The Patriot Post® · Clinton Pay-to-Play Smoking Gun

Judicial Watch has released more Hillary Clinton emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act that indicate Clinton did not abide by her promise to not take action on behalf of the Clinton Foundation while she was secretary of state. These emails bring greater clarity to what has long been known — that Hillary did indeed use her influence as secretary of state to establish essentially a “pay-to-play” scheme between her “charitable” foundation and individuals seeking to gain greater access and influence with U.S. policymakers.

One example: Bill Clinton’s staffer asked Hillary Clinton’s staffer to set up a meeting between a U.S. ambassador and a Foundation donor, who by the way was a felon. Former Clinton adviser Dick Morris calls that a “closed loop” and a “smoking gun” that rebuts any assertion Clinton did not engage in pay-to-play behavior.

Recall that in 2009 Clinton pledged to remove herself from any Clinton Foundation business while she served in an official capacity. Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, had this to say: “The State Department and the Clinton Foundation worked hand in hand in terms of policy and donor effort. There was no daylight between the two under Mrs. Clinton, and this was contrary to her promise.”

There is no doubt — and no surprise — that Hillary moonlighted for the Clinton Foundation, breaking her promise. But what about what we don’t know from the 30,000 emails that she and her staff selected for deletion? What other crimes or corruption did she cover up? Those emails are gone; the FBI does not have them. So in that sense, it’s astounding that there is a smoking gun at all.

And the Obama Justice Department blocked an investigation into the Foundation, because Obama would rather not answer those questions.

Will this new information lead to any formal action taken against Clinton? Don’t count on it. All this does is continue to confirm what many have known for a long time: Hillary has a hard time telling the truth.

Finally, Charles Krauthammer offers the bigger picture: “I have always speculated here — and I said it was pure speculation — that the real stuff, the reason she had to hide all this [with a private email server] … was because there is something having to do with the Foundation. And that’s where you would put all the so-called private stuff. It wasn’t yoga lessons or wedding invitations. If there was anything about improper connections, and we see them here — this is just a hint of it, just a few emails.”

(Updated.)