Sen. Cornyn Urges Clinton Foundation To Adopt Stronger Foreign Fundraising Restrictions

Senator's letter to Secretary of State nominee seeks additional transparency measures from husband’s organization

WASHINGTON, DC Jan. 16, 2009 -— U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today sent a letter to Secretary of State nominee Hillary Clinton urging that the Clinton Foundation pledge to adopt increased disclosure requirements relating to foreign donors while serving as Secretary of State. Echoing similar concerns by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Cornyn is hopeful Mrs. Clinton, the Clinton Foundation and the President-elect’s team will work with him to find common ground to prevent any real or perceived conflict of interest.

“I remain deeply troubled that America’s foreign policy and your diplomatic mission will be encumbered by the sweeping global activities of the Clinton Foundation … unless tighter foreign fundraising restrictions and transparency protocols are adopted by your husband’s organization,” Sen. Cornyn, a longtime champion of open government and transparency reforms, wrote in the letter. “Put simply, the Foundation’s refusal of foreign-source donations while you serve as Secretary of State is in this nation’s interest. But I am willing to consider other options to reduce the likelihood of real or perceived conflicts of interest that will result from foreign donations.”


--The full text of the letter is below--

January 16, 2009


The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
476 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510


Dear Senator Clinton:

Congratulations on your nomination to be America’s next Secretary of State. I have followed your confirmation proceedings closely and believe that you will be an able representative of this nation’s interests as our diplomat-in-chief. At your recent hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, you demonstrated a command of the complex challenges we face abroad and a commitment to placing our national interest first.

But, like many others, I remain deeply troubled that America’s foreign policy and your diplomatic mission will be encumbered by the sweeping global activities of the Clinton Foundation (the “Foundation”)—unless tighter foreign fundraising restrictions and transparency protocols are adopted by your husband’s organization. As you know, my concern about potential conflicts of interest is shared by Senator Richard Lugar, the top-ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee. But these are not partisan concerns. Senator John Kerry, who chairs that committee, noted that “it's fair to say that Senator Lugar is not speaking from a partisan perspective. He's speaking for the committee.” And it is a matter of public record that the President-elect’s team shares these concerns and that the Foundation has recently accepted additional transparency measures beyond those previously negotiated with transition officials.

Like Senator Lugar, I believe that during your tenure as Secretary of State, the Foundation should refuse all pledges and contributions from foreign sources. As Senator Lugar noted at your confirmation hearing on Tuesday, the Foundation “exists as a temptation for any foreign entity or government that believes it could curry favor through a donation” and thus arise “potential perception problems with any action taken by the Secretary of State in relation to foreign givers or their countries.”

Put simply, the Foundation’s refusal of foreign-source donations while you serve as Secretary of State is in this nation’s interest. But I am willing to consider other options to reduce the likelihood of real or perceived conflicts of interest that will result from foreign donations. Senator Lugar has proposed several commonsense disclosure requirements. I concur with many of his proposals and would indeed go further in several instances.

As a longtime champion of open government and transparency reforms, I feel compelled to urge you, the Foundation, and the President-elect to agree to stronger measures.

I look forward to working with you to resolve these concerns.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator