In a strong new web ad, the Republican National Committee whacks Hillary Clinton for the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation accepting foreign donations while she held the job of secretary of state. The ad is titled “A Very Serious Matter” and is meant to coincide with the Clinton Foundation gala being held tonight in New York City.
Watch the 85 second spot here:
The ad opens with President Bill Clinton on video saying, “Obviously it would be a very serious matter for the United States if any country were to attempt to funnel funds to one of our political parties for any reason whatever.” Clinton made the remarks in February 1997.
Then, the video shows a clip of Barack Obama decrying foreign money. “To regularly [take]-in money from foreign sources … that’s a threat to our democracy.” The clip is from October 2010.
The video follows up the condemnations of accepting foreign cash with a slew of recent reports that indeed the Clinton Foundation accepted such money when Hillary Clinton was serving as secretary of state. “Clinton Foundation accepted millions of dollars from seven foreign governments when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state,” Charlie Rose can be heard saying. Others are more scathing.
“That’s not how our Democracy operates,” a clip of Obama toward the end of video the says.
Finally, the Republican ad ends with this phrase, “Clinton’s Ethics Violations Can’t Be Ignored.” It’s a phrase we’ll surely see time again.
Of course, the other big political news story this week is that Hillary Clinton may have broken the law by using a private email account while conducting official business in the State Department. Some are connecting the foreign money scandal to the email news.
In an emailed statement, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus says, “Hillary Clinton needs to release the rest of her emails and explain to the American people why she exclusively used a private email while serving as Secretary of State at the same time the Clinton Foundation accepted donations from foreign governments who were lobbying the State Department.”
The ad will be released by the RNC later this morning.
