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Bill Clinton Aide Asked U.S. Ambassador for Help With For-Profit University

Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton / AP
September 13, 2016

A top aide to Bill Clinton requested that the U.S. ambassador to Malaysia attend an event for a for-profit university that was paying Clinton millions of dollars as well as a meeting with Clinton, the university’s CEO, and the Malaysian prime minister.

Hillary Clinton’s deputy chief of staff at the State Department, Huma Abdein, was coped on emails requesting the ambassador’s attendance at both the event and meeting, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

Doug Band, the Bill Clinton aide, worked on setting up the meetings with Ambassador Paul Jones after Abedin introduced them, according to the Daily Mail.

Abedin told Band that the ambassador had "offered assistance" for Bill Clinton’s upcoming trip to Malaysia, where Laureate University had an affiliate college called INTI International University that just months before had been granted "university status" by the Malaysian government.

"I’m connecting you with our ambassador Paul Jones by email. He has offered assistance, if you need it, from him or the embassy," wrote Abedin in the email to both Band and Jones.

[...]

Alluding to her prior discussions with the ambassador, Abedin added: "Paul, Doug is who I mentioned to you. He’s the president’s counselor and runs the whole show."

Band responded the next day, asking Jones to attend a speech Bill Clinton was making at the Laureate University affiliate in late November. Abedin was included on the email.

"Mr. Ambassador thank you for the offer to help," wrote Band. "We have a quick stop in kl [Kuala Lumpur] for a speech to laureate school, hope you can join us there."

"The office will sort the details, please send Terry [Krinvic, Bill Clinton’s scheduling director] the correct person to coordinate with."

Jones agreed, saying he was "pleased to attend the speech and appreciate[d] the opportunity."

Bill Clinton was an "honorary chancellor" and consultant for Laureate University, where he earned $18 million between 2010 and 2015.