Conservative group wants Clintons to return foreign money

A conservative group, America Rising PAC, is launching a petition calling on the Clinton Foundation to return money donated by foreign governments.

The move comes after a report in The Wall Street Journal Tuesday that the foundation had lifted a ban on accepting money from abroad, leading critics to question the ethical implications as Hillary Clinton prepares a 2016 presidential bid.

{mosads}”The potential conflict of interest for someone in Clinton’s position requires they return the money, and the ethical lapse to accept the money in the first place calls into question Hillary Clinton’s judgment,” said America Rising PAC in a statement on their website. The group links to an online petition.

“Right as Hillary Clinton is gearing up to run in 2016, the Clinton Foundation has begun accepting foreign money, it reads.

“Remember — the Foundation spends a LOT of their money on flying the Clintons around the world and paying future and former Hillary political advisers. This is wrong. Sign to demand the Clintons return that foreign money!”

The group wants the Clinton Foundation to return all donations from foreign governments and pledge not to solicit or accept future contributions. The group is also calling for the return of all donations from foreign leaders and for former President Clinton to return “all speaking fees from foreign governments and pledge never to solicit or accept them.”

The Journal report found that the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman were among the countries that have donated to the Clinton Foundation since 2013.

The Foundation had a self-imposed ban on foreign contributions when Clinton was serving as President Obama’s first secretary of State. Hillary Clinton rejoined the foundation in 2013.

The report found that 4 countries donated that year, with the number doubling in 2014.

A spokesman for the Clinton Foundation told the Journal that all donors had gone through a thorough vetting process.