Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign is just one week out of the gate, but already a supposedly bombshell book threatens to rock her candidacy.
The New York Times reported Monday that the book, set for release on May 5, will make new claims about donations to the Clinton Foundation by foreign donors. Specifically, the book reportedly claims foreign entities that donated to the foundation — and that gave former President Bill Clinton high-dollar speaking fees — in turn received favors from the Clinton State Department.
Author Peter Schweizer reportedly claims to have found a “pattern of financial transactions involving the Clintons that occurred contemporaneous with favorable U.S. policy decisions benefiting those providing the funds.”
According to the Times, which got an advance copy of the book, Schweizer’s examples include a Colombia free-trade agreement that helped a major donor and projects in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
A Clinton spokesman told the Times the book is “twisting previously known facts into absurd conspiracy theories.”
The book, “Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich,” could nevertheless mark the second major political headache for Clinton’s budding campaign. Weeks before she announced her candidacy, reports surfaced that she exclusively used a personal email account, and server, while secretary of state. Under pressure, Clinton held a press conference to explain her actions, but transparency questions continue to loom over her bid after she announced it a week ago.
Critics have long questioned, as well, the family foundation’s history of foreign donations and whether donors got any benefits in return. Republicans are eagerly anticipating the release of the book.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., himself a 2016 White House candidate, claimed earlier this month that “big news” is coming on the foundation.
“I think there are things that went on at the Clinton Foundation that are going to shock people,” he said, in response to a question from Fox News in New Hampshire. “And I think they’re going to make people question whether or not she ought to run for president.”
According to the Times, he and other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were briefed on the book’s contents.
