Hillary Clinton didn’t mince words while addressing graduates at her alma mater, Wellesley College. Things don’t get easier in the real world, she explained, “the work never ends” — and apparently neither does the fundraising.
Clinton used the commencement speech to shamelessly plug her new “Resistance” group that’s fueled exclusively from dark money.
“I’m going to devote a lot of my future to helping you make your mark in the world,” she told the class of 2017. “I’ve created a new organization called Onward Together to recruit and train future leaders, organize for real and lasting change.”
The message was clear to the upper-class crowd gathered on campus. Any fresh-faced graduate looking for a place to start could look to Clinton’s organization. And if any of their well-to-do parents have any cash left after paying Wellesley’s $48,802 tuition, Clinton could use a donation.
Registered with the IRS as a 501(c)4, Clinton’s group can collect donations without disclosing the identity of their donors. As the group’s website notes though, those donations “are not deductible” but they are unlimited, one of the main advantages of so-called “dark money.”
And Clinton could use the cash. Rather than just going into that good night, the failed presidential candidate is reportedly pouring over analyses of her loss. Maybe she will run again, or maybe she just needs to pad her retirement plans. Either way, Clinton can do both with dark money.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
