Posted on 07/04/2014 4:45:40 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The never-ending Clinton money grab is more than $150 million deep. One of their most lucrative benefactors is Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs.
Since leaving the White House, Bill and Hillary have collected more than $3 million from the banking goliath in campaign contributions, speaking fees and donations to their private foundation. In addition, Goldman has underwritten some of Hillarys pet projects, including a partnership with the State Department on a womens project conceived by Hillary. Theres more Goldman also made commitments in the millions to the Clintons favorite programs at the Clinton Global Initiative.
Of course, that money was peanuts for Goldman, whose profit for the first quarter of 2014 was $2.1 billion.
But the cozy relationship has caused this question to loom over Hillarys likely presidential candidacy: Will the left tolerate the Clintons increasingly incestuous relationship with the biggest crony capitalist firm in the U.S.? Politics, like nature, abhors a vacuum. Will someone from the left step forward to fill it?
So far, theres no real threat. But stay tuned.
Last year, Hillary gave two speeches to Goldman clients for $200,000 each. Her conciliatory tone alarmed some of her liberal friends. Not only didnt she bash Goldman with the same robber baron populist rhetoric shed used weeks earlier, she actually suggested that the banks shouldnt be the only ones blamed for the economic crisis. Were all in this together she posited.
According to Politico, one Goldman listener was overjoyed. It was like, Heres someone who doesnt want to vilify us but wants to get business back in the game, one banker noted, according to Politico. A match made in heaven. Hillarys what they have been waiting for.
Bills piled up even more money, collecting over $1.3 million for eight speeches to Goldman. Now, thats hard work, as Hillary would say.
And last September, Goldman sponsored a panel chaired by Chelsea Clinton at the CGI. For a mere $375,000, Goldmans logo was prominently displayed and the company was listed as a host. In remarks at the session, Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein praised the U.S. for accepting a higher unemployment rate, even as it bailed out the banks. Not a word from Hillary about how wonderful a high unemployment rate is, and no mention of income equality.
Well-respected consumer advocate Jim Hightower questioned Goldmans charitable contribution: What is charitable about funneling $375,000 into one of Bill Clintons show-and-tell PR events? Come on, thats not charity its advertising. Hightower definitely has a point. What was the money for? CGI, certainly, didnt pay $375,000 to rent the room for that session. Nor did Chelsea Clinton command such a fee for her less than memorable scripted comments. No, it was simply a payment for exposure for Goldman (and good will with the Clintons) and more money for the CGI.
When the Clintons want to meet with their biggest donors for a day, they often book Goldmans corporate auditorium. Its the perfect place to make the heavy hitters feel comfortable and right at home.
Goldmans employees were big fans of Hillary as a candidate, contributing $434,850 to her 2008 presidential campaign and $143,170 in 2006 and another $65,500 in 2004 to her Senate campaigns.
In fact, CEO Blankfein brags about the fundraisers hes held for Hillary.
And, of course, Goldman has made a substantial contribution to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation. The exact amount isnt clear, but its listed between $250,000 and $500,000.
Goldman can always be counted on at the Clinton Global Initiative. It joined Google, McKinsey and Cisco in a $10 million commitment to fund a project helping girls with technology and promised additional money to a real estate project to lower energy costs.
As Hillary told Goldman, were all in this together. So keep that cash coming. Well worry about the left some other day.
The Vampire Squid of finance.
Official sponsor of the Clinton Crime Family.
Goldman Sachs is the new Gambino crime family. And they own the DOJ, the Whitehouse, and a majority of Congress. Welcome to the modern Mafia; the Untouchables of our day.
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothin’ and your chicks for free
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.