Bill Clinton Cuts Ties to Billionaire, Dubai-May Get Payout of $20 Million

[babylonsister]

Bill Clinton May Get Payout of $20 Million
By JOHN R. EMSHWILLER
January 22, 2008; Page A1

Former President Clinton stands to reap around $20 million -- and will sever a politically sensitive partnership tie to Dubai -- by ending his high-profile business relationship with the investment firm of billionaire friend Ron Burkle.

Mr. Clinton is negotiating to end his relationship with Mr. Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. as part of a broader effort to protect the presidential campaign of his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, from potential conflicts of interest. Details of Mr. Clinton's involvement in Yucaipa and his efforts to unwind it come from documents and interviews with people familiar with the matter.


The former president has had links to Yucaipa since early 2002, when Mr. Burkle -- a longtime friend and political contributor -- offered him a role there. Mr. Clinton's association with the firm began at a time when he was looking to earn large amounts of money, partly to pay heavy legal bills accumulated to defend himself and Mrs. Clinton from several investigations during his presidency.

Now, as he negotiates with Yucaipa to withdraw from the relationship, he is a wealthy man, thanks partly to tens of millions of dollars he has earned making speeches around the world.

Mr. Clinton initially signed on with Mr. Burkle as a senior adviser to closely held Yucaipa. As part of that arrangement, Mr. Burkle agreed to give Mr. Clinton a share of the profits from two Yucaipa domestic investment funds if their returns reached a certain threshold. Mr. Clinton's adviser arrangement ended in early 2007, five years after it began. But Mr. Clinton still hasn't settled the issue of his payout.

more...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120097424021905843.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news&apl=y&r=573655

[leftchick]

1. "billionaire friend"

change anyone?

[sandnsea]

2. But they're on our side

sure they are. :eyes:

[HeraldSquare212]

3. Burkle has personal issues around philandering with models on his jet

The same jet that Bill often flew in. I think in a general election, the Reps would definitely try to tag Bill with that kind of behavior just by virtue of the association. So, it's not correct to say the Clinton's are fully 'vetted' - there's more to come.

[rhett o rick]

4. Just another tricky way to buy a politician. I like Murdock's method of big cash for book deals. nm

[desi]

5. Hope it's closer to 40 Million

After what the repukes, with the help of the WSJ and other radical right wingnuttia put his Democratic Administration through.

"Mr. Clinton's association with the firm began at a time when he was looking to earn large amounts of money, partly to pay heavy legal bills accumulated to defend himself and Mrs. Clinton from several investigations during his presidency."

[babylonsister]

6. Put him through? He shouldn't have lied. nt

[desi]

7. You need a crash course on everything Whitewater

and go from there since there was no there there in Whitewater which was the original witch hunt. Or do you believe that the repukes were looking to spend over 70 Million dollars because a little bird told them that OUR DEMOCRATIC president got a blow job from an intern?