Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal ducked questions about whether he would continue to advise Hillary Clinton if she were elected president, according to video released by a Republican opposition research group.
The video, first posted by the Daily Caller on Monday, shows the exchange between Blumenthal and a tracker with the group America Rising during a question-and-answer session at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. Blumenthal was at the theater to promote his book about Abraham Lincoln.
"If Hillary Clinton is elected president, will you continue advising her?" asked the America Rising tracker. "And wasn’t the Obama administration right in saying you were a liability?"
"Thank you very much for that question," said Blumenthal. "I’m sure you can identify the political group you’re with."
When the tracker pressed the long-time Clinton aide for an answer, Blumenthal avoided it again and then changed the subject.
Another America Rising video from a book-signing at the event shows a tracker asking Blumenthal, "Who’s closer to Hillary, you or Huma?"
"You have to tell me who’s paying you," replied Blumenthal.
The Clinton aide has come under scrutiny due to his role as an off-the-books adviser to Hillary Clinton while she was at the State Department. Emails released by the State Department show Blumenthal sent Clinton lengthy "confidential" memos on Libya in the months leading up to the Benghazi attack, based on information from a personal intelligence network.
This is not the first time Blumenthal has dodged questions about his affiliation with Clinton during a book event.
Politico later reported that Blumenthal was paid $10,000 a month by the foundation, while he was advising Hillary Clinton on Libya policy.