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Kaine Falsely Claims Clinton Foundation Not Currently Accepting Foreign, Corporate Donations

September 6, 2016

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Tim Kaine (D., Va.) falsely claimed in an interview posted Tuesday that the Clinton Foundation was no longer accepting foreign and corporate donations "as of now."

Former President Bill Clinton announced the foundation would only stop accepting such donations if and when his wife Hillary is elected president, however. The Clinton Foundation has come under scrutiny for accusations that its donors were given access to Hillary Clinton’s State Department, as evidenced by emails showing favors and meetings being set up on behalf of high-dollar givers.

Kaine, however, told News Channel 5 in Cleveland, Ohio, that the donations had already ceased.

"President Clinton will step aside from his connection to the foundation," Kaine said. "So she’s taking one step forward right now, the foundation is, taking one step forward right now by saying there’s no corporations, no foreign-connected contributions, we’re not taking them right now. And then if we are successful and are elected, President Clinton will sever the tie with the foundation that he created."

As noted by National Review, Bill Clinton himself wrote that such donations would stop only if his wife became president:

If she is elected, we will immediately implement the following changes:  The Foundation will accept contributions only from U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and U.S.-based independent foundations, whose names we will continue to make public on a quarterly basis.  And we will change the official name from the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation to the Clinton Foundation.

The decision to stop accepting such donations if Clinton wins the White House has also drawn questions about why it was appropriate to receive them when she was secretary of state.

Full exchange:

REPORTER: On the question of the Clinton Foundation, I know they said they’re not going to accept foreign donations if she’s elected president, but if you'’e been to a wedding where they yell last call in 15 minutes, everyone rushes to the bar. Should we just get out in front of this right now and say not going to take any—?

TIM KAINE: Well, I think it’s now, foreign donations as of now, and then as a president—President Clinton will step aside from his connection to the foundation. So she’s taking one step forward right now, the foundation is, taking one step forward right now by saying there’s no corporations, no foreign-connected contributions, we’re not taking them right now. And then if we are successful and are elected, President Clinton will sever the tie with the foundation that he created.