Rand Paul Rips Clinton Foundation: Revelations Will ‘Shock People’
Rand Paul announced he is running for president in 2016, and he’s already in attack mode. At his first campaign rally in New Hampshire, Paul explained that some very troubling news from the Clinton Foundation will “shock people.”
Rand Paul declined to get into the specifics, explaining “it wouldn’t be a secret anymore” if he did.
According to ABC News, Paul said the foundation disclosures will hurt Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail.
“I think there are things that went on at the Clinton Foundation that are going to shock people, and I think they’re going to make people question whether or not she should be president or not.”
Unfortunately, Rand Paul left the details open.
According to Wall Street Journal, Republicans and even some Democrats have recently criticized the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation for taking donations from individuals with close ties to foreign governments, including Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal and a man the Journal called a former “Ukrainian Oligarch.”
In an interview with Fox News‘ Sean Hannity, Rand Paul claimed fighting for women’s rights while taking money from the Saudi Royal family is hypocritical.
“She wants to be a champion for women’s rights, and yet she takes money from countries that are some of the worst abusers.”
During Hillary’s tenure as Barack Obama’s Secretary of State, the foundation agreed not to take any donations directly from a foreign government, but it still took money from foreign corporations and individuals, including a conglomerate run by a member of China’s National People’s Congress.
According to the Hill, Paul alleged the companies that contributed to the Clinton Foundation received special treatment from Hillary through her position as Secretary.
“She was in charge of approving business deals as secretary of state … for anything that relates to our security. There’s going to be something coming out in the next few weeks of companies she approved deals for … [that gave] significant amounts, over $100 million, being given to her foundation.”
Bill Clinton defended foreign donations last month, saying the money is doing “a lot more good than harm.”
He added, “I’m going to tell you who gave us money and you can make up your mind after that.”
Once Clinton provides more details, Republicans will likely have a new set of accusations to make.
In the meantime, Rand Paul has struggled to woo the mainstream media. On the Today Show, the Senator from Kentucky got into a little kerfuffle with host Savannah Guthrie over his past foreign policy positions, according to NBC News.
The host started off listing a number of recent statements that conflicted with his previous positions, including issues like cutting off foreign aid to Israel and the threat of a nuclear Iran. Paul cut off Savannah with a lecture about journalism
“Yeah, why don’t we let me explain instead of talking over me, OK? Before we go through a litany of things you say I’ve changed on, why don’t you ask me a question: Have I changed my opinion?”
Turns out he has changed his opinion, at least about Iran. Confessing that in 2007, he claimed Iran was not threat, but that it is today. Still, Rand Paul maintains that he supports cutting off all foreign aid, even to Israel, and that Benjamin Netanyahu agrees (see below).
[Image Credit: Getty Images]
