New York Times In 2007: “Some Of [Hillary Clinton’s] Rivals Argue That Donors Could Use Presidential Foundations To Circumvent Campaign Finance Laws Intended To Limit Political Influence.” “Now, the secrecy surrounding the William J. Clinton Foundation has become a campaign issue as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton seeks the Democratic presidential nomination with her husband as a prime source of strategy and star power. Some of her rivals argue that donors could use presidential foundations to circumvent campaign finance laws intended to limit political influence.” [New York Times, 12/20/07] Washington Post In 2007: Then-Senator Obama “Made An Issue Of The Large Yet Unidentified Contributors To Presidential Libraries.” “Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has made an issue of the large yet unidentified contributors to presidential libraries, saying that he wants to avoid even the appearance of impropriety in such donations. Obama has introduced legislation that would require disclosure of all contributions to presidential libraries, including Clinton's, and Congress has actively debated such a proposal. Unlike campaign donations, money given to presidential libraries is often done with limited or no disclosure.” [Washington Post, 12/15/07] …COMMENTS ECHOED BY THEN-REP. HENRY WAXMAN Rep. Waxman On Contributions To Presidential Foundations: “The Vast Scale Of These Secret Fund-Raising Operations Presents Enormous Opportunities For Abuse.” “To limit the influence of any single donor, federal election law prohibits foreign donations to presidential campaigns and limits Americans to $2,300 per election. But presidential foundations are free to accept unlimited and anonymous contributions, even from foreigners and foreign governments…‘The vast scale of these secret fund-raising operations presents enormous opportunities for abuse,’ said Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California, who introduced a bill to force disclosure of presidential foundation donors. The bill passed the House, 390-34, in March but stalled in the Senate.” [New York Times, 12/20/07] CLINTON DEFENDERS CITED HILLARY’S SEPARATION FROM THE FOUNDATION, THE CHARITABLE WORK OF HER HUSBAND, HER EFFORTS TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY IN POST-PRESIDENTIAL FUNDRAISING, AND THE FUNDRAISING OF FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH Washington Post: “[George H.W.] Bush's Large Foreign Donors Include Kuwait, Japan, Oman And The United Arab Emirates…The Family Of Bandar Bin Sultan, Former Saudi Ambassador To The United States, Contributed $1 Million Or More.” [Washington Post, 12/15/07] Clinton Foundation: “As President, [Bill Clinton] Was Beloved Around The World, So It Should Come As No Surprise That There Has Been An Outpouring Of Financial Support From Around The World To Sustain His Post-Presidential Work.” “In response to questions from The Washington Post, the foundation reiterated that it would not discuss specific sizes or sources of donations to honor the commitment it made to donors. But it acknowledged that some of the money Clinton received from the library came from foreign sources. ‘As president, he was beloved around the world, so it should come as no surprise that there has been an outpouring of financial support from around the world to sustain his post-presidential work,’ a foundation statement said.” [Washington Post, 12/14/07] Hillary Clinton Campaign Spokesman: “Senator Clinton Is Not Involved In The Fund-Raising Or Operations Of The Clinton Foundation.” [New York Times, 12/20/07] New York Times: 2001, “Mrs. Clinton Co-Sponsored Legislation To Publicly Identify Donors To Foundations Of Future Sitting Presidents.” [New York Times, 12/20/07]