Hillary Clinton was questioned by an environmental activist on Wednesday and defended $150,000 in contributions she received from the oil and gas industry by saying it’s "not very much" when you consider the $120 million she has raised this cycle, according to a newly surfaced video.
The Daily Caller reports:
Clinton, who once came under fire for claiming that she was "dead broke" after leaving the White House in 2001, first claimed ignorance about the donations when an activist with the environmental group 350 Action asked her whether she would be willing to "take a stand against any more campaign contributions" from Big Oil. Clinton’s Democratic challenger, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has pledged not to accept money from the industry.
"Yeah, I don’t even know what you’re referring to, but big oil knows I’m not their friends, so they must have put it in the wrong envelope," Clinton responded.
After the event the same activist approached Clinton, asking her: "How will you change campaign finance reform if you don’t know where the finances are coming for your own campaign?"
"Oh, you know what, when you’ve raised $120 million, $150,000 is not very much," Clinton said. "Let’s be honest, let’s be honest."
"It’s contradictory to what your values are," the activist responded.
"It is not. Look, I know you’re for Bernie, I appreciate that, but I’ve got to tell you, I have fought for campaign finance reform," Clinton said.
As the Daily Caller points out, the $150,000 figure cited by the activist is an outdated number from September. Clinton has now accepted $226,804 in contributions from the oil and gas industry.
Major oil and gas companies have also given generously to Clinton charities throughout the years.
Chevron and Exxon Mobil, who benefited from the Global Shale Gas Initiative launched by Clinton in 2010 as she was serving as secretary of state, have poured millions to Clinton charities.
Exxon Mobil has donated more than $16 million to Vital Voices since 2007, a nonprofit founded by Clinton in 1997, and between $1 and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation. Chevron has given between $500,000 and $1 million to the Clinton Foundation.
Clinton, in addition, has also attended fundraisers alongside pro-Keystone XL lobbyists.