Clinton Blocked from Becoming Secretary of State

Senator Clinton was accepted by a Senate committee at her confirmation hearing on January 13, 2009, with only Senator Cornyn objecting. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

While almost everyone appointed to President Barack Obama’s Cabinet received their confirmations Tuesday, New York Senator Hillary Clinton was blocked from the position of Secretary of State. A roll-call vote will be held Wednesday to decide Clinton’s nomination.

Texas Senator John Cornyn objected to including Clinton’s name in the unanimous vote for Obama’s Cabinet nominees due to concerns over potential special interest in donations to her husband’s William J. Clinton Foundation.

Cornyn’s block was on account of the Clinton Foundation’s receiving of donations from foreign entities and concerns over transparency. According to an email statement from Cornyn, he’s concerned the donations will cause a conflict of interest.

Cornyn said that he is “pleased to have the opportunity to have a full and open debate and an up-or-down vote” on the issue.

“Important questions remain unanswered concerning the Clinton Foundation and its acceptance of donations from foreign entities. Transparency transcends partisan politics and the American people deserve to know more,” said Cornyn.

On Jan. 15, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee had a 16-1 approval vote for Clinton to become the secretary of state. The opposition was given by Senator David Vitter also due to concerns of a conflict of interest.

Clinton rejected requests that her husband’s foundation show greater transparency and not receive foreign contributions. The requests were made by Senator Richard Lugar, the top-ranking Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Clinton said that the foundation already complies with legal requirements.

Cornyn’s Ongoing Objections

On Jan. 16, Cornyn sent a letter to Clinton expressing his concerns over the potential special interest and requesting that the Clinton Foundation increase its requirements in disclosing foreign donors.

“I remain deeply troubled that America’s foreign policy and your diplomatic mission will be encumbered by the sweeping global activities of the Clinton Foundation … unless tighter foreign fundraising restrictions and transparency protocols are adopted by your husband’s organization,” Cornyn wrote in the letter.

“Put simply, the Foundation’s refusal of foreign-source donations while you serve as secretary of state is in this nation’s interest. But I am willing to consider other options to reduce the likelihood of real or perceived conflicts of interest that will result from foreign donations,” he continued.

Cornyn’s said in his letter that he stands by Lugar’s in the belief that the Clinton Foundation should “refuse all pledges and contributions from foreign sources” if she becomes secretary of state.

“As Senator Lugar noted at your confirmation hearing on Tuesday (Jan. 13), the Foundation ‘exists as a temptation for any foreign entity or government that believes it could curry favor through a donation’ and thus arise ‘potential perception problems with any action taken by the Secretary of State in relation to foreign givers or their countries,’” he wrote.

Obama’s choice for secretary of treasury, Timothy Geithner will also be appearing for a confirmation hearing Wednesday. He allegedly failed to pay back taxes.

Clinton Foundation A Source of Questions

Transparency issues on donations followed Clinton before. During her presidential campaign, she was plagued with questions on where donations for her husband’s presidential library came from.

Lists of donors were not released until the Obama team signed a memorandum of understanding with the Clinton Foundation on Dec. 12 that required Bill Clinton to disclose his past donors by the end of 2008 and all future donors each year.

The memorandum also requires that if Clinton is appointed as the secretary of state, the Clinton Global Initiative, which is an offshoot of the foundation, will be separate from the foundation and no longer hold events outside the U.S.

The foundation receives millions of dollars in donations from foreign governments. Among the donors are the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which gave somewhere between $10 and $25 million, and the ruling family of Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Foundation which are based in the United Arab Emirates.