Donald Trump lashes out at ‘outright corrupt’ Clintons after hacked emails reveal $100m charity cash claims
DONALD Trump has slammed the Clintons after a new WikiLeaks release detailed how a close Bill Clinton aide helped the former president rake in millions of dollars while Hillary was serving as Secretary of State.
Doug Band sent the 12-page memo to Bill Clinton, his daughter Chelsea, several other Clinton Foundation board members and lawyers, and “special adviser” John Podesta, whose email was hacked.
Speaking at a farm animal expo centre in Springfield, Ohio, Trump denounced the Clintons: “Just today we read about Clinton confidant Doug Band bragging that he had funnelled tens of millions of dollars to "Bill Clinton, Inc." through the Foundation donations, paid speeches and consulting contracts.
“Mr Band called the arrangement ‘unorthodox’.
“The rest of us call it outright corrupt.”
He continued: “The Clinton Foundation even hired a law firm to find out if their pay-to-play scheme would jeopardize their charitable status with the IRS.
“If the Clintons were willing to play this fast and loose with their enterprise when they weren't in the White House, just imagine what they'll do if given the chance to once again control the Oval Office!”
The US presidential hopeful was cheered by a crowd of 7,000 as he blasted Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton, describing her as the new figurehead leading what may as well be an organised crime family.
Mr Band called the arrangement ‘unorthodox’ — the rest of us call it outright corrupt
Donald Trump
Trump said: “The more emails WikiLeaks releases, the more lines between the Clinton Foundation, the secretary of state's office and the Clintons' personal finances – they all get blurred.”
He ranted: “Honestly, I think we've had enough of the Clintons, in all fairness, right?
“Don't you think? Had enough!”
“I mean, at what point – at what point do we say it?
“Hillary Clinton is the most corrupt person ever to seek the office of the presidency.”
The Doug Band memo – published on Wednesday – sheds considerable light on the financial links between the Clinton Foundation, Bill Clinton’s personal fortune, and his wife’s stint as Secretary of State.
According to the leaked email, Band and another aide helped secure $66million (£54million) from ventures including speaking fees by using his role as the president of his consulting firm, Teneo Holdings.
Band also wrote that he helped obtain “in-kind services for the President and his family – for personal, travel, hospital, vacation and the like.”
The former aide wrote: “Throughout the past almost 11 years since President Clinton left office, I have sought to leverage my activities, including my partner role at Teneo to support and raise funds for the Foundation.
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“This memorandum strives to set forth how I have endeavoured to support the Clinton Foundation and President Clinton personally.”
Under a section of the memo titled “For-Profit Activity of President Clinton (i.e. Bill Clinton, Inc),” Band wrote how he and deputy aide Justin Cooper brought Clinton all four of his advisory arrangements at the time.
These agreements yielded the Clintons over $30million (£24million) in personal income on top of another $66million (£54million) to be paid out over the following nine years as part of Teneo’s consulting arrangement.
Though Band said neither he nor Cooper were directly compensated for their efforts, it is common for power-brokers to make money “on the back end” of such deals, using them to build their client lists for other contracts.
Both men did receive salaries from the Clinton Foundation.
Band also said Teneo was responsible for negotiating speaking fees for Clinton, including $1.15million (£945,000) from Ericson and $900,000 (£739,000) from UBS.
At the same time, Band solicited clients to donate to the Clinton Foundation – this included $4.33million (£3.5million) over six years from Coca Cola, and over $1million (£822,000) from Barclays Capital.
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