Host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” Chuck Todd tore into Bill and Hillary Clinton on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” for giving the appearance of corruption by taking donations from foreign governments while Hillary was secretary of state, calling the move “just dumb and inept” politically. (RELATED: Liberal Columnist RIPS INTO The Clintons: ‘Disorganized And Greedy,’ ‘A Fiasco’)
TODD: Look, for the life of me — and this is just political judgment — the Obama administration when they offered her the job looked at the foundation and said, boy, there will be the appearance of influence. we better be careful here. [Former Indiana Senator] Dick Lugar, at the time ranking member on Foreign Relations, even said very publicly, ‘You know, it’s going to look like foreign governments can buy access to you by foundation.’ How many more warnings did the Clintons need to have, and yet they ended up doing these things.
I hear what David [Axelrod] is saying and he’s right, there is not proof, it’s sort of circumstantial scandal. But the question I have is, it’s politically though just dumb and inept. Somebody I read the other day — I can’t remember who — said there is something about the way President Clinton has operated in his post-presidency that has simply been sloppy. What is he doing hanging out with the questionable president of Kazakhstan and taking money to do things like that? I understand he may rationalize it and say, ‘Yeah, you know what? We’re going to use this money for good, they’re not buying influence from me, I don’t care.’ But, boy, the appearance of it is terrible.
I’m surprised someone hasn’t said, you know what, no foreign governments for any presidential libraries. Bush libraries have been built by foreign money, Clinton Library and Foundation have been built by foreign money; the appearance is just too awful.