Clinton Foundation Transparency Timeline
CLINTON TRANSPARENCY TIMELINE 2004: SEVERAL MAJOR DONORS TO THE CLINTON LIBRARY, FUNDED BY THE CLINTON FOUNDATION, WERE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ACCIDENTALLY 2004: SEVERAL MAJOR DONORS TO THE CLINTON LIBRARY, FUNDED BY THE CLINTON FOUNDATION, WERE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC ACCIDENTALLY Washington Post: “A Handful Of Major Donors' Names To The Clinton Library Were Disclosed In 2004 When A New York Sun Reporter Accessed A Public Computer Terminal At The Library That Provided A List Of Donors.” “A handful of major donors' names to the Clinton library were disclosed in 2004 when a New York Sun reporter accessed a public computer terminal at the library that provided a list of donors. Soon after the article appeared, the list of donors was removed.” [Washington Post, 12/14/07] DECEMBER 2007: MAJOR DONORS TO THE CLINTON LIBRARY, INCLUDING FOREIGN SOURCES, WERE REVEALED IN THE PRESS Washington Post: “Bill Clinton's Presidential Library Raised More Than 10 Percent Of The Cost Of Its $165 Million Facility From Foreign Sources, With The Most Generous Overseas Donation Coming From Saudi Arabia.” [Washington Post, 12/14/07] New York Times: A “$31.3 Million Donation, Which Was Previously Undisclosed, Came From The Radcliffe Foundation Run By Frank Giustra…Who Has Made Millions Financing Mining Deals Around The World.” “The $31.3 million donation, which was previously undisclosed, came from the Radcliffe Foundation run by Frank Giustra, a Canadian who has made millions financing mining deals around the world. Mr. Giustra has become a member of Mr. Clinton’s inner circle, joining him on global trips and lending him the use of his private MD-87 jet.” [New York Times, 12/20/07] APRIL 2008: HILLARY CLINTON RELEASED 8 YEARS OF TAX RETURNS, SHOWING DEDUCTIONS SHE CLAIMED RELATED TO DONATIONS TO THE CLINTON FOUNDATION HEADLINE: “Clintons Made $109 Million in Last 8 Years.” [New York Times, 4/5/08] 2001-2008: New York Times: The Clintons “Claimed Deductions For $10.2 Million In Charitable Contributions…To A Family Foundation Run By The Clintons That Has Given Away Only Half Of The Money They Put Into It.” Between 2001 and 2008, “the Clintons paid $33.8 million in federal taxes and claimed deductions for $10.2 million in charitable contributions. The contributions went to a family foundation run by the Clintons that has given away only about half of the money they put into it, and most of that was last year, after Mrs. Clinton declared her candidacy.” [New York Times, 4/5/08] April 2008: New York Times: Then-Senator Clinton Released “Eight Years Of Income Tax Information.” “Mrs. Clinton’s campaign released the eight years of income tax information late Friday, following a rising clamor on the campaign trail for her to follow the lead of her opponent, Senator Barack Obama, who had previously disclosed his tax returns for the same period. In what proved to be an awkward juxtaposition, the disclosure of the records — which revealed the Clintons to be in the top one-hundredth of 1 percent, or roughly 14,500, of all taxpayers — came on the day that Mrs. Clinton called for the creation of a cabinet-level post to tackle poverty.” [New York Times, 4/5/08] New York Times: As Of 2008, The Clintons Had “Disclosed All Their Income Tax Records Since Mr. Clinton Was Governor Of Arkansas.” “In releasing seven years of tax returns, plus a summary of income for last year, the Clinton campaign noted that the couple had disclosed all their income tax records since Mr. Clinton was governor of Arkansas.” [New York Times, 4/5/08]
DECEMBER 2008: CLINTON FOUNDATION RELEASED NAMES OF ALL OF ITS DONORS WITH RANGES OF CONTRIBUTION TOTALS Clinton Foundation: “The William J. Clinton Foundation Today Published Its List Of All Contributors Since Its Inception In 1997.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 12/18/08] Clinton Foundation: As Of December 2008, “The Median Gift Amount Over The Life Of The Foundation Is $45 [And] Nearly 90% Of Gifts (179,000 Contributors) Are Valued At $250 Or Below, With 12,000 Individuals Contributing $10 Or Less.” “The Clinton Foundation has received contributions of all sizes, from people of all means. The median gift amount over the life of the Foundation is $45. Nearly 90% of gifts (179,000 contributors) are valued at $250 or below, with 12,000 individuals contributing $10 or less. In addition, in a sign of the significance of the cause and the effectiveness of the work, a noteworthy 57,000 contributors gave more than once to the Foundation and/or the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 12/18/08] JANUARY 2009: BILL CLINTON AGREES TO A PARTIAL BAN ON FOREIGN DONATIONS TO THE CLINTON FOUNDATION WHILE HILLARY IS SECRETARY OF STATE Associated Press: “President-Elect Barack Obama Made Hillary Clinton's Nomination As Secretary Of State Contingent On Her Husband Revealing The Foundation's Contributors, To Address Questions About Potential Conflicts Of Interest.” [Associated Press, 1/18/09] January 2009: Associated Press: Clinton Foundation Disclosed Its Donors After “A Decade Of Resistance To Identifying Them” And “Did Not Identify Each Contributor's Occupation, Employer Or Nationality.” “The foundation disclosed the names of its 205,000 donors on its Web site Thursday, ending a decade of resistance to identifying them. It released only the names of donors and the range of their contributions. It did not identify each contributor's occupation, employer or nationality or provide any other details. The foundation said separately Thursday that fewer than 3,000 of its donors were foreigners but it did not identify which ones.” [Associated Press, 1/18/09] Associated Press: “Presidents Typically Do Not Release The Names Of Donors To Their Foundations, And…There Also Was No Legal Obligation For Them To Do So.” [Associated Press, 1/18/09] 2009: Wall Street Journal: Bill Clinton “Agreed To The Gift Ban At The Behest Of The Obama Administration, Which Worried About A Secretary Of State’s Husband Raising Millions While She Represented U.S. Interests Abroad.” “In 2009, the Clinton Foundation stopped raising money from foreign governments after Mrs. Clinton became secretary of state. Former President Bill Clinton, who ran the foundation while his wife was at the State Department, agreed to the gift ban at the behest of the Obama administration, which worried about a secretary of state’s husband raising millions while she represented U.S. interests abroad. The ban wasn’t absolute; some foreign government donations were permitted for ongoing programs approved by State Department ethics officials.” [Wall Street Journal, 2/17/15] JANUARY 2011: CLINTON FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED IT HAD PUBLISHED ITS LIST OF DONORS THROUGH 2010 Clinton Foundation: “The William J. Clinton Foundation Today Published Its List Of 2010 Contributors.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 1/1/11] Clinton Foundation: “In 2010, Approximately 17,500 Donors Made Contributions To Support The Work Of The Foundation.” “The Clinton Foundation has received contributions of all sizes, from people of all means. Over the life of the Foundation, the median gift amount has been $50. In 2010, approximately 17,500 donors made contributions to support the work of the Foundation and an additional 102,000 contributors helped support the Foundation’s work in Haiti. Since 1997, 266,000 individuals have
made contributions to support and continue the important work of the Clinton Foundation with nearly 90 percent of those contributors making gifts of $250 or less.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 1/1/11] January 2011: “The List Of Contributors Through 2010 Is Published Today On The Foundation’s Website.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 1/1/11] JANUARY 2013: CLINTON FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED IT HAD PUBLISHED ITS LIST OF DONORS THROUGH 2012 January 2013: “The William J. Clinton Foundation Today Updated Its List Of Contributors To Include Contributions Received In 2012.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 1/1/13] Clinton Foundation: “In 2012, Approximately 24,000 Donors Made Contributions To Support The Work Of The Foundation, Of Which More Than 20,000 Gave Less Than $250.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 1/1/13] January 2013: “The List Of Contributors Through 2012 Is Published Today On The Foundation’s Website.” [Press Release, Clinton Foundation, 1/1/13] FEBRUARY 2015: CLINTON FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED THAT SHOULD HILLARY CLINTON DECIDE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, THE FOUNDATION WOULD FOLLOW APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES FOR ACCEPTING DONATIONS FROM FOREIGN DONATIONS, JUST LIKE IT HAD HAD UNDER SECRETARY CLINTON… Wall Street Journal: “The Clinton Foundation Has Dropped Its Self-Imposed Ban On Collecting Funds From Foreign Governments And Is Winning Contributions At An Accelerating Rate.” “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.” [Wall Street Journal, 2/17/15] Clinton Foundation: “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.” “Like other global charities, the Clinton Foundation receives support from individuals, organizations and governments from all over the world. Contributions are made because the Foundation's programs improve the lives of millions of people around the globe. The Clinton Foundation has a record of transparency that goes above what is required of U.S. charities. This includes the voluntary disclosure of contributions on the Foundation's website. 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.” [Clinton Foundation, 2/19/15] …CLINTON FOUNDATION ADMITTED IT DID NOT FOLLOW THE APPROPRIATE PROCEDURES WHEN IT ACCEPTED A 2010 DONATION FROM THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT February 2015: CNN: Clinton Foundation Admitted “That A 2010 Donation From The Algerian Government Was Not Properly Approved Under The Guidelines The Obama Administration Put In Place…When Hillary Clinton Became Secretary Of State.” “The Clinton Foundation admitted Thursday that a 2010 donation from the Algerian government was not properly approved under the guidelines the Obama administration put in place with the foundation when Hillary Clinton became Secretary of State in 2009. The ‘unsolicited’ $500,000 donation was made by the Embassy of Algeria ‘immediately following the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010,’ the Clinton foundation said in an unsigned statement.” [CNN, 2/26/15] …CLINTON FOUNDATION APPEARED TO RELEASE IRS 990 FORMS FOR YEARS 1998-2002 WITHOUT ANNOUNCEMENT
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW Wall Street Journal’s Kim Strassel: “How Much Of These Employees’ Salaries, How Much Of Mrs. Clinton’s Travel, Was Funded By The Saudis? Or The United Arab Emirates, Or Oman, Or Any Of The Other Foreign Nations[?]” How much of these employees’ salaries, how much of Mrs. Clinton’s travel, was funded by the Saudis? Or the United Arab Emirates, or Oman, or any of the other foreign nations that The Wall Street Journal Tuesday reported have given millions to the foundation this past year? How many voters has Mrs. Clinton wooed, how many potential donors has she primed, how many influential people has she recruited for her campaign via the Clinton Foundation?” [Kimberley A. Strassel, Wall Street Journal, 2/19/15] July 2014: Nonprofit Quarterly: Journalists Had “Been Unable To Get Hillary Clinton To Provide Documentation Attesting To The Donation Of Her Speaking Fees To The Foundation.” “ABC reports, however, that it has been unable to get Hillary Clinton to provide documentation attesting to the donation of her speaking fees to the foundation. A review of the Clinton Foundation’s Form 990s for several of the past years reveals no disclosure of the names of major donors and therefore no information as to whether Hillary Clinton (or Bill Clinton, for that matter) has been donating speaking fees to their philanthropy. However, Hillary Clinton’s commitment to donate the speaking fees may be a decision of somewhat recent vintage, to be revealed in future 990s.” [Nonprofit Quarterly, 7/11/14] America Rising Called For Release Of “A Full List Of Foundation Staff Or Paid Consultants Who Have Previously Worked As Staff Or Paid Consultants To…Staffs Or Organizations Run By The Clintons Or The Democratic Party.” “A full list of foundation staff or paid consultants who have previously worked as staff or paid consultants to the following staffs or organizations run by the Clintons or the Democratic party: The State Department…The White House…The Obama For America 2012 Campaign…The Democratic National Committee…Hillary Clinton’s Senate Office…Political staff at the White House and executive agencies.” [America Rising, accessed 2/27/15] America Rising Called For Release Of “All Travel Expenditures Taken By Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Or Chelsea Clinton That Were Billed To The Clinton Foundation.” “All travel expenditures taken by Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, or Chelsea Clinton that were billed to the Clinton Foundation, including private air travel, lodging, ground travel, security, food and entertainment and other related expenses during 2013-14.” [America Rising, accessed 2/27/15] 990 FOUNDATION NOTE In Early 2015, The Clinton Foundation Made Its IRS 990 Forms For 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, And 2002 Available On Its “Annual & Financial Reports” Section Of Its Web Page, Which Was In Addition To The Forms From 2003 – 2013 That Were Already Available. [Clinton Foundation, accessed 2/27/15] Commented [SL1]: We added this because while Brinster was working on this project, the Clinton foundation appears to have added its irs 990 forms from 2002 – 1998, which were not previously on the “annual & financial reports” section of its website. We did not find this reported in the press.