NYT to Senate: Look into Bill's donors

Posted By Carolyn O'Hara Monday, January 12, 2009 - 2:13 PM Share

The Bill Issue promises to be the biggest potential land mine at tomorrow's hearing. Yesterday, the NYT editorial board strongly encouraged the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to ask more than softball questions when it comes to Bill's foundation:

The roster of donors to Mr. Clinton’s presidential library and global foundation enterprises include million-dollar-plus contributions from governments in the Middle East, tycoons from India, Nigeria, Ukraine and Canada, and international figures with interests in the policies Mrs. Clinton will be helping to write and carry out.

The five-page accord signed by representatives of Mr. Clinton and Mr. Obama could use tightening. For example, the wording calls for disclosure of “new contributors” to Clinton Foundation programs. It does not necessarily require disclosing the size of their gifts or the dates they were made. Disclosure of Mr. Clinton’s charitable fund-raising and relevant private fees should be done monthly, or at least quarterly, not just once a year.

The overarching principle should be prompt disclosure of the amount and source of all payments to any Clinton charity or to Mr. Clinton personally by any person or entity with a political or economic interest, real or perceived, in State Department decisions. Ideally, the White House counsel’s office would be assigned a larger role than envisioned in screening Mr. Clinton’s speaking and consulting deals before any check is received.

 

EXPLORE:DIPLOMACY, HILLARY, U.S. CONGRESS, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
 

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