2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forum$10 Million to Hillary, From Saudi Arabia:
As Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton waived restrictions on selling weapons to governments that "donated" heavily to her family foundation, making it her personal mission to ensure that $29 billion worth of fighter jets were sold to Saudi Arabia -- despite the concerns of foreign allies and others in the U.S. government, including her department's and her own criticisms of Saudi Arabia.
In the years prior to her becoming Secretary of State, Saudi Arabia had given the Clinton Foundation at least $10 million.
The maker of the fighter jets, Boeing, gave another $900,000 to the Clinton Foundation while Clinton was Secretary of State and working on the sale.
Those jets have been used by Saudi Arabia, with the assistance of the U.S. military, to kill many civilians in Yemen. The European Parliament has backed a ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The United Nations has condemned Saudi air strikes that have killed civilians.
Click here to sign this petition to Hillary Clinton:
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12057
and this is from last week:
NY Times: Saudis Use Illegal Cluster Muntitions--Hillary Voted in Favor--More Quid pro Quo
New Report of U.S.-Made Cluster Bomb Use by Saudis in Yemen
By RICK GLADSTONEFEB. 14, 2016
The aftermath of a Saudi-led air strike in Sana, Yemen, on Sunday. Credit Khaled Abdullah/Reuters
Human Rights Watch released a report Sunday providing new indications that Saudi Arabia has fired American-made cluster munitions, banned by international treaty, in civilian areas of Yemen, and said their use may also violate United States law.
snip
If confirmed, the report could put new pressure on the United States over support for its ally Saudi Arabia in the Yemen conflict. The Americans have sold arms and furnished training and expertise to a Saudi-led coalition that has faced widespread criticism for what rights groups call an indiscriminate bombing campaign against Yemens Houthi rebels in nearly a year of fighting.....
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/15/world/middleeast/new-report-of-us-made-cluster-bomb-use-by-saudis-in-yemen.html
Critics have previously rapped Clinton for voting in 2006 against Senate Amendment 4882, which would have banned the sale of cluster munitions for use in heavily populated areas
LECTED OFFICIALS AND ACTIVISTS DEMAND CLINTON RETURN DONATIONS FROM ROGUE MILITARY CONTRACTOR
Textron bribed Saddam Husseins regime, and manufactures cluster bombs
Providence, RI: Various elected officials and anti-war activists are calling on Hillary Clinton to return campaign contributions from Textron, Inc. Textron is a Rhode Island-headquartered Fortune 500 conglomerate, from whose PAC Clinton took money in 2005 and 2006. Textron bribed the Hussein government during the lead-up to the Iraq war, and is a major manufacturer of cluster bombs, which yield high rates of civilian casualties.
http://providencedailydose.com/2008/02/21/hillary-and-the-arms-industry/
kristopher
(29,798 posts)We'd hear nothing else for months.
Triana
(22,666 posts)sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)platitudipus
(64 posts)If Hillary gets elected is the Clinton Foundation going to be the Fourth Branch of Government? How will she be able to separate donations to her 'charity' from legislation she passes?
jillan
(39,451 posts)dana_b
(11,546 posts)That could care less that most of the 911 hijackers from their country. Yes -
I'm using that because Saudi Arabia has been our "friend" that stabs us in the back and we just turn around and say "oops! I think I have your knife. Sorry!" All because of oil.
Gwhittey
(1,377 posts)that it is not evening Oil the US uses, it all goes to EU. Hell that is what whole Syarian civil war is about a Gas line that was going to be built for Russia and Saudi did not want it as would cut into there oil trade.
As Bob Ryan would say "What if I were to tell you, Boeing, that all you had to do is give Clinton $900,000 and you would get $29 billion. Is that something you might be interested in?"
leveymg
(36,418 posts)sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)revbones
(3,660 posts)The cognitive dissonance would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
BainsBane
(53,056 posts)And the donation is to a charitable contribution, not to Hillary's campaign or to Hillary personally. That charitable foundation is chartered in the US, subject to IRS scrutiny, rather than in the Caribbean where the federal government and US citizens have no ability to see where the money comes from.
tom_kelly
(962 posts)but don't the Clintons have access to their Foundation to spend how they see fit - including on themselves?
amborin
(16,631 posts)JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)people and family members who are now working for Hillary's campaign.
Charitable trusts and foundations are not always as focused on benevolent work as you might expect. Sometimes the benevolent work is an excuse for doing other less noble things like employing loyal friends while you wait until the time is right to run for the presidency.
Look at the list of those who worked for the Clinton Foundation. You will see all the friends of Clinton many of whom worked for Bill's administration and all of whom support Hillary in her political climb to the top.
I doubt that the Clinton Foundation is employing Bernie supporters. I bet there is not a one.
The Kochs also have family foundations.
The foundations do good work, but they also sometimes are used for other purposes that help the founders of the foundations and their families.
The money that is donated to the foundations is usually tax exempt.
Nice work if you can afford it.
It's hard to tell whether a foundation is really totally dedicated to its charitable work or whether it has other purposes as well.
It is unlikely that this is illegal. But . . . .
Full disclosure is helpful and if there are favors exchanged for donations to the foundation, then legitimate questions may arise.
Uncle Joe
(58,405 posts)in order to record for posterity and praise them for their charitable work?
Clinton Foundation received subpoena from State Department investigators
Investigators with the State Department issued a subpoena to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation last fall seeking documents about the charitys projects that may have required approval from the federal government during Hillary Clintons term as secretary of state, according to people familiar with the subpoena and written correspondence about it.
The subpoena also asked for records related to Huma Abedin, a longtime Clinton aide who for six months in 2012 was employed simultaneously by the State Department, the foundation, Clintons personal office, and a private consulting firm with ties to the Clintons.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-foundation-received-subpoena-from-state-department-investigators/2016/02/11/ca5125b2-cce4-11e5-88ff-e2d1b4289c2f_story.html
BainsBane
(53,056 posts)under US tax law. Since the subpoena is from State rather than the IRS, it would seem to relate to activities of a federal employee, not the foundation itself. In fact that point is explicitly made in your very article.
There is no indication that the watchdog is looking at Clinton.
Meanwhile, Bernie has received two letters of inquiry from the FEC in as many months regarding campaign contributions in excess of federal law. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/02/26/bernie-sanders-campaign-contributions/80999298/ That relates directly to him and one of the central arguments for his candidacy.
Uncle Joe
(58,405 posts)some are true to the cause and some are just fronts for scamming money or used as vehicles to further political ambitions.
Unease at Clinton Foundation Over Finances and Ambitions
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/14/us/politics/unease-at-clinton-foundation-over-finances-and-ambitions.html?pagewanted=3&_r=2&hp&
leveymg
(36,418 posts)Last edited Wed Mar 2, 2016, 04:15 PM - Edit history (1)
Many may not be so sanguine about this as are most DUers.
The R's will hammer these "pay to play" tactics to no end.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)the attempts to excuse this kind of thing, no point in arguing with people who are invested in a PERSON that there is simply nothing that person can do that will stop them from trying to excuse.
PonyUp
(1,680 posts)AzDar
(14,023 posts)PonyUp
(1,680 posts)1. Go anywhere without a chaperone
2. Drive a car
3. Wear clothes or make-up that "show off their beauty"
4. Interact with men
5. Compete freely in sports
6. Try on clothes when shopping
http://www.theweek.co.uk/60339/eleven-things-women-in-saudi-arabia-cant-do
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)incrementalism, - whats the rush
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)angrychair
(8,732 posts)Ilsa
(61,697 posts)"Does this burqu'a make my butt look big?"
Cobalt Violet
(9,905 posts)NWCorona
(8,541 posts)FlatBaroque
(3,160 posts)ladjf
(17,320 posts)admire here for being such a successful "benefactor" of the big business largess.
VulgarPoet
(2,872 posts)For more than two centuries, Wahhabism has been Saudi Arabia's dominant faith. It is an austere form of Islam that insists on a literal interpretation of the Koran. Strict Wahhabis believe that all those who don't practice their form of Islam are heathens and enemies. Critics say that Wahhabism's rigidity has led it to misinterpret and distort Islam, pointing to extremists such as Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. Wahhabism's explosive growth began in the 1970s when Saudi charities started funding Wahhabi schools (madrassas) and mosques from Islamabad to Culver City, California.
Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)1)How much money has this charitable foundation raised in the past ten years (tho any information on money raised during any year or any group of years would be helpful.)?
2) how much money goes to administrative costs in a year (and what is included by their definition of administrative costs)?
3)How much if any money is earmarked as a salary to each of the three founders of the foundation
3a) Bill Clinton?
3b) Hillary Clinton?
3c) Chelsea Clinton?
4) how many other paid administrators are there and what is their average salary?
5) How much money is spent each year on great works of humanity? (You may have to itemize this by the year I realize, please do so, as well as what the money is spent on)?
6) Why do we hear so little about what great work is being done?
7) considering the massive amounts of money raised what massive and expensive things are done on a regular basis?
8) what is the foundations current amount of cash on hand and why did flint not receive even 1/10 of the money raised by just this one donation in the form of filtration units and massive amounts of jug water available to many homes, as it appears the Foundation receives several 100 millions in donations and I've seen not one public service announcement to show all the good work and good will being generated by such a large and wealthy organization such as this charity and (Flint Michigan could sure have used a charitable foundation's water far more than words and a photo-op.
9) are the answers to these questions big giant secrets never to be revealed, for reasons never to be known, like the transcripts of speeches from the monetary predators that have been so generous in speaking fees directly in the purse as well as donations to this foundation?
Thank you in advance
Kensan
(180 posts)You can register with Guidestar.org, which has information related to exempt organizations. The most recent Form 990 filed by the Bill Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation that you can access is for tax year 2013. There is generally a delay in uploading the most recently filed returns, since an organization this large would have filed for an extension of time to file.
There are specific disclosures inside the 990 filing about officer compensation and independent contractors. I will leave it to others to decide how the funds are being used, and the good works being done through this foundation. There is quite a bit of information available on this site.
As someone who works in a professional capacity, I have to abide by certain independence standards. I don't discount the benefits that Bill and Hillary have provided to many worthy causes through their personal efforts. It does cause me to pause at what appears to be conflicts of interest and pay-to-play deals using the Foundation as the vehicle to move money/favors. People tend to "see what they want to see" when it comes to defending their decisions. I'll leave it at that.
ellennelle
(614 posts)very much. and kensan, not just for the details, but for your carefully worded sentiments.
i both honor your reticence, and trust your honesty, and your concerns.
pause, indeed.
be well.
erlewyne
(1,115 posts)You can't buy my vote. The only thing I have to do
is die and pay taxes. Money doesn't interest me because
I have social security that I paid for. Free things are
for millionaires. I pay taxes !!!
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)Dropped my Florida absentee(s) off at the Elections Supervisor 2 weeks ago.
erlewyne
(1,115 posts)That would be so fun to say!
zentrum
(9,865 posts)
.supposed to represent the Real Democrat of our Party?
Where are the transcripts? And now, where are the damn subpoenas?
LeFleur1
(1,197 posts)to your hate spewing right wing cave. You are hurting Bernie's chances!
This is beyond the election, beyond Bernieit's about a type of financial quid pro quo that definitely warrants further investigation. I don't see how it's "hate" to say the 10M from the Saudis into the Foundation looks fishy when as SOS she worked to change the arm's sale rules. Facts accrued against HRC, based on her own record are not "hate" or RW. They're what any good Democrat (or citizen, actually) would want answers to.
Funnyyour tone and insult don't sound like a Bernie supporter. Bernie wants corruption outI guess all we Bernie types need to go back to our caves?
As Lee Fang at the Intercept says so perceptivelyit's more than what any journalist and reporter can do. Only subpoena power uncovers this kind of stuff.
LeFleur1
(1,197 posts)I am a Hillary supporter. I have watched her work since she was in college. But I will vote for Bernie if he is the nominee. That doesn't mean I think he would be the best for the job. Just not as bad as the alternative. As always, those who CANNOT stand the fact that she's a force in the world, especially a force for women's rights, take any little bit and twist it against her. Innuendo is what forms the meme for most of the attacks on Hillary. Gossip at its worst. They delight in taking something pretty innocent (donations to a foundation) and blowing it into something bad. I wonder if Jimmy Carter is a crook and a thug because of the money his foundation brings in? The things said on here, not in support of Bernie, but to tear Hillary down in any way by saying anything, without a word from him to cease and desist, and doing it with Republican type attacks, makes him look bad, and worst of all, makes the Republicans cheer.
You say it's an insult to tell right wingers to go back to their caves. Maybe it is, or maybe it's just advice Democrats on this site wish the wingers (of any stripe) would take.
Bernie hits on Hillary's campaign donations at every opportunity. Yet, everyone knows that the Democratic party takes donations from corporations. Corporations cover their asses by giving to both parties. So why did Bernie decide, after twenty years, to take donations from the Democratic Party? Huh? For the money? And for loyal votes? For the opportunity he would otherwise not have?
One very big reason Obama has not been able to do many of the things he wanted to do is because so many Democrats (mostly young according to surveys) stayed home last election. They don't seem to grasp the seriousness of elections. This terrible, ugly congress is on them.
Mufaddal
(1,021 posts)Incidentally, her campaign manager is the co-founder of the PR firm Saudi is currently using to smear KSA human rights activists in western media.
The pay-for-play aspect of the arms deals while she was SOS is disturbing enough, let alone the purposes for which those weapons are being used. But then, hawks gonna hawk.
BainsBane
(53,056 posts)Your own candidate supports hundreds of billions in taxpayer money to Lockheed-Martin for the F-35.
http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/24583-bernie-sanders-doubles-down-on-f-35-support-days-after-runway-explosion
You're upset the Clinton foundation, a charitable institution, accepts money from the MIC but somehow display no concern about your own candidate's support for hundreds of billions to pay for fighter jets, deadly not only in the bombs they drop but for the pilots flying them.
What is "disgusting" is apparently not the killing or the fact obsene of the taxpayer money go to the merchants of death, but the horror that one of those companies contributes to charity.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)Motion ratchets up pressure on Riyadh over its Yemen bombing campaign but does not force European states to halt deals
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels
Thursday 25 February 2016 09.07 EST Last modified on Thursday 25 February 2016 09.09 EST
Nearly 740,000 people have signed a petition calling for an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia, organised by the campaign group Avaaz.
Alex Wilks of Avaaz said: For too long Europe has profited from massive arms sales to Riyadh even while the Saudi regime crushed democracy and human rights across the Middle East. Today the European parliament listened to the people and have for the first time stood firmly against Saudi impunity. Now its up to capitals to heed this leadership and stop turning a blind eye to massacres in Yemen.
---snip
MEPs have voted for a European Union-wide arms embargo against Saudi Arabia to protest against the Gulf states heavy bombing campaign in Yemen.
The European parliament voted by a large majority for an EU-wide ban on arms sales to the kingdom, citing the disastrous humanitarian situation as a result of Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen.
The vote does not compel EU member states to act but it does increase pressure on Riyadh, in the wake of criticism from the UN and growing international alarm over civilian casualties in Yemen.
The resolution also turns up the heat on the British government, which has supplied export licences for up to £3bn worth of arms to Saudi Arabia in the last year. The UK has been accused of direct involvement in the bombing campaign through the deployment of UK military personnel to the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia began bombing in Yemen last March to support the Yemeni president, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was under threat from Houthi forces aligned with Iran.
Richard Howitt, the Labour MEP who drafted the key amendment, said: This is a clear humanitarian appeal to end the bloodshed in Yemen, and call on Saudi Arabia to pursue a political rather than a military solution to the conflict.
Howitt, who is Labours foreign affairs spokesman in Europe, also called on the British government to stop selling weapons to Riyadh. The UK is one of the biggest suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia and needs to heed this call, which has been overwhelmingly supported across the political spectrum and by a vast citizen campaign, he said.
An earlier draft of the resolution that named and criticised the UK and other EU member states, including France, Spain and Germany, was dropped. The final version said some EU member states had continued to authorise transfers of weapons to Saudi Arabia since the violence started, in violation of EU rules on arms control.
The motion was passed by 359 votes to 212, as a diverse coalition of Socialists, Liberals, Greens, Leftists and Eurosceptics overcame opposition from the leadership of the two main centre-right groups, including Britains Conservatives. A separate resolution calling for a ceasefire in Yemen was supported by a larger number of MEPs.
Under a 2008 code of conduct, EU member states promised not to sell weapons to countries where they might be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law and undermine regional peace and stability.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/25/eu-parliament-votes-for-embargo-on-arms-sales-to-saudi-arabia
Octafish
(55,745 posts)The fact someone profits from it has nothing to do with anything, so disregard those WikiLeaks.
Cheese Sandwich
(9,086 posts)ReasonableToo
(505 posts)Herman4747
(1,825 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Thanks. Today's my 72nd birthday so I can blame typing errors on old age.
Herman4747
(1,825 posts)(By the way, it's up to you, but you may wish to edit your post to change "sat" to "say"
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)SoapBox
(18,791 posts)You don't seem a day over...50?
(I long for the day I was 50!)
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Herman4747
(1,825 posts)Have a great day!
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)Today's my Dad's 87th.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)I'm now at the point of waking up every day and thinking "Really??"
840high
(17,196 posts)an older Bernie gal!
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)And "Democrats", even worse "Southern Conservative Democrats" continue to promoted and push her?
kgnu_fan
(3,021 posts)kath
(10,565 posts)PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)prefer the FICTIONAL movie instead
EndElectoral
(4,213 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Herman4747
(1,825 posts)Is Hillary corrupt, stupid, or both?
840high
(17,196 posts)She and Bill have gotten away with so much.
jalan48
(13,881 posts)nichomachus
(12,754 posts)Cheese Sandwich
(9,086 posts)olddots
(10,237 posts)" pragmatic , realistic , grown up , rational " greedy creating the needy .