AP: Clinton Opened State Department Office to Dozens of Corporate Donors, Dem Fundraisers [View all]

[HerbChestnut]

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/11/30/clinton_opened_state_department_office_to_dozens_of_corporate_donors_dem_fundraisers_128879.html

WASHINGTON (AP) — As secretary of state, Hillary Clinton opened her office to dozens of influential Democratic party fundraisers, former Clinton administration and campaign loyalists, and corporate donors to her family's global charity, according to State Department calendars obtained by The Associated Press.

The woman who would become a 2016 presidential candidate met or spoke by phone with nearly 100 corporate executives, Clinton charity donors and political supporters during her four years at the State Department between 2009 and 2013, records show. Many of those meetings and calls, formally scheduled by her aides, involved heads of companies and organizations that were pursuing business or private interests with the Obama administration at the time, including with the State Department while Clinton was in charge.

In addition, at least 60 of those who met with Clinton have donated or pledged program commitments to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation. A dozen have been among Hillary Clinton's most reliable political fundraisers, bundling more than $100,000 in donations during her failed 2008 presidential campaign or providing larger amounts to Clinton-allied super political action committees this time. And at least six entities represented in the meetings paid former President Bill Clinton lucrative fees for speeches.


The AP found no evidence of legal or ethical conflicts in Clinton's meetings, in its examination of 1,294 pages from the calendars. Her sit-downs with business leaders were not unique among recent secretaries of state, who sometimes called on corporate executives to aid in international affairs, according to archived documents.

But the difference with Clinton's meetings was that she was a 2008 presidential contender who was widely expected to try again in 2016. Her availability to luminaries from politics, business and charity shows the extent to which her office became a sounding board for their interests. And her ties with so many familiar faces from those intersecting worlds were complicated by their lucrative financial largess and political support over the years — even during her State Department tenure — for her campaigns and her husband's, and for her family's foundation.

This epitomizes Clinton and her campaign. Does she do things that are illegal? No. Are they shady? Absolutely. To her credit, she met with some influential people striving to better educational opportunities for kids around the world, which is great. But then she turns around and talks to folks from Pepsi Co. and others about international trade deals. And of course, all of these people are major donors to either her campaign or the Clinton Foundation. This includes heads of unions, at least one of which endorsed her candidacy in July.

I bolded the opening sentences of the last two paragraphs in the excerpt because they highlight what's wrong with this situation. It is an absolute conflict of interest to be dealing with so many influential and powerful people, and having them donate to your charitable organization, while gearing up a Presidential campaign. This is why Hillary Clinton comes off as untrustworthy.