Clinton Foundation Secrets

[Emit]

Clinton Foundation Secrets
April 25, 2008; Page A14

Transparency is a popular word in this presidential election, with all three candidates finally having released their tax returns. Yet the public still hasn't seen the records of an institution with some of the biggest potential for special-interest mischief: The William J. Clinton Foundation.

Bill Clinton established that body in 1997 while still President. It has since raised half-a-billion dollars, which has been spent on Mr. Clinton's presidential library in Arkansas and global philanthropic initiatives. The mystery remains its donors, and whether these contributors might one day seek to call in their chits with a President Hillary Clinton.

~snip~

Mr. Clinton seems to understand the value of his mere association. Consider his relationship with Canadian financier Frank Giustra, who took Mr. Clinton on a trip to Kazakhstan in 2005, won a Kazakh mining concession, and then committed to donate more than $130 million to the Clinton Foundation. In a letter we recently published, Mr. Giustra insists his gift was entirely philanthropic and that he won the Kazakh concession on the merits.

More recently, we've also learned Mr. Clinton arranged for Mr. Giustra to meet with Colombian President Álvaro Uribe. A Canadian company that Mr. Giustra's firm was advising later acquired interests in Colombian oil fields. ... How many favors has Mr. Clinton done for foreign donors? There's no way of knowing. The former President insists he's aware of no conflicts. Notably, however, donations to the Clinton Foundation soared as Mrs. Clinton neared a presidential run – to $135 million in 2006, 70% more than the year before. Somebody seems to think there is value in being generous to the Clintons.

Mrs. Clinton says the foundation is her husband's business, not hers. But as she has said in the past, a Clinton Presidency is two for the price of one. Americans deserve to know who has been donating to the Clinton Foundation.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120908058761543293.html?mod=djemEditorialPage

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. I forgot did they file separately or jointly?

[bhikkhu]

2. I believe it was jointly.

But any corporate filings are a separate matter, particularly those organized as non-profit.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. then it's her foundation

[bhikkhu]

5. Not really

They have two foundations (important to know that non-profit foundations are distinctly not personal property) - the Clinton Foundation, and the Clinton Family Foundation. The first is a very large organization with a huge donor list and a list of international projects. It is Bill's thing, though it is run by an independent board. The second is the Clinton Family Foundation, which is run directly by the family and is the recipient of the $10 million in charity they reported on their taxes.

They both do good work, and are standard financial vehicles which may or may not be tax shelters as well as charitable instruments. Nothing bad is apparent from what I have seen.

But neither of these have anything to do with the Clinton Library, so more clarification of the post may be needed.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

7. so was this listed on the tax form or not?

[crankychatter]

4. Clinton Camp released a 'summary" not the actual returns with no details from LAST YEAR

at last report

correct me if I'm wrong

[Emit]

6. kick