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The hypocrite strikes again. Hillary Clinton Alleged Barack Obama Sold Access To Big Donors;
Hillary Clinton Alleged Barack Obama Sold Access To Big Donors; Now Criticizes Campaign Finance Attacks
(bolding mine)
In the closing stretch of the New Hampshire primary campaign, Hillary Clinton has slammed critics for pointing out that she backed public policies that helped her major campaign contributors in the financial industry. At a debate sponsored by MSNBC, she said it was out of line for her opponent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, to “link donations to my political campaign, or really donations to anyone’s political campaign, with undue influence with changing people’s views and votes.”
“But time and time again, by innuendo, by insinuation, there is this attack that he is putting forth, which really comes down to — you know, anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought,” Clinton said. She dismissed such suggestions as a “very artful smear” of public officials that is unacceptable in American politics.
In her previous presidential campaign, though, Clinton launched an aggressive attack on then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama over campaign finance issues. She explicitly alleged that Obama traded access and legislative deals for campaign cash in a set of public attacks, one of which was criticized as deeply dishonest.
Today Clinton presents herself as an unwavering ally of Obama — and has accused Sanders of indirectly besmirching the president with his criticism of politicians who take Wall Street donations. But in April 2008, Clinton’s campaign aired a television ad portraying Obama’s support for a 2005 energy bill as a quid pro quo for campaign donations. The ad said Obama had “accepted $200,000 from executives and employees of oil companies,” while criticizing him for voting “for the Bush-Cheney energy bill that that put $6 billion in the pocket of big oil.” The clear message: Obama backed the bill as a favor to donors.
Clinton also accused Obama of exchanging legislative favors for campaign cash from the nuclear industry.
“But time and time again, by innuendo, by insinuation, there is this attack that he is putting forth, which really comes down to — you know, anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought,” Clinton said. She dismissed such suggestions as a “very artful smear” of public officials that is unacceptable in American politics.
In her previous presidential campaign, though, Clinton launched an aggressive attack on then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama over campaign finance issues. She explicitly alleged that Obama traded access and legislative deals for campaign cash in a set of public attacks, one of which was criticized as deeply dishonest.
Today Clinton presents herself as an unwavering ally of Obama — and has accused Sanders of indirectly besmirching the president with his criticism of politicians who take Wall Street donations. But in April 2008, Clinton’s campaign aired a television ad portraying Obama’s support for a 2005 energy bill as a quid pro quo for campaign donations. The ad said Obama had “accepted $200,000 from executives and employees of oil companies,” while criticizing him for voting “for the Bush-Cheney energy bill that that put $6 billion in the pocket of big oil.” The clear message: Obama backed the bill as a favor to donors.
Clinton also accused Obama of exchanging legislative favors for campaign cash from the nuclear industry.
<snip>
The attempt to flip the campaign finance issue back on Sanders, though, spotlights an inherent contradiction in Hillary Clinton’s arguments. At times, like in last week’s debate, Clinton has disputed the idea that campaign donations and speaking fees buy influence. Yet in her campaign launch speech last summer, Clinton asserted that money was a problematic influence on public officials. “We have to stop the endless flow of secret, unaccountable money that is distorting our elections, corrupting our political process and drowning out the voices of our people,” she said.
When Clinton later rolled out a plan to reform the campaign finance system, her campaign said in an email to reporters that the proposed changes were necessary to end “the stranglehold that wealthy interests have over our political system.”
When Clinton later rolled out a plan to reform the campaign finance system, her campaign said in an email to reporters that the proposed changes were necessary to end “the stranglehold that wealthy interests have over our political system.”
Read full article: http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/hillary-clinton-alleged-barack-obama-sold-access-big-donors-now-criticizes
49 replies
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You weren't even here in 2008. 
By your logic...
well I'm sure the Hillary supporters will be right here to discuss this
today... does it?
The Clintons are so thoroughly compromised....
