Report: Clinton Foundation Accepted Foreign Donations While Hillary Was Secretary of State

The Clinton Foundation accepted millions in foreign donations while Hillary Clinton was serving as secretary of state, in potential violation of the 2008 agreement with the Obama administration to avoid any conflicts of interests, the Washington Post reported.

According to the Post, the foundation accepted money from seven foreign governments as Clinton was overseeing U.S. foreign policy at the State Department.

AFP/Jim Watson

The Post reported that the contributions were possible because of exceptions written into the 2008 agreement that permitted repeat donations at similar levels from governments that had previously given money.

But a spokesman acknowledged that the foundation should have sought approval before accepting $500,000 from the government of Algeria in 2010. The money, marked for Haiti earthquake relief, came at a time when Algeria was lobbying the State Department on human rights issues, according to the Post.

Other nations to donate were Australia, Kuwait, Norway, Oman, Qatar and the Dominican Republic.

“As with other global charities, we rely on the support of individuals, organizations, corporations and governments who have the shared goal of addressing critical global challenges in a meaningful way,” Clinton Foundation spokesman Craig Minassian said. “When anyone contributes to the Clinton Foundation, it goes towards foundation programs that help save lives.”