Bill Clinton Says Nothing ‘Sinister’ in Foreign Gifts to Charity

Former President Bill Clinton said criticism over his family foundation’s donations from foreign governments is politically motivated and there is no evidence to support suggestions that the gifts influenced Hillary Clinton’s behavior as secretary of state.

“I asked Hillary about this and she said, you know, no one has ever tried to influence me by helping you,” the former president said in an interview with NBC News broadcast Monday. “No one has even suggested they have a shred of evidence to that effect.”

There has been a “deliberate attempt to take the foundation down,” Clinton said. But he doesn’t believe there was “anything sinister in trying to get wealthy people in countries that are seriously involved in development to spend their money wisely in a way that helps poor people and lifts them up.” He added that the foundation had never done anything “knowingly inappropriate.”

Donations to the Clinton Foundation have come under new scrutiny since the former first lady announced her decision to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. Last month, the nonprofit group conceded that it had made mistakes in how it disclosed foreign donors and said it would refile some tax forms. The organization also said it would limit gifts from foreign governments to six Western nations.

Former President Clinton said the policy change “absolutely” didn’t suggest that it was inappropriate to have accepted millions in donations from nations such as Saudi Arabia. (Read more from “Bill Clinton Says Nothing ‘Sinister’ in Foreign Gifts to Charity” HERE)

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