McAuliffe defends Clinton Foundation’s acceptance of foreign funds

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), a close ally of Hillary Clinton, is defending her from criticism that the Clinton Foundation took donations from foreign governments. 

{mosads}The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the Clinton Foundation had dropped its self-imposed ban on accepting funds from foreign countries, and that it had collected money from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman. 

“If the biggest attack on Hillary’s going to be that she raised too much money for her charity, okay, I’ll take that,” McAuliffe, who chaired Clinton’s 2008 campaign, told The Washington Post. “No one’s alleging anything beyond that she raised money and people gave her money and foreign governments gave her money. At the end of the day, that’s fine. It went to a charity. It helped a lot of people.”

Republicans have raised the prospect that the donations could give foreign governments undue influence if Clinton becomes president. 

“Unless Hillary Clinton immediately reinstates the ban on foreign countries giving to her foundation and returns the millions of dollars these governments have already donated, she’s setting an incredibly dangerous precedent,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus told the Associated Press. “The American people are not about to elect a president in Hillary Clinton who could expose them to the demands of foreign governments because they dumped massive sums of cash into her foundation.”

After the Journal report came out, the Clinton Foundation released a statement saying it could reimpose the ban, which had been in effect while Clinton was secretary of State, if Clinton runs. 

“Should Secretary Clinton decide to run for office, we will continue to ensure the Foundation’s policies and practices regarding support from international partners are appropriate, just as we did when she served as Secretary of State,” the foundation said.

McAuliffe also said that it makes sense for Clinton to wait to get into the race. 

“Listen, I’m very happy with the situation,” McAuliffe said. “She doesn’t have to get in right away. It’s saving a lot of time, effort and money. Let the Republicans all get in.”