Whither the Clinton Foundation?

[PDittie]

In response to grahamhgreen's currently most-recommended thread...

With the Clinton Foundation once again the recipient of negative headlines, former Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) -- another Republican who says he's backing Hillary Clinton -- recommended that the Clinton family should shut down the foundation if she becomes president. "I would sure as heck suggest that they don't have it," Shays said on "MTP Daily" yesterday. Maybe the Clinton Foundation doesn't have to close its doors if Hillary wins in November, but it will be unsustainable -- for the Clintons and for the foundation -- if it's viewed as a conflict of interest. As former GOP Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) noted in 2009 during Hillary Clinton's confirmation hearing to become secretary of state, "The core of the problem is that foreign governments and entities may perceive the Clinton Foundation as a means to gain favor with the secretary of state. Although neither Senator Clinton nor President Clinton has a personal financial stake in the foundation, obviously its work benefits their legacy and their public service priorities." And as we found out, any safeguards that the Clintons and Foundation established to eliminate perceptions problems while Hillary was secretary of state didn't exactly do the trick.

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/first-read-what-happens-clinton-foundation-if-hillary-wins-n628106

Bill Clinton has indicated that they will "do the right thing". What do YOU think they should do w/r/t the foundation?

[tonyt53]

1. Absolutely not! Acorn was dissolved over bullshit reporting, and letting this happen again is wrong.

[LenaBaby61]

5. I truly hope...

That if Hillary becomes POTUS, that she and First Gentleman Bill DON'T roll over and shut down their foundation.

As one other person said in this very thread, Darth Cheney was not asked to shut down Halliburton when he became PRESIDENT, and goodness KNOWS that he used Halliburton like his OWN ATM.

[yallerdawg]

2. They'll have to disassociate from it...

kind of like Cheney disassociated from Halliburton.

Did anyone think we needed to close Halliburton?

But a philanthropic charity that has brought much good to the world? Let's shutter that?

[bonemachine]

6. I thought and still think

that Halliburton should be shuttered. But that's neither here nor there, really....

[geek tragedy]

3. transition it to new management and remove the Clinton family

from any positions of authority within the organization.

[lapucelle]

4. CNN just announced that DOJ declined an FBI request to investigate the Clinton Foundation.

Look at one of the leading voices calling for a probe.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/13/rep-marsha-blackburn-seeks-probe-clinton-foundation/87027592/

[Wilms]

11. From your subject line it seems the FBI was one of the leading voices calling for a probe.

[exboyfil]

7. Nelson Rockefeller - Republican Vice President

Served in the Rockefeller Center from 1931 to at least 1958. He was also a trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers fund from 1940-1979. In both positions he was also the CEO or President for a period of time. Also served as trustee for the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1932-1979.

[exboyfil]

8. Barbara Bush Foundation for Literacy

She was Honorary Chair while First Lady.

[PDittie]

9. So Republican models are to be emulated?

Is that the point you're making?

[Demsrule86]

17. Why should a charity that does great work be shut down

because of Republicans... this entire post is an attack on Clinton.

[LoverOfLiberty]

10. Its a Foundation

A legal not-for-profit entity. Neither Clinton has to be on the board for it to continue on.

There is no reason to shutter it.

[PDittie]

12. Just for the record

The forum page says there are 11 replies here...

...but I only see three (from two posters).

[pnwmom]

13. Funny that they're not talking about shutting down Trump's 500 companies,

especially the ones that will benefit from the new tax loophole he's proposing.

[Hekate]

14. BINGO! You win the thread.

[pnwmom]

15. . . .

[Demsrule86]

16. It is a charity that does much good work... why are repeating

GOP crap here?

[baldguy]

18. Thank you for your concern.

[glennward]

19. The wealthy GOPers always blind-trust all their holding and foundations. No one ever complains. nt

[PDittie]

22. I get it.

IOKIYAR so it should be okay for her.

I'll ask again: Republicans are the standard to be emulated in this regard?

[BobbyDrake]

20. Phony concern is phony.

People need to stop trying to peddle this weak GOP talking point already. Re-read the Terms of Service that you agreed to abide by if you continue to be confused!

[Vattel]

21. The Clintons should at least hand it over to others.

Better not to encourage perceptions of corruption even if they are ill-founded (as I believe they are).

Except for its great success in fund-raising, it was never a particularly effective charity under the Clintons anyway. Maybe others can improve it. Or maybe people should donate to charities that provide more direct help to the needy.

Edited to add: Before I get the predictable replies about the foundation's having an A rating from a charity watchdog or about how 89% of its funds going to charity with only 11% being spent on overhead, I thought I should point out that these ratings and percentages do not assess how effective a charity is at pursuing its objectives or how important those objectives are to helping the needy. For example, it does not look into whether one of the things a charity does to pursue its objectives is to fund a presidential center or to host lavish conferences.