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Clinton Laughs When Asked to Release Transcripts From Goldman Sachs Speeches

January 25, 2016

Hillary Clinton could not help but laugh Friday when a reporter asked her to release the transcripts from her high-priced Goldman Sachs speeches at a rope line in New Hampshire.

"Will you release the transcript of your paid speeches at Goldman Sachs?" a reporter from the Intercept asked Clinton at a campaign event, referring to the $675,000 she has earned in speaking fees from the bank.

Clinton looked directly at the reporter, and after a pause, laughed in his face. She then carried on greeting supporters.

"There’s a lot of controversy over those speeches," the reporter said. "Secretary?"

Clinton continued to speak over the reporter, drowning him out.

"Hi! So glad to see you!" Clinton said.

"Is that a no?" the reporter persisted.

Clinton ignored his question and repeated a greeting to another supporter.

"I am so happy to see you," Clinton said.

"Secretary Clinton, will you release the transcript of your Goldman Sachs speeches?" the reporter said again. Clinton ignored him.

Clinton has come under scrutiny for giving high-priced speeches, averaging $225,000 per gig, at big banks such as Goldman Sachs, all the while preaching about income inequality on the campaign trail. She and her husband have made more than $125 million in speaking fees since 2001.

At his campaign events, Clinton’s main opponent Bernie Sanders has taken subtle jabs at Clinton, criticizing her ties to Wall Street and almost referring to her high fees as bribes. "You've got to be really, really, really good to get $250,000 for a speech," he said Wednesday.

This is not the first time Clinton has used laughter to dodge a question. In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, Clinton laughed at host Chuck Todd’s suggestion that she lacked the "passion and enthusiasm" necessary to excite voters.