Tuesday, May 26, 2015

The Clinton Foundation

                The Clinton Foundation’s acting chief executive recently acknowledged that the organization “made mistakes,” even while insisting it is fully committed to “honesty, transparency, and accountability.” The organization had previously revealed that it was reviewing its federal tax filings because it did not properly report donations from foreign governments over several years starting in 2010. Many have criticized or questioned the $2 billion foundation’s efforts to raise money from foreign governments while Hillary Clinton was the U.S. secretary of state.
                What could possibly be wrong with that? There’s never been any conflict-of-interest, influence peddling, preferential treatment, fraud, bribery, graft or corruption in and among governments, has there? Certainly that couldn’t happen with a charitable organization, right?
                Peter Schweizer, in his forthcoming book, “Clinton Cash,” alleges that the State Department did indeed give preferential treatment to foundation donors while Clinton was secretary of state. He also avers that the foundation repeatedly violated its own promise to disclose all of its donors. These are, or should be, serious charges. There are many potential ramifications if a sovereign government (of a large and free nation, yet!) gives preferential treatment or assistance to individual entities or other governments because they made a donation to an individual employee’s foundation. And none of them are good. That is all the more true if that “employee” was a former President or First Lady. Independence and integrity are shown the door as the sleaze factor takes over.
                The insistence that the foundation is committed to honesty, transparency and accountability is, of course, laughable on its face.
                The long and sordid history of Bill and Hillary Clinton makes clear that those are three words that never have and never will apply to them- or anything that they are involved with. The more lies they tell, the more they obfuscate and attempt to hide every shady aspect of their actions, the more honest and transparent and accountable they claim to wish to be. This has been going on for decades and decades now, in private life and while in office.
                Whether the topic is Whitewater, Travelgate,  Monica Lewinsky, Chinese influence, Vince Foster, Gennifer Flowers, Benghazi, using personal computers for government business, or any one of many others, there is always the desire on the Clinton’s part to cover up…to shield their actions- or inactions- from the public. They seem to take a childlike glee in seeing what they can get away with, and we have let them get away with that.
                The Clintons buy and sell obfuscation in bulk. They get the giant, economy sized package at Costco. If prevarication were an Olympic sport, they would be the first U.S. team. They might not medal, but they’d give the Russians, Chinese, North Koreans and Iranians a run for their money.
                Honesty, transparency and accountability are to the Clintons as humility, patriotism and tradition are to the Obamas.
                No, the Clinton Foundation isn’t based on any of these traits.
                The foundation of the Clinton’s lives is to do whatever they feel is in their best interests. And then deny it, if necessary.
                No longer should they be allowed to get away with it. It is time we do what is in our best interests.
                Let’s deny her the presidency. 
                It is necessary.


               To the future of the United States.

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