Elections

Hillary Gets Off Scot Free On Emails, Clinton Foundation Scandals

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Rachel Stoltzfoos Staff Reporter
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Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton got a pass on both the email and Clinton Foundation scandals that have plagued her campaign in the first presidential debate Monday night.

Moderator Lester Holt did not raise the issue of Clinton’s use of a private email server while Secretary of State during the debate, and the Clinton Foundation did not come up at all. Both issues have dominated much of the campaign conversation, as the email issue continues to produce embarrassing headlines for Clinton and the spotlight on the Foundation raises pay-to-play allegations.

By contrast, Holt directed several pointed questions at Trump over scandals that have hit his campaign, such as his stance on the theory that President Obama was born in Kansas, and his decision not to release his tax returns.

Trump, however, did bring up the issue of Hillary’s emails while speaking to his tax return.

“Almost every lawyer says you don’t release your return until the audit is complete,” Trump said. “When the audit is complete I will do it. But I would go against them if she releases her emails.”

“So it’s negotiable?” Holt asked.

“It’s not negotiable,” Trump replied. “No, let her release her emails. Why did she delete 33,000 emails?”

Clinton was then given a chance to address the issue, since Trump had brought it up. “You know, I made a mistake using a private email,” Clinton said. “And if I had to do it over again I would obviously do it differently. But I’m not going to make any excuses. It was a mistake and I take responsibility for that.”

Trump rebutted Clinton, and that was the end of the email scandal for the duration of the debate. “That was more than a mistake,” he said. “That was done purposely. That was not a mistake. That was done purposely. When you have your staff taking the Fifth Amendment, taking the fifth so they are not prosecuted,  when you have the man that set up the illegal server taking the fifth, I think it is disgraceful.”

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