Posted on 02/24/2003 7:15:51 PM PST by areafiftyone
HILLARY Clinton is spending millions of dollars building up an office that would form the centre of her bid for the presidency, it was claimed last night.
Mrs Clinton raised $3.3 million (£2.09 million) last year for her HILLPAC charity, which was set up to distribute funds to Democratic candidates.
But a study has claimed that most of the money raised has been spent funding her own political campaign.
According to Washington’s independent weekly political newspaper, the Hill, only 31 per cent of the money raised has gone where it was intended. The rest has been spent on staff, an office, travel, direct mail and political consultants.
The revelations prompted speculation that Mrs Clinton, 57, a supremely popular figure among rank and file Democrats, could finally be gearing up for an eventual assault on the US presidency.
She has long been tipped to run for the country’s top job and has the support of her husband Bill, himself a former president.
Larry Noble, of the Centre for Responsive Politics watchdog group, said: "It looks like she’s building a national network ... the assumption on the part of many people is that this is the beginning of laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign in the future."
HILLPAC, which is headed by Mrs Clinton, exists to serve Democrats in their political campaigns. Mrs Clinton denies it has any direct authority to pay for presidential candidates, insisting: "HILLPAC was founded to elect other Democrats."
Mrs Clinton, senator for New York state, has the biggest federal allowance of any Democrat in Congress. HILLPAC director Patty Solis said overhead costs are high because it is a new political charity group and needed office equipment.
She added that Mrs Clinton gave more money to other politicians from a separate New York group, HILLPAC NY, which raised $305,000 and gave away 86 per cent of it.
The row was seized upon by the US tabloids, which carried breathless reports in yesterday’s editions.
"Hill deliver$ a huge PACkage to herself," ran a headline in the New York Post, rather unceremoniously labelling Bill Clinton’s wife a "PAC rat".
The newspaper carried a tortuous breakdown of Mrs Clinton’s financial activities, devoting most of its second page to the complicated saga.
Mrs Clinton has long been tipped to throw her hat into the ring to become a future president of the United States. Last month a poll recognised her as the overwhelming choice among members of her political party to succeed George Bush as president.
The study, carried out by Quinnipiac University, showed she was the favourite among 42 per cent of Democrats - a nearly 3-1 margin over second place Senator Joe Lieberman.
"If she even let herself be talked about seriously, she’d be the one to beat among the Democrats and she could raise zillions of dollars. I can’t figure out who in the bunch of them could beat her," said pollster Maurice Carroll.
Mrs Clinton, a vociferous political opponent of Mr Bush, was recently elected onto the Senate’s armed services committee, an influential government watchdog.
Despite continued speculation about a possible attempt to become president, Mrs Clinton has refused to comment on her political aspirations.
I wish she would tackle Bush now, but being The Smartest Woman in the World, she is probably biding her time till '08.
But, whenever ---- Freeping her will be deeeeeelicious!
Interesting title that play has. I think I'd like to see it.
That and her lovely ankles...MUD
BTW...remember when the HildaBeast complained to Leno about the dude who was followin' her around in the DevilSuit, claiming to be the HildaBeast's Hubby?! That was the GoodDoctor...LOL!!
LOL...MUD
Gosh, the old battleaxe is getting into full battle regalia for the second Clinton assault on the US presidency.
Bet she blew a lot of it on tips.
Or was that Bill?
There's no way Hillary will run and lose this time...she's saving herself to take over after two Bush terms, and by then, the Democratic party will be so demoralized, so pathetic, she will ride in on that white horse like Saint Hillary, embraced by every element of the party, their savior.
My prediction holds....Kerry is going to be the democrats' candidate this time.
Hmmm... OK. A fair point.
Perhaps I should have said that it is at least more *entertaining* to let them get off the water first, sportsmanship or otherwise. When I'm shooting rats, it's far more fun to get them on the run than when they're just sitting there looking at me. :-)
Hill will be in prison before it comes to this.
Ewwww! Ewwww! I have a question for the junior Senator from New York! Mrs. Bill Clinton, why did you help pardon terrorists, take contributions from terrorists, and seem to side with the terrorists now?
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