demand it, though. Pelosi's "ethics" are worth about as much as Bill Clinton's.
JASmius chortles: And we all know how adept Republicans have always been at exercising oversight of the Clintons (eyeroll). If GOPers have to be the ones to demand another investigation of Bill Clinton, I'm afraid we're gonna be in a lot bigger mess than just gagging at Mr. Bill's avarice.
Get ready to start saying "Madame President," gentles. And I don't just mean every Sunday night at 10PM on the SciFi Channel.
posted by Jennifer at 3:39 AM
<<< Home