Clinton Foundation
April 26, 2015

A Commitment to Honesty, Transparency and Accountability

by Maura Pally, Acting CEO and Senior Vice President, Women and Youth Programs

Over the past few days, many questions have been raised about the Clinton Foundation, its initiatives, and the financial support that allows us to do the uniquely impactful philanthropic work that we do at home and around the world.

Without question the Foundation’s accomplishments stand on their own. From fighting obesity by helping create healthier learning environments for more than 16 million students; to working to combat one of our greatest global threats, climate change; to lowering the price of lifesaving antiretroviral drugs that have benefited more than 9 million people fighting HIV/AIDS; one thing is clear, the Clinton Foundation has not been afraid to take on big challenges and see real results.  

Just as important as the results we see, is how the Foundation has transformed philanthropy into a collaborative effort by bringing NGOs, local stakeholders, government officials, private sector actors, and others together to maximize their collective investments. It seems logical, but fifteen years ago, that just wasn’t how philanthropy was done.

As the Foundation’s impact has grown, so too has its commitment to transparency. When Hillary Clinton was appointed Secretary of State, we took unprecedented steps to avoid potential conflicts of interest by going above and beyond what is required of any philanthropy and instituted voluntarily annual disclosure of all of our donors on our website. We also established a policy around the foreign government contributions we accept, recognizing that in order to continue our life improving work we rely on the contributions of government, as is the case with most large scale global charities.

Today, our donor disclosure and foreign government contributor policy is stronger than ever. Since Secretary Clinton decided to run for President, we have committed to disclosing all of our donors on a quarterly basis.  In addition, we announced that we will only accept funding from a handful of governments, many of whom the Foundation receives multi-year grants from, to continue the work they have long partnered on.

The Foundation has 11 different initiatives, some of which function in organizationally different ways. One of these 11 initiatives is the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership (CGEP), which is focused on advancing innovative solutions to poverty alleviation on a global scale. CGEP has come under heightened scrutiny this past week and I want to explain how it operates.

The Clinton Foundation executes all of the work that CGEP does. CGEP does receive financial backing for projects from an independent Canadian charity called the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership (Canada), which Frank Giustra established so that Canadians could support the initiative’s valuable work and receive a charitable tax credit. CGEP (Canada) provides funding on a project-by-project basis and this money goes exclusively to CGEP projects, not to the Foundation’s general operating fund. 

Like every contributor to the Foundation, the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership (Canada) is publicly listed as a donor on our website. But as it is a distinct Canadian organization, separate from the Clinton Foundation, its individual donors are not listed on the site. This is hardly an effort on our part to avoid transparency – unlike in the U.S., under Canadian law; all charities are prohibited from disclosing individual donors without prior permission from each donor.

I also want to address questions regarding our 990 tax forms. We have said that after a voluntary external review is completed we will likely refile forms for some years.  While some have suggested that this indicates a failure to accurately report our total revenue, that is not the case. Our total revenue was accurately reported on each year's form – our error was that government grants were mistakenly combined with other donations. Those same grants have always been properly listed and broken out and available for anyone to see on our audited financial statements, posted on our website.

So yes, we made mistakes, as many organizations of our size do, but we are acting quickly to remedy them, and have taken steps to ensure they don't happen in the future. We are committed to operating the Foundation responsibly and effectively to continue the life-changing work that this philanthropy is doing every day. I encourage you to read more about that good work at www.clintonfoundation.org. 

Judicial Watch
April 23, 2015

Judicial Watch: State Department Documents Reveal Concern about Bill Clinton’s Activities with ‘Saudi Entities’

Routine Government Employee Information on Hillary Clinton Shielded from the Public

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced that it has received 126 pages of documents from the State Department related to Hillary Clinton’s possible conflicts of interest regarding her position as Secretary of State. The initial Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was placed on May 2, 2011. These documents are being released as a result of a federal court order in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed against the State Department on May 28, 2013 (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:13-cv-00772)).

Judicial Watch also disclosed that the State Department turned over nearly 1,000 records to the Clinton Foundation, beginning in January 2014, for review prior to public release.

The lawsuit is ongoing and had previously forced the disclosure of documents that provided a road map for over 200 conflict-of-interest rulings that led to $48 million for the Clinton Foundation and other Clinton-connected entities during Hillary Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state. Previously disclosed documents in this lawsuit, for example, raise questions about funds Clinton accepted from entities linked to Saudi Arabia, China and Iran, among others.

The latest group of documents shows that State Department officials had concerns in January 2011 about Bill Clinton’s activities related to Saudi Arabia. An email chain, begun on January 25, 2011, includes several members of the State Department’s Legal Advisor Office, and the subject line “Clinton Foundation Request – Saudi entities.” The discussion is almost entirely redacted in the three-page email chain.

Other documents previously forced out through this lawsuit show that Bill Clinton worked with Tanmiah Commercial Group, a Saudi group based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that paid Clinton $300,000. The Clinton Foundation told the State Department he would participate in the 2011 Global Competiveness Forum, a five-day event in Riyadh. The event was co-sponsored by the Dabbagh Group Holding Co., which “comprises 28 autonomous companies, operating in diversified businesses in 30 countries. Mohammed Husnee Jazeel currently serves as Dabbagh Group’s CFO.” The Clinton Foundation described the event as:

[A]n annual meeting of global business leaders, international political leaders and selected academics and journalists. It was founded in 2006 by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and is held under the patronage of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz.

Established in 2000, the SAGIA encourages investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and provides licensing and support services to investors.

The “ticketed event” targeted “the Saudi Arabian business community.”

Also, discussed is a Clinton Foundation request regarding an undisclosed country in Asia in August 2010: “Spoke to Jim [James H Thessin], on this and he plans to speak to the EAP [East Asian & Pacific Affairs] PDAS [Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary] and get his views.”

A June 2010 message chain addressed to then-Deputy Chief of Mission in Tanzania Larry E. Andre and others is labeled “URGENT RE: Clinton Foundation Issue, ” and states: “Former POTUS Clinton is on the ground in Tanzania… we need guidance fairly urgently to still be relevant.”

Also in the documents is a fully redacted June 2011 exchange between longtime Clinton associates Cheryl Mills and Doug Band.

Band assisted in creating the Clinton Global Initiative and is a founding partner and president of Teneo.  Also previously disclosed, documents show that the State Department approved a consulting arrangement between Bill Clinton and Band. The Clintons ended the deal after only eight months, as criticism mounted over Teneo’s ties to the failed investment firm, MF Global. Mills defended Bill Clinton during his 1999 impeachment trial. She also was on the Clinton Foundation’s board prior to joining Mrs. Clinton at the State Department. Ms. Mills reportedly negotiated the “ethics agreement” on behalf of the Clintons and the Foundation that required the Clintons to submit to rigorous conflict-of-interest checks. Despite this, and in apparent violation of Obama administration ethics rules, Ms. Mills was involved in ethics reviews as chief of staff for Mrs. Clinton at the State Department.

A January 2013 email from Clinton Foundation Scheduler Margaret Steenburg to State Department attorneys says a list of speech hosts for conflict-of-interest review was provided to them (but the list is conspicuously absent from the FOIA production documents).

The State Department just disclosed that it turned over 128 records to the Clinton Foundation for review under Exemption 4 of FOIA. Exemption 4 allows the withholding of commercial information about third parties that could cause them competitive harm. Judicial Watch understands that over 1,000 records have been turned over to the Clinton Foundation under this unusual review process, resulting in more delay.

Dozens of State Department attorneys’ emails are heavily redacted and neglect to include the records Judicial Watch specifically sought in its FOIA request, such as Mrs. Clinton “SF 50s,” the standard form the government uses any time an employee changes jobs, or has an increase in step, grade or pay. Judicial Watch also sought all “SF 85s,” “85Ps,” or “SF-86s,”which would pertain to Hillary’s clearance for various types of information. Also noticeably scarce are the requested ethics waivers issued to Mrs. Clinton, and the communications relating to Mr. Clinton’s speech schedule and his personal or charitable financial relationships with foreign leaders and governments.

Last month, the State Department promised to conduct a supplemental search of email records allegedly turned over late last year by Hillary Clinton. The State Department has been silent on obtaining or recovering other emails from Hillary Clinton’s secret accounts or any secret accounts of her top staff, including Cheryl Mills.

“The State Department allowed Hillary Clinton to remove and destroy government email records. And now we’ve figured out the State Department is improperly giving government documents to the Clinton operation – documents that should have been turned over to us years ago,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Our lawsuit, which first exposed the Clinton foreign fundraising racket at the State Department, continues to be obstructed by Mrs. Clinton’s political operation. With these revelations of State Department concerns about the Clinton machine’s Saudi and Asian dealings, this simple FOIA lawsuit is providing the road map for those tracking Hillary Clinton’s abuse of office as secretary of state. In the meantime, the State Department seems to be more concerned about helping Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign than following federal disclosure law.”
Clinton Foundation
Policy Update
April 15, 2015

STATEMENT

The Clinton Foundation is committed to improving millions of lives around the world.  In light of Secretary Clinton’s decision to run for President, Secretary Clinton has stepped down from the Clinton Foundation board and, while she is a candidate for President, the Foundation will modify its policies as follows:

Increase Donor Disclosure:  The Foundation will increase the frequency of disclosure of its donors from annually to quarterly, publishing new contributors beginning in July 2015, and then each quarter thereafter (i.e., October, January, and April). 

Clinton Global Initiative (CGI):  After the already scheduled CGI International conference in May (CGI Middle East & Africa), CGI will not hold any CGI International events, nor will it accept contributions or sponsorships from foreign governments, other than meeting attendance fees.

Contributions from Foreign Governments:  The Clinton Foundation only will accept funding from foreign governments that have funded Clinton Foundation programs, namely:  Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.  Funding from these governments will support the economic development or climate-focused work of the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Clinton Development Initiative, and the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership.

Read more facts about our work and policies.
Clinton Foundation
February 19, 2015

Statement from the Clinton Foundation

Like other global charities, the Clinton Foundation receives support from individuals, organizations and governments from all over the world. Contributions are made because the Foundation's programs improve the lives of millions of people around the globe.  The Clinton Foundation has a record of transparency that goes above what is required of U.S. charities.  This includes the voluntary disclosure of contributions on the Foundation's website. Should Secretary Clinton decide to run for office, we will continue to ensure the Foundation's policies and practices regarding support from international partners are appropriate, just as we did when she served as Secretary of State.

America Rising PAC
Feb. 23, 2015

This morning, Fox News’ John Roberts covered the “special in” foreign governments who donated to the Clinton Foundation, officially renamed the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, would have should Hillary Clinton become president.
John Roberts: “If she becomes president, will governments that contributed to the Clinton Foundation have a special in at the White House?”
That question has gone unanswered by Hillary Clinton, and so America Rising PAC is demanding that the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation:
·      Return all donations from foreign governments, including regional or local government entities since 2013 and pledge never to solicit or accept them
·      Return all donations from non-profits that receive a majority of their funds from a foreign government or executive of a foreign government and pledge never to solicit or accept them
·      Return all donations from executives of foreign governments and pledge never to solicit or accept them
·      Bill Clinton return all speaking fees from foreign governments and pledge never to solicit or accept them
The potential conflict of interest for someone in Clinton’s position requires they return the money, and the ethical lapse to accept the money in the first place calls into question Hillary Clinton’s judgment.


Nov. 20, 2014

AMERICA RISING PAC CALLS FOR CLINTON FOUNDATION TO RELEASE RECORDS ON SPENDING PRACTICES

Arlington, VA – On Monday, the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation filed its IRS Form 990 for the tax year of 2013, which revealed questionable spending practices, including a total travel budget of over $8.4 million, nearly 10 percent of the foundation‟s total expenditures, and millions more spent on efforts that could benefit an upcoming presidential campaign. In the filing, the foundation acknowledges that the multi-million dollar travel budget includes private jets chartered for Bill and Hillary Clinton.

 

In response, America Rising PAC is calling upon Hillary Clinton to provide a detailed accounting of the Foundation‟s expenditures on her and her husband‟s travel, including possible politically-related travel, travel expenses related to her 2014 book tour, or other personal travel.
 
In addition, America Rising PAC calls on Hillary Clinton to release documentation outlining how the foundation spends funds that could aid an upcoming presidential campaign, including over $8 million on a fundraising campaign in 2013 alone that was reportedly seen as a “dry run” for Clinton‟s upcoming 2016 presidential campaign, and overseen by a Clinton insider widely viewed as the campaign‟s likely Finance Director.
 
“The Clinton Foundation has raised hundreds of millions that it claims is for charitable causes, but clearly overlaps with  Hillary Clinton‟s political ambitions. The Foundation must be transparent in all spending so voters can see how it used charitable funds to subsidize expensive air travel, a lavish personal lifestyle, the courting of political donors, or other campaign related travel,” said America  Rising PAC Executive Director Tim Miller.
 
“With 10 percent of the Clinton Foundation‟s spending going toward ‘travel,’ and the Foundation‟s acknowledgement that it approves chartered private jet flights for Bill and Hillary Clinton, it’s past time for the self-described ‘most transparent person in public life’ to provide a detailed accounting of how her family foundation spends the money it raises,” he added.
 
America Rising PAC is calling upon Hillary Clinton to release the following information about the expenditures of the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation in 2013-2014, including but not limited to:
 
1. Itemized executive travel expenses for Bill and Hillary Clinton that have been paid for by the Clinton Foundation.
 
2. All other related travel expenses for Bill and Hillary Clinton, including lodging, security, food, entertainment and other expenses.
 
3. A detailed accounting of all fundraising-related expenditures, including but not limited to:
 
  • A full list of the foundation‟s fundraising staff, paid consultants or volunteers.
  • A list of donors or prospective donors who had access to Clinton Foundation jets or other travel accommodations.
  • Clinton Foundation expenses related to the development of fundraising databases or grassroots email lists. 
4. A full list of foundation staff or paid consultants who have previously worked as staff or paid consultants to the following staffs or organizations run by the Clintons or the Democratic Party:
 
  • The State Department from January 2009 to January 2013. 
  • The White House from January 2009 to present.
  • The Obama for America 2008 or 2012 campaigns.
  • The Democratic National Committee from January 1993 to present.
  • Hillary Clinton‟s Senate office from January 2001 to January 2009.
  •  The White House from January 1993 to January 2001.
 
 
 
Background
 
HILLARY CLINTON’S CLAIMS OF TRANSPARENCY

During The 2008 Presidential Campaign, Clinton Called Herself “The Most Transparent Person In Public Life”

Then-Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY): I’m “The Most Transparent Person In Public Life.”
SEN. CLINTON: “I think I'm probably the most transparent person in public life. I think
--  what, 60 books? -- 60 books have been written -- I mean, you know, I feel you know a lot more about me than you know about anybody else. Much of it untrue, but, nevertheless, it's all out there. I think that actually -- this will be an exciting day for all of you. I understand that the National Archive is finally going to release 11,000 pages of my schedules tomorrow, which, as you know, has been totally their prerogative, as their process under law, which they have followed very painstakingly.”  (Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Press Conference, Philadelphia, PA , 3/18/08)
Click To Watch


MOST RECENT IRS 990 FILING
 
On November 17, 2014, The Clinton Foundation Filed Its Annual IRS Form 990 Filing,  Which Lists The Foundation’s Mission And Charitable Causes
 
On November 17, 2014, The Bill, Hillary And Chelsea Foundation Filed Its Most Recent Form 990 With The Internal Revenue Service.  (Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, 2013 Form 990, p. 1, Filed 11/17/14)
 
The Clinton Foundation’s Stated Mission Is To Improve Global Health, Increase
Opportunities For Women And Girls, Create Economic Opportunity And Address Climate Change. SUMMARY: “IMPROVE GLOBAL HEALTH & WELLNESS, INCREASE
OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN/GIRLS, REDUCE CHILDHOOD OBESITY, CREATE ECONOMIC OPP & GROWTH AND HELP COMMUNITIES ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.” (Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, 2013 Form 990, p. 1, Filed 11/17/14)


BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON'S TRAVEL EXPENSES 
 
In Its Filing, The Clinton Foundation Acknowledges That It Pays For Bill And Hillary Clinton’s Air Travel “By Charter Or In First Class”
 
Clinton Foundation: “William J. Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton, And Chelsea Clinton
May Require The Need To Travel By Charter Or In First Class, The Determination Of  Which Will Be Made On A Case-By-Case Basis.” “THE BOARD RECOGNIZES THAT, DUE TO EXTRAORDINARY SECURITY AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, AND CHELSEA CLINTON MAY REQUIRE THE NEED TO TRAVEL BY CHARTER OR IN FIRST CLASS, THE DETERMINATION OF WHICH WILL BE MADE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS."   (Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, 2013 Form 990, p. 40, Filed 11/17/14)

Clinton Foundation: “Travel Is Paid For Directly By The Foundation And Reimbursement Is Not Necessary.” “THE HOUSING ALLOWANCE IS COVERED BY POLICY, TRAVEL INDICATED ABOVE IS NOT IN A SEPARATE POLICY, BUT IS KNOWN TO THE BOARD. IN MOST CASES SUCH TRAVEL IS PAID FOR DIRECTLY BY THE FOUNDATION AND REIMBURSEMENT IS NOT NECESSARY.”  (Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, 2013 Form 990, p. 40, Filed 11/17/14)
 
The Clinton Foundation’s “Travel” Expenses Accounted For Over $8 Million Of Overall
Spending, Nearly 10 Percent Of The Foundation’s Overall Expenses
In 2013, The Clinton Foundation Spent Over $8.44 Million On Travel.  (Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, 2013 Form 990, p. 10, filed 11/1714)
 
In 2014, Hillary Clinton Traveled The Country On A Private Jet During Her Speaking Engagements And Her Book Tour
Clinton Traveled Around By Private Jet During Her 2014 Speaking Engagements And Book Tour. “On her current book tour, the former secretary of state has traveled the country by
private jet as she has for many of her speaking engagements since stepping down as secretary of state last year.”  (Philip Rucker, “Some Democrats Fear Clinton‟s Wealth And „Imperial Image‟ Could Be Damaging In 2016,”  The Washington Post , 6/22/14)

 
CLINTON FOUNDATION FUNDRAISING OPERATION SEEN AS  A “DRY RUN” FOR 2016 CAMPAIGN

Clinton Used The Foundation’s Fundraising Apparatus To Test 2016 Presidential
Campaign Donor Outreach Strategies 
Dennis Cheng, “Who Manages Fundraising For The Clinton Foundation And Served As Hillary Clinton’s Deputy Chief Of Protocol At The State Department, Is The Frontrunner For Finance Director…” “Dennis Cheng, who manages fundraising for the Clinton Foundation and served as Hillary Clinton's deputy chief of protocol at the State Department, is the frontrunner for finance director, according to multiple Democrats. Huma Abedin, as well as longtime Clinton aide Philippe Reines and Nick Merrill, Clinton's current spokesperson, are expected to serve in influential roles in and around the campaign.” (Brianna Keilar, “Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign Quietly Begins To Take Shape,” CNN, 11/4/14)
 
Cheng’s Role At The Foundation Was Seen “As A Dry Run For 2016.”  “Dennis Cheng, Mrs. Clinton‟s deputy chief of protocol at the State Department and a finance director of her presidential campaign, will oversee the endowment drive, which some of the Clintons‟ donors already describe as a dry run for 2016.”  (Nicholas Confessore and Amy Chozick, “Unease At Clinton Foundation Over Finances And Ambitions,” The New York Times, 8/14/13)
 
The Clinton Foundation Spent Over $8 Million, Or Nearly 10 Percent Of Its Budget, On Fundraising
In 2013, The Clinton Foundation Spent Over $8.0 Million On Fundraising Expenses.
(Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, 2013 Form 990, p. 10, Filed 11/17/14)
 
In 2013, The Clinton Foundation Had Total Expenses Of $84.7 Million.
(Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, 2013 Form 990, p. 1, Filed 11/17/14)