Trouble At Clinton, Inc.

Hillary Clinton’s week of bad headlines: about her emails and foreign money going to the Clinton Foundation. We’ll dig in.

It’s been a rough week for Hillary Rodham Clinton.  First, news that the Clinton Foundation – which has raised billions since its inception – was taking money from foreign governments while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State.  Then, news that that she used a private e-mail account for official business all through her time as Madame Secretary.  That got transparency advocates – and political opponents – even further up in arms.  This hour On Point:  Hillary Clinton’s run of rough headlines, and the issues they raise.  Plus, we’ll look at GOP presidential contenders on the billionaire money trail.
-- Tom Ashbrook

Rebecca Ballhaus, national political and campaign finance reporter for The Wall Street Journal. (@rebeccaballhaus)

Rosalind Helderman, political enterprise and investigations reporter at the Washington Post. (@postroz)

Adrienne Elrod, vice president of communications for the Democratic SuperPAC American Bridge PAC. (@adrienneelrod)

Washington Post: Foreign governments gave millions to foundation while Clinton was at State Dept. — "The Clinton Foundation accepted millions of dollars from seven foreign governments during Hillary Rodham Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state, including one donation that violated its ethics agreement with the Obama administration, foundation officials disclosed Wednesday. Most of the contributions were possible because of exceptions written into the foundation’s 2008 agreement, which included limits on foreign-government donations."

The Wall Street Journal: Foreign Government Gifts to Clinton Foundation on the Rise -- "The Clinton Foundation has dropped its self-imposed ban on collecting funds from foreign governments and is winning contributions at an accelerating rate, raising ethical questions as Hillary Clinton ramps up her expected bid for the presidency. Recent donors include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Australia, Germany and a Canadian government agency promoting the Keystone XL pipeline."

POLITICO: In email, Clinton office enlists allies to defend foundation -- "Hillary Clinton’s personal spokesman says the Clinton Foundation is being more transparent than any charity is required to be, in response to a series of storieshighlighting the organization’s internal disagreements and its acceptance of foreign donations. In an email shared with Clinton allies, the spokesman, Nick Merrill, touts the foundation’s recent achievements and outlines talking points to use with reporters and friends ahead of the former secretary of state’s events next week."

Nicholas Confessore, political reporter for the New York Times. (@nickconfessore)

 New York Times: G.O.P. Race Starts in Lavish Haunts of Rich Donors — "Long before the season of baby-kissing and caucus-going begins in early primary states, a no less decisive series of contests is playing out among the potential 2016 contenders along a trail that traces the cold-weather destinations of the wealthy and private-jet-equipped. In one resort town after another — Rancho Mirage, Calif.; Sea Island, Ga.; Las Vegas — the candidates are making their cases to exclusive gatherings of donors whose wealth, fully unleashed by the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, has granted them the kind of influence and convening power once held by urban political bosses and party chairmen."