Clinton Foundation: Lawful Or Unlawful?

The Clinton Foundation has been the subject of various allegations and investigations, including claims of money laundering, bribery, and pay-to-play schemes. While there has been no evidence of malfeasance, the acceptance of funds from foreign governments and wealthy donors has sparked controversy and led to questions about potential conflicts of interest. The foundation's impact on Hillary Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State and her 2016 presidential campaign has been a particular area of scrutiny. With investigations ongoing, the full extent of any wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation remains uncertain.

Did the Clinton Foundation engage in money laundering?

The Clinton Foundation has been accused of money laundering, with some sources claiming that it is one of the world's largest money-laundering schemes. However, no evidence of money laundering has been found, and the Foundation has denied any wrongdoing.

In 2018, a whistleblower submission to the IRS and FBI alleged that the Clinton Foundation engaged in illegal activities, including money laundering. The submission included 6,000 pages of evidence and was assembled by a private firm called MDA Analytics LLC, which was run by ex-federal criminal investigators. The evidence included internal legal reviews conducted by the Foundation in 2008 and 2011, which flagged concerns about legal compliance, improper commingling of personal and charity business, and "quid pro quo" promises made to donors while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State.

The Clinton Foundation has denied any wrongdoing and stated that it has been "one of the most heavily scrutinized charitable organizations in the world." They have also made governance changes to address the issues raised in the internal reviews.

In 2016, Sen. Tom Cotton compared the Clinton Foundation to an illegal money-laundering operation and speculated that a high-ranking Justice Department official was shutting down probes into the Foundation. However, multiple investigations through 2019 found no evidence of malfeasance. Additionally, the IRS sent a preliminary denial letter in 2018, indicating that it did not pursue the allegations due to a lack of resources and the possible expiration of the statute of limitations.

While there have been accusations and concerns about the Clinton Foundation's activities, no evidence of money laundering has been found, and the Foundation continues to maintain its innocence.

Did the Clinton Foundation trade donations for access to Hillary Clinton?

The Clinton Foundation has been accused of trading donations for access to Hillary Clinton during her time as Secretary of State and as a presidential candidate. One report found that 85 out of 154 people who met with Clinton donated to the Clinton Foundation, with amounts ranging from $25,000 to over $1 million.

In 2013, an outside review by the firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett found that "some interviewees reported conflicts of those raising funds or donors, some of whom may have an expectation of quid pro quo benefits in return for gifts." However, the review did not find evidence of the Clinton Foundation providing these benefits, and there is no evidence that Hillary Clinton changed her opinion on an issue of concern or provided an official favor for a Clinton Foundation donor.

Multiple investigations into the Clinton Foundation between 2015 and 2019 found no evidence of malfeasance.

Did the Clinton Foundation comply with IRS rules?

The Clinton Foundation is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was established by former U.S. president Bill Clinton to "strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence." The Clinton Foundation has been accused of various forms of wrongdoing, including bribery and a pay-to-play scheme, but multiple investigations through 2019 found no evidence of malfeasance.

In 2015, the Clinton Foundation was placed on a watch list by the charity watchdog group Charity Navigator after several news organizations raised questions about donations from corporations and foreign governments. However, it was later removed from the watch list and given a four-star rating by Charity Navigator in 2016. Another charity monitor, CharityWatch, gave the foundation an A rating for 2016, reporting that 88% of its money goes toward its charitable mission.

Despite these positive evaluations, there have been persistent concerns about potential conflicts of interest and influence-peddling. In 2013, Chelsea Clinton ordered an audit of the foundation, which revealed that some interviewees reported conflicts among those raising funds or donors who may have expected "quid pro quo benefits" in return for their gifts. This issue of potential quid pro quo arrangements has been a significant focus of scrutiny, with allegations that donors traded donations for access to Hillary Clinton during her time as Secretary of State and as a presidential candidate.

In terms of compliance with IRS rules, there have been questions about the Clinton Foundation's tax returns and whether they accurately reported funding sources. In 2015, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) acknowledged misreporting funding sources by millions of dollars and initially decided against refiling the returns. However, due to media interest and pressure from Republican critics, CHAI ultimately decided to refile its 2012 and 2013 returns.

While the Clinton Foundation has faced intense scrutiny, it is important to note that multiple investigations by the FBI, the Justice Department, and other federal agencies have failed to find conclusive evidence of illegal activity or violation of IRS rules. The foundation has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and its supporters argue that it has done important charity work.

Did the Clinton Foundation comply with State Department ethics rules?

The Clinton Foundation is a non-profit organisation under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was established by former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1997, and was initially called the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation. The foundation was renamed in 2013 as the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

The foundation's mission is to "strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence." It has offices in New York City and Little Rock, Arkansas, and focuses on humanitarian programs rather than charitable grants.

The Clinton Foundation has been the subject of various allegations and investigations, including claims of bribery, money laundering, and a pay-to-play scheme. These allegations were particularly prominent during Hillary Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State, when it was alleged that the foundation had improper ties to the State Department. There were also concerns about the foundation's acceptance of donations from foreign governments and corporations, as well as its lack of transparency.

To address these concerns, Hillary Clinton approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the foundation and the Obama Administration before her confirmation as Secretary of State. The MOU permitted donations from governments who had previously contributed to the foundation but prohibited new contributions from other foreign governments without approval from the State Department's ethics office. It also required the foundation to publish all contributors' names.

Despite the MOU, there were still questions about the foundation's compliance with ethics rules. For example, it was discovered that the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a spin-off of the Clinton Foundation, failed to report donors from 2009 to 2013 and did not seek prior approval for new foreign donations as required. Additionally, there were reports of emails exchanged between Clinton Foundation officials and top aides of Hillary Clinton, which raised questions about the foundation's influence on the State Department.

Multiple investigations into the Clinton Foundation's activities were conducted, including a two-year inquiry by the Trump Justice Department. However, these investigations found no evidence of wrongdoing or malfeasance. Charity watchdog groups, such as Charity Navigator and CharityWatch, have given the foundation high ratings for transparency and governance, and there is no conclusive evidence that the foundation broke the law or engaged in illegal activities.

Did the Clinton Foundation comply with campaign finance laws?

The Clinton Foundation is a non-profit organisation under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was founded by former U.S. president Bill Clinton in 2001, with the stated mission to "strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence".

The Clinton Foundation has been accused of wrongdoing, including bribery and a pay-to-play scheme. However, multiple investigations through 2019 found no evidence of malfeasance. The Clinton Foundation has also been accused of being a vehicle for Hillary Clinton to shield her State Department email communications from public and congressional scrutiny, as well as a means for Clinton insiders to receive private-sector compensation.

In 2016, the Federal Election Commission fined Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee for not properly disclosing the money they spent on opposition research that led to the infamous Trump-Russia dossier. The dossier was compiled by retired British spy Christopher Steele and contained unverified and salacious allegations about Donald Trump, including claims that his campaign colluded with the Kremlin to win the 2016 election. The Clinton campaign and the DNC never conceded that they violated campaign finance laws, but they agreed to drop their pushback and accept the civil fines.

In addition to the above, there have been several other instances of alleged campaign finance law violations by the Clinton Foundation. In 2009, the incoming Obama administration was concerned about the potential for corruption if Hillary Clinton were to run the State Department while the Clinton Foundation was accepting huge payments from foreign governments, businesses, and entrepreneurs. To address this, the White House required Mrs. Clinton to agree in writing that the Clinton Foundation would annually disclose its major donors and seek pre-approval from the White House before accepting foreign contributions. However, this agreement was repeatedly flouted, for example, by concealing contributions from Ian Telfer, chairman of Uranium One, a company that surrendered one-fifth of the United States' uranium-mining capacity to Russia.

Furthermore, the Clinton Foundation has been criticised for receiving donations from Middle Eastern countries that oppress women, including Saudi Arabia, which donated between $10 million and $25 million. Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign platform guaranteed to break down barriers that held women back, yet the foundation accepted these donations.

In conclusion, while there have been several accusations and instances of the Clinton Foundation not complying with campaign finance laws, the majority of these remain allegations or instances of flouting agreements, rather than proven violations of the law.

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