The Clinton Foundation’s decision to reverse a policy that forbade foreign governments from donating to the Clinton Foundation has at least one defender: Virginia Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
McAuliffe has been one of the only people to defend the Clinton Foundation's acceptance of foreign government donations, parting ways with many on the left who have questioned the decision. A number of newspaper editorial boards have called for all of the inappropriate money to be returned.
"No one’s alleging anything beyond that she raised money and people gave her money and foreign governments gave her money. At the end of the day, that’s fine," McAuliffe told the Washington Post over the weekend.
Years ago, during his time concocting fundraising schemes for the Clinton White House, McAuliffe defended the practice of providing donors access. McAuliffe told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that those who donate to the Clintons should not be prevented from getting face time with them.
"The thought and notion, Wolf, that people would come in to see the president who are supporters is not new. If you give money, and you raise money, and you do it legally, you should not be prohibited from seeing the president," McAuliffe said.
McAuliffe's statement avoids the obvious conflict of interest in accepting money from foreign governments. The Virginia governor is a long time Clinton money-man who is responsible for the Lincoln bedroom scheme during the Clinton administration.