Clinton Foundation Releases Donor List

Former President Bill Clinton's charity, the Clinton Foundation, has raised $500 million in donations since its founding in 1997. Foreign governments and state-sponsored agencies have accounted for $75 million to $165 million depending on how one defines such entities. Under normal circumstances, this would not matter in the least. However, President-Elect Obama wants Senator Hillary Clinton for his Secretary of State. The prospect of foreign governments buying influence with contributions to the Clinton Foundation, therefore, is a real concern. The Clinton Foundation has done the right thing in releasing its donor list in full and sets a good precedent for similar situations in the future.

Many of the donations couldn't possibly be considered anything but above board. The Washington Post reports, “Among the top donors were foundations created by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda Gates, and Scottish retail-clothing executive Tom Hunter. Also on the list of the biggest contributors, giving between $10 million and $25 million each, are real estate and Hollywood mogul Stephen L. Bing, New York billionaire B. Thomas Golisano, Gateway computer co-founder Theodore W. Waitt and Chicago media executive Fred Eychaner. Black Entertainment Television founder Robert L. Johnson gave more than $1 million.”

More dubious are donations from Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, Freddie Mac and General Motors. The Foundation didn't give the dates of the donations, but it is difficult to believe that the funds came in since the summer -- before all the trouble each suffers began. By making these donations public information, the Foundation has scotched any possible influence-peddling rumors.

As for foreign governments and state-sponsored entities, the Post noted, “Norway and the national charitable lottery of the Netherlands gave more than $5 million, for example, and the Swedish lottery also donated. The Jamaican and Italian governments each contributed more than $50,000.” These appear to be signs of respect more than anything else. One can't imagine US foreign policy shifting for $50,000, and it is doubtful that more than 10 people outside of government even know if the US has a Jamaican or Italian policy,

Penultimately, come the politically loaded donations. Again from the Post, “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia made one of the largest contributions, between $10 million and $25 million, as did the Australian government's overseas aid program and a Dominican Republic agency that fights AIDS. The William J. Clinton Foundation also raised more than $1 million each from the governments of Brunei, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.” One can imagine the headlines at Fox News, “Arabs try buying Hillary with money for Bill's charity.” Again, the rumors are scotched.

Lastly come the ethically dubious donations. The Post noted,

Affiliates of the Korean conglomerate Hanwha -- Hanwha L&C, Hanwha Engineering and Construction, and Hanwha Stores -- donated about $1 million after Clinton traveled to Seoul in 2003 and appeared with Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn. Kim has been charged and jailed in Korea on public corruption allegations.

Another donation followed Clinton's trip to Kazakhstan in 2005 on the private jet of Frank Giustra, a financier of mining ventures. On the trip, Clinton praised Kazakhstan's authoritarian president, and Giustra later entered into agreements to invest in uranium projects controlled by Kazakhstan's government. Giustra donated $10 million to $25 million, and the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative gave between $1 million and $5 million.