More than half the people outside the government who met with Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state gave money - either personally or through companies or groups - to the Clinton Foundation. It's an extraordinary proportion indicating her possible ethics challenges if elected president.The AP calls this "possible?" This is evidence of "pay to play" at its most raw and unvarnished level. Then the second AP bombshell:
At least 85 of 154 people from private interests who met or had phone conversations scheduled with Clinton while she led the State Department donated to her family charity or pledged commitments to its international programs.
Combined, the 85 donors contributed as much as $156 million. At least 40 donated more than $100,000 each, and 20 gave more than $1 million.
Clinton met with representatives of at least 16 foreign governments that donated as much as $170 million to the Clinton charity, but they were not included in AP's calculations because such meetings would presumably have been part of her diplomatic duties.Of course foreign governments can bribe U.S. officials if the officials are corrupt. What's unlawful is U.S. officials accepting those bribes.
Writing at Power Line, John Hinderaker characterizes the AP findings:
Hillary Clinton turned the State Department into a protection racket.
