| Breitbart’s Peter Schweizer: “Bill Clinton Bagged $16 Million From Company That Received Millions From Hillary’s State Dept.” [Breitbart, 8/5/15] |
Peter Schweizer is a GOP political operative who previously worked as a fellow at the conservative Hoover Institution. “Schweizer is a Senior Editor-at-Large for the conservative outlet Breitbart News and was a fellow at the conservative Hoover Institution think tank. He also worked with President George W. Bush’s speechwriting team in the last year of Bush’s presidency.” [CNN, 4/22/15]
BuzzFeed noted that Peter Schweizer was “a conservative researcher.” “Clinton Cash, the hotly anticipated book by a conservative researcher out next week, investigates donations to the foundation and alleges a pattern of access or favor in exchange.” [BuzzFeed, 4/28/15]
Peter Schweizer is a former adviser to Sarah Palin. “The Times, it seems, has decided to debase itself by following the breadcrumbs dropped by this former adviser to Sarah Palin because Schweizer devotes a chapter to Giustra and Kazakhstan, which the Times reported on back in 2008, and the Times plans to follow up on that. I remember reading that Times story at the time and going, ‘Wow, that does look bad.’ But then I also remember reading this Forbes (yes, Forbes!) debunking of the Times story, which was headlined ‘Clinton Commits No Foul in Kazakhstan Uranium Deal.’’ [Michael Tomasky, The Daily Beast, 4/22/15]
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Breitbart relied on analysis from Clinton Cash to allege a pay-to-play scheme involving USAID grants to IYF in exchange for a multimillion dollar role at Laureate Education for Bill Clinton. “From 2010 until just days before the 2015 release ofClinton Cash, Bill Clinton served as Laureate’s ‘honorary chancellor.’ When the Clinton campaign team obtained a copy of the book and its Clinton-Laureate connection revelation, Bill Clinton abruptly resigned. Laureate’s chairman and longtime Clinton crony, Douglas Becker, is also the chairman of a nonprofit sister organization called the International Youth Foundation (IYF). Indeed, IYF’s offices are less than a mile from Laureate’s in Baltimore. Shortly after Laureate made Bill Clinton its honorary chancellor in April 2010, Hillary Clinton made Laureate part of her State Department Global Partnership. IYF received USAID funds before Hillary’s tenure at the State Dept. But the grants the group received exploded after Bill Clinton was put on the Laureate payroll.” [Breitbart, 8/5/15]
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Newsweek called Clinton Cash a “hatchet job” focused on damaging Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign. “There’s no two ways about it: Clinton Cash reads like a hatchet job. The forthcoming book purports to show the Clinton family’s willingness—eagerness, even—to accept lavish donations and speaking fees from foreign donors at times when—conveniently, the author wants you to know—the State Department was considering whether or not to award big contracts to groups and people affiliated with those donors…Sure looks that way. Clinton Cash reads like a legal brief against a second Clinton presidency. To beg the question (Schweizer’s preferred method of argument, or argumentative fallacy, as Aristotle named it), isn’t the timing a bit too perfect? Why else would Schweizer publish Clinton Cash, which surely took years of research and writing to prepare, within a month of Hillary Clinton announcing her intention to seek the oval office, unless his goal was to ‘derail her prospects of being elected president in 2016?’” [Newsweek, 5/1/15]
Peter Schweizer himself admitted that he had no “‘direct evidence’ of any impropriety.”“The author of a book alleging that some donors to the Clinton Foundation received favors while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state said Sunday that he did not have ‘direct evidence’ of any impropriety, but argued the ‘pattern of behavior’ required an investigation into Clinton’s record.” [CNN, 4/26/15]
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Breitbart argued that Bill Clinton “abruptly resigned” as honorary chancellor at Laureate days before the release ofClinton Cash. “Newly released financial disclosures reveal Bill Clinton received $16.46 million in payments from a George Soros-backed for-profit education company, as Hillary Clinton’s State Department funneled tens of millions of dollars to a group run by the company’s chairman. With $4 billion in annual revenue, Laureate Education is America’s largest for-profit college company. From 2010 until just days before the 2015 release ofClinton Cash, Bill Clinton served as Laureate’s ‘honorary chancellor.’ When the Clinton campaign team obtained a copy of the book and its Clinton-Laureate connection revelation, Bill Clinton abruptly resigned.” [Breitbart, 8/5/15]
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Bill Clinton agreed to a five-year term as honorary chancellor for Laureate that ended in April 2015. “Since 2010, Clinton has been honorary chancellor of Laureate International Universities, part of Laureate Education Inc. the world’s largest chain of for-profit colleges. His departure has nothing to do with the campaign, the company and the former president’s office said, telling Bloomberg that he had agreed to a five-year term in the position. ‘Laureate students represent the next generation of leadership. I have seen a commitment to quality and leadership throughout the Laureate network, and I have enjoyed being a part of it,’ Clinton said in a statement announcing his departure.” [Bloomberg, 4/24/15] |
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Breitbart claimed the International Youth Foundation was a “sister organization” of Laureate Education chaired by Laureate CEO Douglas Becker. “Laureate’s chairman and longtime Clinton crony, Douglas Becker, is also the chairman of a nonprofit sister organization called the International Youth Foundation (IYF). Indeed, IYF’s offices are less than a mile from Laureate’s in Baltimore.” [Breitbart, 8/5/15]
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The International Youth Foundation was founded in 1990 by Rick Little with a grant from the Kellogg Foundation. “In 1990, it was Kellogg Foundation support that helped create the International Youth Foundation, a youth development organization that, at the time, was without precedent. In all, the Kellogg Foundation has granted to IYF nearly $70 million* – the largest single commitment in Kellogg history. The initial challenge was to build on Mr. Kellogg’s desire ‘to take good ideas, help them grow … invest in people and institutions … all in support of children and families.’ This story began in 1989, when Rick Little was invited to Battle Creek, Michigan, on a sabbatical. He came to work with our staff and think anew – and to think big – about helping children and youth around the world. Like then, the Foundation is interested in new ways to expand programs to benefit young people and the institutions that serve them.” [Investing in the World’s Youth: A Global Initiative, pg. v, 1/5/01]
Douglas Becker did not join IYF’s board until 2003 and became Chairman in 2007. “Douglas Becker, one of Baltimore’s top business leaders and a global entrepreneur in the field of education, has been named Chairman of the Board of the International Youth Foundation. Mr. Becker, who joined the IYF Board in 2003 and recently served as its Vice Chair, is Chairman and CEO of Laureate Education Inc., a leading provider of higher education services worldwide. ‘IYF is fortunate to elect a man who has dedicated his business life to broadening the education and life building experiences for young people in the United States and around the world,’ said William S. Reese, President and CEO of the International Youth Foundation. ‘Doug brings that same intensity, entrepreneurial flare, and commitment to expanding opportunities among today’s youth to his civic and philanthropic activities.’” [Global Education Entrepreneur to Chair International Youth Foundation Board, via prnewswire, 4/13/07]
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Breitbart: U.S. government Grants to IYF “exploded after Bill Clinton” was named honorary chancellor to Laureate Education. “Shortly after Laureate made Bill Clinton its honorary chancellor in April 2010, Hillary Clinton made Laureate part of her State Department Global Partnership. IYF received USAID funds before Hillary’s tenure at the State Dept. But the grants the group received exploded after Bill Clinton was put on the Laureate payroll.” [Breitbart, 8/5/15]
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The International Youth Foundation received grants from the Bush administration. “The Clinton campaign disputed Schweizer’s characterization. ‘This is yet another false allegation in a book that is fast being debunked,’ said Brian Fallon, a campaign spokesman. ‘The International Youth Foundation was funded by the Bush administration, well before Hillary Clinton became Secretary of State. In fact, the group’s USAID funding actually went down in the year that she arrived at the State Department, not up.’” [Bloomberg, 4/25/15]
In 2006, the International Youth Foundation won a USAID Global Development Alliance “Excellence Award.” “I wanted to take this opportunity to present this year’s USAID Global Development Alliance ‘Excellence Award.’ Public-private partnerships are a vital part of leveraging resources to advance human potential. Indeed I would argue that one of the ways in which we are going to make more money available for foreign assistance going forward is to find ways to leverage other money that is out there. The ‘Excellence Award’ is given on an annual basis, to showcase exemplary alliances that bring various resources together with innovative approaches to solve particular development challenges. This year’s award goes to the International Youth Foundation for their Entra 21 Alliance.” [The Global Development Alliance Excellence Award: A Recognition of Innovation in Partnership, 2/21/07]
The International Youth Foundation received more in grant funding in FY 2008 than during, FY 2009, 2010, and 2011. In fact, their funding went down the year Hillary Clinton joined the State Department.
· According to USAspending.gov, the International Youth Foundation received $19 million in grants from USAID during FY 2008. [USAspending.gov, accessed 8/5/15]
· According to USAspending.gov, the International Youth Foundation received $9 million in grants from USAID during FY 2009. [USAspending.gov, accessed 8/5/15]
· According to USAspending.gov, the International Youth Foundation received $15 million in grants from USAID during FY 2010. [USAspending.gov, accessed 8/5/15]
· According to USAspending.gov, the International Youth Foundation received $14 million in grants from USAID during FY 2011. [USAspending.gov, accessed 8/5/15]
· According to USAspending.gov, the International Youth Foundation received $25 million in grants from USAID during FY 2012. [USAspending.gov, accessed 8/5/15]
· According to USAspending.gov, the International Youth Foundation received $10 million in grants from USAID during FY 2013. [USAspending.gov, accessed 8/5/15]
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