In a rambling and incoherent appearance today at an event with the Retired American Warriors (RAW) PAC, Trump once again revealed just how little he knows about our military and national security. When asked about how he would defeat ISIS, Trump—who has no real plan to defeat the Islamic State—deflected by criticizing President Obama. He repeatedly disparaged the military and once again doubled down on his bigoted call for racial profiling. Trump even commented on the “newness” of Russia’s nuclear capability. We’re not even going to touch that one.
Here are Trump’s most egregious lies from today’s event:
LIE #1: TRUMP FALSELY CLAIMS THAT “OUR ARMED FORCES” ARE “DEPLETED”
THE LIE: TRUMP: “Speaking of failure, when we do our question and answer period, you look at what’s happened with our Navy in terms of the number of ships and our armed forces generally, how they are so depleted, how they are at almost record-setting lows and in some cases absolute record-setting lows, it is very very unfortunate and very very dangerous for our country.” [Herndon, VA, 10/3/16]
THE TRUTH: PolitiFact said that Donald Trump’s claim that our military has been “totally depleted” was untrue. “‘Our military’ has been ‘totally depleted.’ While military spending has decreased, the United States’ defense budget is larger than the next seven to eight countries combined. And while the number of ground troops and Navy ships have shrunk, size is no guarantee of military might. In fact, experts say the Army and Navy of today are much more capable than they were decades ago.” [PolitiFact, 6/22/16]
LIE #2: TRUMP FALSELY CLAIMS THAT OUR MILITARY IS “GOING AWAY”
THE LIE: TRUMP: “The Navy, Air Force, Marines. Everything is going away. At a time when certainly we are at a top priority for making sure that doesn’t happen. We are not respected to the extent that we were. We keep going like this, we won’t be respected at all. ” [Herndon, VA, 10/3/16]
THE TRUTH: PolitiFact: “Experts say the Army and Navy of today are much more capable than they were decades ago.” “‘Our military’ has been ‘totally depleted.’ While military spending has decreased, the United States’ defense budget is larger than the next seven to eight countries combined. And while the number of ground troops and Navy ships have shrunk, size is no guarantee of military might. In fact, experts say the Army and Navy of today are much more capable than they were decades ago.” [PolitiFact, 6/22/16]
LIE #3: TRUMP NONSENSICALLY SAYS THE U.S. SHOULD HAVE “KEPT THE OIL”
THE LIE: TRUMP: “And when it comes to the military, you know, I always say keep the oil. I said don’t go in. But I said keep the oil. Had we kept the oil, you wouldn’t have ISIS because they fueled their growth with the oil. ” [Herndon, VA, 10/3/16]
THE TRUTH: Washington Post Fact Checker said that Donald Trump’s claim that the U.S. “should have kept the oil in Iraq” was “nonsensical.” “‘I have long said that we should have kept the oil in Iraq.’ This is nonsensical. The Bush administration invested a lot of diplomatic effort in assuring Middle Eastern allies that the United States was not invading because of Iraq’s oil fields. Moreover, oil revenue was crucial to ensuring a functioning Iraqi state — which is why insurgents often targeted the oil sector in Iraq. In any event, seizing the oil of a sovereign nation after invading it would be considered a ‘grave breach’ of the Geneva Convention, one of the cornerstones of international law, as well as other international agreements. Maybe Trump’s staff should arrange a tutorial on international law.” [Washington Post, 8/16/16]
Donald Trump’s assertion that the U.S. should have taken Iraqi oil was a plan that would be in violation of the Geneva Conventions. “Seizing Middle Eastern oil is a decade-old Trump idea, but it contradicts both his own positions as well as international law. Trump is right that oil is a major source of funding for the terrorist group, but he’s not the only one aware of this. The United States has been targeting ISIS’ oil assets since the beginning of the air campaign in 2014. Trump did not detail how the United States would have been able to take and control the oil fields of a sovereign country, but it would have required invading Iraq (which Trump falsely says he was against from the beginning), maintaining a U.S. presence there and convincing the Iraqi government to give up their claims on their own resources. And there’s also the Geneva Conventions, which Trump has already proposed to violate by calling for the deaths of families of terrorists. International law prohibits destroying or seizing enemy property.” [PolitiFact, 8/15/16]
]]>Donald Trump’s campaign is in meltdown. During a completely unhinged rally tonight, Trump showed up 102 minutes late and delivered a rambling stream of schoolyard insults and outright lies. And that wasn’t the worst of it. As Trump called on voters to ‘follow the money,” The New York Times released a devastating report about how he could have avoided paying any federal income taxes for years. How ironic. It looks like Trump’s decades of bullying, lying and cheating might have finally caught up to him.
TRUMP’S TOP LIES IN MANHEIM:
LIE #1: TRUMP LIES ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON’S POSITION ON TPP
THE LIE: TRUMP: “Clinton, if she ever got the chance, would 100% approve the Trans Pacific Partnership.” (Manheim, PA, 10/1/16)
THE TRUTH: Hillary Clinton opposes Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Hillary Clinton said Wednesday she opposes the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, marking a significant break with the Obama Administration as she heads into the first Democratic presidential debate.
LIE #2: TRUMP LIES AGAIN ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON’S POSITION ON TPP
THE LIE: TRUMP: “She is on the opposite side of Bernie on the trade issue. She is totally in the opposite side.” (Manheim, PA, 10/1/16)
THE TRUTH: Hillary Clinton opposes Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Hillary Clinton said Wednesday she opposes the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, marking a significant break with the Obama Administration as she heads into the first Democratic presidential debate.
LIE #3: TRUMP FALSELY CLAIMS THAT HILLARY CLINTON UNLEASHED ISIS
THE LIE: TRUMP: “Her policies created ISIS, now remember the way she got out of Iraq left a tremendous vacuum out of which ISIS was formed.”” (Manheim, PA, 10/1/16)
THE TRUTH: Washington Post Fact Checker said Donald Trump’s claim that ISIS rose from Hillary Clinton’s and Barack Obama’s policies was “false and facile.”
‘The rise of ISIS is the direct result of policy decisions made by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton.’ This is false and facile. The terrorist group is the direct result of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, as we explored in our interview with Washington Post reporter Joby Warrick, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his book on the rise of the Islamic State. (Trump, of course, supported the invasion of Iraq in 2003.) At best, one could argue that actions that Obama failed to take (over Clinton’s opposition) helped contribute to the growth of ISIS.
Washington Post: ISIS gained power because of “a complex dynamic that both pre-dates and post-dates [Hillary Clinton’s] tenure as secretary of state.”
This is a carefully phrased statement — note the use of the word ‘helped’ — that tries to pin the blame on Clinton for a complex dynamic that both pre-dates and post-dates her tenure as secretary of state. To a large extent, the Islamic State of today is simply an outgrowth of al-Qaeda of Iraq. It was established in April 2004 by longtime Sunni extremist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, according to the National Counterterrorism Center. Zarqawi was killed by a U.S. airstrike in 2006, and afterward his successor announced the formation of the Islamic State — more than two years before George W. Bush left office. The Islamic State certainly gained strength and territory from the civil war in Syria, but Clinton as secretary of state had pressed to funnel arms to the rebels; she was rebuffed by the president.
LIE #4: TRUMP LIES ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON WANTING TO PUT MINERS OUT OF BUSINESS
THE LIE: TRUMP: “And we will take care of our miners where Hillary Clinton said she wants to put our mines and our miners out of business.” (Manheim, PA, 10/1/16)
THE TRUTH: Washington Post Fact Checker: Hillary Clinton’s line about coal communities “has been spun out of context…and used as a soundbite. It was part of her longer answer about helping coal mine workers.”
Pence’s attack on Hillary Clinton’s claim about coal jobs is another example of taking a statement out of context. During a March 2016 town hall in Ohio, Clinton was asked by a voter: ’Make the case to poor whites who live in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, who vote Republican, why they should vote for you based upon economic policies versus voting for a Republican?’ Clinton gave a lengthy response, which included the line, ‘We’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.’ But that line has been spun out of context since then and used as a soundbite. It was part of her longer answer about helping coal mine workers adjust after they lose their factory jobs.
Washington Post: Hillary Clinton “proposed ideas to help improve coal workers’ health and retirement security, and to help with economic development in coal communities.”
Her lengthy answer in March 2016 was consistent with themes in her November 2015 policy proposal for revitalizing coal communities. The proposal says that transitioning away from coal-powered plants has already affected mining communities like in Appalachia. Clinton supports the Obama administration’s clean energy plan, and proposed ideas to help improve coal workers’ health and retirement security, and to help with economic development in coal communities.
FactCheck.org: Hillary Clinton made a “promise to create new jobs for communities hurt by the shift away from coal.”
Her critics focused on a part of her response in which she said, ‘we’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.’ But she said more than that. Sullivan and Capito ignore her promise to create new jobs for communities hurt by the shift away from coal.
FactCheck.org: Hillary Clinton “promised to bring renewable energy jobs to coal country to replace lost coal jobs.”
Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia took Clinton’s words on coal-mining jobs out of context. Sullivan claimed that Clinton ‘promised’ to ‘target’ coal miners and oil drillers for ‘extinction.’ Capito said Clinton ‘promised to devastate communities and families across coal country.’ Clinton has said she wants to ‘move away from coal,’ but added, ‘we don’t want to forget those people.’ She promised to bring renewable energy jobs to coal country to replace lost coal jobs.
Fox News posted a story this afternoon incredibly arguing Trump didn’t lie about his original Iraq War positing, citing a 2003 video of a 2003 Trump interview with Neil Cavuto.
Two problems with this argument. One, Trump was asked in 2002 whether he supported the Iraq War and replied, “Yeah, I guess so.” Two, the so-called evidence in the Cavuto 2003 interview doesn’t exist. This interview has been cited by fact checkers for months.
Fact checkers have frequently weighed in on Neil Cavuto’s January 2003 interview
Washington Post Fact Checker: “Trump did not weigh in on whether the United States should attack or not” during Cavuto interview.
Yet Trump continues to use this line, even though numerous news outlets have debunked it. This time, Trump cherry-picked his own quote to back up his claim: ‘Three months before the invasion, I said in an interview with Neil Cavuto … that perhaps we shouldn’t be doing it yet. And that the economy is a much bigger problem.’ He was referring to a January 2003 interview on Fox Business, about two months before the invasion. During it, Trump gave a lukewarm reaction to the Iraq invasion and urged then-President George W. Bush to make a decision. Below is the context for that claim. As readers can see, Trump did not weigh in on whether the United States should attack or not (‘either you attack or you don’t attack’).
FactCheck.org: “He offers no opinion on what Bush should do.”
Jan. 28, 2003: Trump appears on Fox Business’ “Your World with Neil Cavuto,” on the night of President Bush’s State of the Union address. Trump says he expects to hear “a lot of talk about Iraq and the problems,” and the economy. He urges Bush to make a decision on Iraq. “Either you attack or you don’t attack,” he says. But he offers no opinion on what Bush should do.
PolitiFact: “He didn’t speak against going to war.”
Trump dialed that back a bit in another interview in January 2003, a few months before the invasion. Fox News’ Neil Cavuto asked Trump whether President George W. Bush should be more focused on Iraq or the economy. ‘Well, he has either got to do something or not do something, perhaps, because perhaps shouldn’t be doing it yet and perhaps we should be waiting for the United Nations, you know,’ Trump said. ‘He’s under a lot of pressure. I think he’s doing a very good job. But, of course, if you look at the polls, a lot of people are getting a little tired. I think the Iraqi situation is a problem. And I think the economy is a much bigger problem as far as the president is concerned.’ So Trump put the economy ahead of confronting Iraq, but he didn’t speak against going to war. At most he suggested waiting for the United Nations to do something.
U.S. News: “He did not say he opposed a possible invasion.”
His next comment came in January 2003, during a Fox News Channel interview with Neil Cavuto. Trump suggested the economy and threats from North Korea posed greater problems for then-President George W. Bush than Iraq, but he did not say he opposed a possible invasion. Trump also suggested that the American people were looking for an answer one way or another from Bush. ‘Either you attack or you don’t attack,’ Trump said.
FROM: David Brock, Founder, Correct The Record
TO: Members of the Press
DATE: September 26, 2016
CORRECT THE RECORD’S GUIDE TO SPOTTING DONALD TRUMP’S DEBATE LIES
TRUMP IS A SERIAL LIAR. DON’T LET HIM GET AWAY WITH IT.
Donald Trump Is A Serial Liar
Tonight, Donald Trump will take his campaign of lies to its biggest stage yet: the presidential debate.
Reporters can’t let him get away with it.
Over the past fifteen months, Trump has waged a one-man war on the truth. For Trump, lying is not just about simply spouting inaccuracies. It is literally who he is. His businesses, his biography, his policy proposals, his campaign rhetoric—they are all based on lies. Trump’s entire public persona for the past five decades is a carefully woven fiction.
This pattern of deception goes far beyond simply saying inaccurate statements. It is an all-out assault on the fact-based politics that have been the cornerstone of modern American politics. Trump’s lies are literally off the charts. PolitiFact has rated 70 percent of Trump’s statements that they fact checked lies. The previous Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, received a 42 percent false rating—a 28 percent difference. Last week alone, Trump told at least 83 lies.
This level of mendacity is unprecedented in American politics and poses a unique challenge to political journalists covering the first presidential debate. Already, the Republican nominee is spreading lies in an attempt to influence and neutralize any fact checking by the debate moderators. Trump has falsely attacked moderator Lester Holt as a Democrat (Holt has been a registered Republican since 2003) and insisted Holt should not “succumb to pressure” to fact-check during the debate.
Even without this pressure from the Trump campaign, the volume, breadth and ubiquity of Trump’s falsehoods demands a historic commitment to fact checking from media outlets. Trump’s unprecedented lying must be met with an unparalleled effort from reporters to debunk Trump’s many falsehoods. The current standard—where fact checkers and reporters will simply check the most obvious and egregious lies—leaves many of Trump’s more bizarre lies unexamined. As New York Times columnist Paul Krugman has written Trump’s “lies are constant, coming in steady torrent, and are never acknowledged, simply repeated […] keep[ing] the news media flummoxed, unable to believe, or at least say openly, that the candidate of a major party lies that much.”
It’s time to acknowledge that Trump does lie “that much”—and hold him accountable for it.
How to Identify Trump’s Lies
There are five broad categories that help demonstrate how Trump lies and what he commonly lies about. First, Trump constantly lies about his own biography. Second, he deflects criticism by criticizing his opponents of doing the same thing, only worse. Third, Trump has a penchant for inventing imaginary characters and conversations that validate his beliefs. Fourth, Trump uses easily identifiable rhetorical “tells” whenever he lies. Finally, Trump insists on making outlandish and bizarre claims without evidence or supporting information—he cannot answer, “How?”
Myths
Trump is a master mythmaker. For decades, Trump has built a specific image of himself as a 21st Century Daddy Warbucks who conquered Manhattan real estate yet remains a champion of middle class Americans. The truth? Trump depended on millions from his father to launch his business and is likely worth billions of dollars less than he claims—a subject he’s especially sensitive about. Trump has even lied about the height of Trump Tower. We usually trust politicians to tell the broad outlines of their own personal narrative—but in this case, reporters should be on the lookout for Trump’s fictitious mythmaking.
I Know You Are, But What Am I?
With little facts or specific proposals to rely on, projection is one of Trump’s go-to rhetorical strategies. Trump has a tendency to respond to every serious criticism with ‘I know you are, but what am I?’ After Hillary Clinton delivered her speech on the alt-right, Trump accused her of being a “bigot.” During the rollout of his widely-panned maternity leave plan, Trump said that Hillary Clinton had no child care plan—an outright falsehood. Projection is a clear sign that Trump is both lying and desperately looking for a way to muddy the waters.
Imaginary Friends
Decades ago, Trump invented his own spokesman “John Barron” and then impersonated him for years. Old habits die hard. Throughout his presidential bid, Trump has created a whole coterie of characters who supposedly provide him with information, shower him with compliments and give him updates about subjects as diverse as the California drought and ISIS.
One of the most troubling examples of Trump’s wayward imagination occurred earlier this year when Trump invented an ISIS advisor. On January 21, Trump claimed that a “very good soldier” told him that ISIS’ equipment was superior to the United States. On February 1, he told the same story, but this time the story featured his friend’s son who had served two tours. Other times, he notes that doesn’t know if the soldier is injured—while in some stories, he’s still in the Middle East.
Tells
Trump also has a few very simple “tells” when he lies. Trump often makes claims that are so outrageous and disingenuous that he’ll literally ask his audience to suspend their disbelief or bear with him. “Believe me,” “that I can tell you” and “everybody is saying” are all tell-tale signs that what’s coming next—or what immediately preceded—is a complete falsehood.
How?
In Trump’s world, he is not only the smartest—he has a superhuman ability to single-handedly make Mexico build the wall, defeat ISIS, deport 11 million people, implement racial profiling and fix the economy. Trump has taken credit for popularizing the word “rigged,” identifying the California drought as a hoax and making polling a major factor in presidential campaigns. Trump doesn’t offer any real explanations of his past achievements or future plans, he just asks us to “believe” him. Tonight, it’s critical to remember that despite his bluster, Trump doesn’t have superhuman powers—and simply repeating the same falsehoods will never make any of his claims true. By simply asking “how?” Trump’s biggest boasts fall apart.
Conclusion
As The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold has shown in his dogged reporting on the Trump Foundation, Trump’s most basic claims often fall apart under scrutiny. Tonight, reporters must look at the stories Trump tells about himself very skeptically. Since launching his presidential campaign (and before) Trump has literally lied about his own biography, made up campaign validators and said that as president, he can do the impossible. Trump tells a dizzying number of lies and displays a disturbing pattern of deceit and deception. Instead of letting Trump get away with it, tonight journalists must counter Trump’s falsehoods with the most powerful tool they have: the truth.
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]]>Politico dug deep, finding that when in public this week, Trump lied nearly every three minutes and 15 seconds. At Correct The Record, our own analysis (see TrumpLies.com) shows that he has told hundreds and hundreds of lies since June. This is unprecedented in modern American politics. Trump will take the debate stage tomorrow night with the dubious honor bestowed upon him by The Los Angeles Times, which noted in their piece, “Never in modern presidential politics has a major candidate made false statements as routinely as Trump has.”
Los Angeles Times: Scope of Trump’s falsehoods unprecedented for a modern presidential candidate
Never in modern presidential politics has a major candidate made false statements as routinely as Trump has. Over and over, independent researchers have examined what the Republican nominee says and concluded it was not the truth — but ‘pants on fire’ (PolitiFact) or ‘four Pinocchios’ (Washington Post Fact Checker).
Politico: Donald Trump’s Week of Misrepresentations, Exaggerations and Half-Truths
We subjected every statement made by both the Republican and Democratic candidates – in speeches, in interviews and on Twitter – to our magazine’s rigorous fact-checking process. The conclusion is inescapable: Trump’s mishandling of facts and propensity for exaggeration so greatly exceed Clinton’s as to make the comparison almost ludicrous.
New York Times: A Week of Whoppers From Donald Trump
Virtually all of Mr. Trump’s falsehoods directly bolstered a powerful and self-aggrandizing narrative depicting him as a heroic savior for a nation menaced from every direction. Mike Murphy, a Republican strategist, described the practice as creating ‘an unreality bubble that he surrounds himself with.’
New York Times: Opinion How to Cover a Charlatan Like Trump
WITH presidential debates approaching, we in journalism are locked in a fierce dispute: How should we report on a duplicitous demagogue?
Washington Post: Trump’s week reveals bleak view, dubious statements in ‘alternative universe’
An examination by The Washington Post of one week of Trump’s speeches, tweets and interviews show a candidate who not only continues to rely heavily on thinly sourced or entirely unsubstantiated claims but also uses them to paint a strikingly bleak portrait of an impoverished America, overrun by illegal immigrants, criminals and terrorists — all designed to set up his theme that he is specially suited to ‘make America great again.’
“The Donald is getting desperate. Tonight, he once again attacked the Clinton Foundation—which has helped millions across the world and went above and beyond in disclosing its finances and donors. It’s another last ditch effort to distract from Trump’s offensive rhetoric and questionable record. Since launching his presidential campaign, Trump has waged a one-man war on transparency. Trump refuses to release his own tax returns or disclose any information about his financial connections to Russia and China. His hypothetical philanthropic giving is littered with broken promises, shady commitments and even self-enrichment. When will Trump finally come clean to the American people about whatever he is trying to hide in his tax returns?”
Daily Beast: Donald Trump’s “campaign work and his foundation work have overlapped—putting himself at risk for penalties and his charity at risk of being shut down.”
On numerous occasions this year, Trump’s campaign work and his foundation work have overlapped—putting himself at risk for penalties and his charity at risk of being shut down…In key early primary states this year, Trump handed out Foundation checks to charities at campaign rallies. This also calls into question ‘whether the foundation provided the campaign with an illegal in-kind contribution by providing services for what was a campaign event. Under the campaign finance laws… providing anything of value to a campaign for free or at less than fair market value is a contribution to the campaign,’ said Larry Noble, the general counsel at the Campaign Legal Center.
On Jan. 30, with Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. by his side at a campaign rally in Davenport, Iowa, Trump presented a $100,000 Trump Foundation check to Puppy Jake, a charity which supports veterans by providing service dogs. Puppy Jake’s executive director, Becky Beach, told The Daily Beast that the Trump campaign had been in touch with her about the Trump Foundation’s contribution…The next day, the day before the Iowa caucuses, the founder of Support Siouxland Soldiers, another vets charity, appeared on stage with Trump at a Sioux City campaign rally to accept a $100,000 Trump Foundation check. Support Siouxland Soldiers executive director Sarah Petersen told The Daily Beast that she had been in touch with a Trump staffer named Hope, and provided the phone number they used in order to discuss the donation. The phone number matches up with the campaign’s listed number for Hope Hicks, the Trump campaign’s spokeswoman.
Sunlight Foundation’s Richard Skinner on the Trump Foundation and Trump campaign conflicts: “‘This should be investigated…There is definitely [use of] a charitable foundation in an inappropriate way.’”
Both the contribution to Bondi and the overlap between the Trump campaign and his charity should be publicly examined, government watchdogs said. ‘This should be investigated. There are troubling legal issues posed in both circumstances,’ said Richard Skinner, a money-in-politics policy analyst at the Sunlight Foundation. ‘There is definitely [use of] a charitable foundation in an inappropriate way.’
And in 2013, the Trump Foundation donated $25,000 to a political organization supporting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi—an action the foundation is prohibited from taking, and which it failed to report on its disclosures. The Trump campaign blamed this failure on clerical mistakes, but legal experts are sounding the alarm because at the time Bondi was reviewing complaints surrounding the businessman’s controversial Trump University project.
NBC News Headline: “Trump Foundation Has Given Little To Vets Groups”
Washington Post: Trump had a habit of promising to give to charity, but rarely following through.
In recent weeks, The Post tried to answer the question by digging up records going back to the late 1980s and canvassing a wide swath of nonprofits with some connection to Trump. That research showed that Trump has a long-standing habit of promising to give to charity. But Trump’s follow-through on those promises was middling — even at the beginning, in his early days as a national celebrity.
By the early 2000s, Trump had recovered from his financial troubles, returning to the public eye as a different kind of mogul. More than ever, Trump himself was the product: He was selling his name on products from TV shows to steaks to high-rise condominiums around the country. Again, Trump needed an explanation for why he needed the money. ‘You’re getting paid over a million for your show,’ radio host Howard Stern said to Trump in 2004, when Trump was first hosting ‘The Apprentice.’ ‘Oh, a lot more than that,’ Trump said. ‘You’re getting paid over two-and-a-half-million dollars!’ Stern said. ‘Yeah, I don’t do it for that,’ Trump said. ‘I’m giving the money to charity.’ He named AIDS research and the Police Athletic League. That year, Trump’s foundation appears to have given $1,000 to AIDS research and $106,000 to the Police Athletic League.
Promoting Trump Vodka in 2006, Trump told Larry King, ‘I’m giving the money to charity.’ But the only apparent donation related to Trump Vodka is a ‘few hundred dollars’ given to a group supporting Walter Reed Hospital in connection with a specific promotion, as reported by CNN last month.
Since the first day of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump has said that he gave more than $102 million to charity in the past five years. To back up that claim, Trump’s campaign compiled a list of his contributions — 4,844 of them, filling 93 pages. But, in that massive list, one thing was missing. Not a single one of those donations was actually a personal gift of Trump’s own money. Instead, according to a Washington Post analysis, many of the gifts that Trump cited to prove his generosity were free rounds of golf, given away by his courses for charity auctions and raffles.
BuzzFeed Headline: “Trump Bought $120,000 Luxury Trip With Trump Foundation Money At 2008 Charity Auction”
State Department spokeswoman: “The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation.”
MS TRUDEAU: The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation. QUESTION: Any action at all over the course of Secretary Clinton’s tenure? MS TRUDEAU: Correct.
The State Department said Monday it has no evidence that any actions taken by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton when she was secretary of state were influenced by donations to the Clinton Foundation or former President Bill Clinton’s speaking fees. Spokesman Jeff Rathke said the department received requests to review potential conflicts primarily for proposed speech hosts or consulting deals for Bill Clinton and found no conflicts.
Groups included on the CharityWatch Top-Rated list generally spend 75% or more of their budgets on programs [The Clinton Foundation is at 88%], spend $25 or less to raise $100 in public support [the Foundation spends $2 for every $100 raised], do not hold excessive assets in reserve, have met CharityWatch’s governance benchmarks, and receive “open-book” status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to CharityWatch.
The Healthy Schools Program supports more than 18 million students by improving physical education, health education, child nutrition, and staff wellness policies and programs in more than 31,000 schools. The Healthy Schools Program receives the majority of its funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support schools in states with the highest rates of obesity.
From 2002 to 2010, as an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, 4 million patients were able to access CHAI-negotiated ARV drugs and as of today, CHAI’s work, as a separate 501(c)(3), has over 11.5 million patients accessing treatment.
To date, members of the CGI community have made nearly 3,200 commitments which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.
NBC News: “The Clinton Foundation agreed to voluntarily disclose names and donation ranges of its contributors.”
In late 2008, after Obama nominated Clinton to be secretary of state, the Clinton Foundation agreed to voluntarily disclose names and donation ranges of its contributors.
FBI officials wanted to investigate whether there was a criminal conflict of interest with the State Department and the Clinton Foundation during Clinton’s tenure. The Department of Justice had looked into allegations surrounding the foundation a year earlier after the release of the controversial book ‘Clinton Cash,’ but found them to be unsubstantiated and there was insufficient evidence to open a case.
Justice Department officials said the request “seemed more political than substantive.”
As a result, DOJ officials pushed back against opening a case during the meeting earlier this year. Some also expressed concern the request seemed more political than substantive, especially given the timing of it coinciding with the investigation into the private email server and Clinton’s presidential campaign.
In short, the Clinton Foundation has made the world a better place.
That hasn’t stopped the Trump campaign from falsely attacking the Foundation. Yesterday, the Trump campaign released ten facts everyone should know about the Clinton Foundation. Unsurprisingly, the implications contained in Trump’s “facts” are outright lies. The truth is there is no evidence whatsoever that the Clinton Foundation’s interests or donors affected any decision made by Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. The Clinton Foundation is completely transparent about its finances and has gone above and beyond in making its donor lists public. In stark contrast, Donald Trump’s own tax returns and charitable efforts remain completely hidden from the American people. And Trump himself has a long history of selfishly reneging on his philanthropic commitments—even using his own foundation money to buy a $120,000 luxury trip in 2008.
TRUMP’S “FACTS” |
REALITY |
| Trump Campaign claimed Clinton Foundation donors overlapped with campaign contributors and foreign donors with interests in U.S. policy, raising “red flags.” “Trump Campaign Press Release: There Are Major Overlaps Between Clinton’s Campaign Donors And Her Foundation Donors, Raising Ethical Red Flag…The Foundation ‘Has Given Contributors Entree, Outside The Traditional Political Arena, To A Possible President.’ ‘The financial success of the foundation, which funds charitable work around the world, underscores the highly unusual nature of another Clinton candidacy. The organization has given contributors entree, outside the traditional political arena, to a possible president. Foreign donors and countries that are likely to have interests before a potential Clinton administration — and yet are ineligible to give to U.S. political campaigns — have affirmed their support for the family’s work through the charitable giving.’ (Rosalind S. Helderman, Tom Hamburger and Steven Rich, ‘Clintons’ Foundation Has Raised Nearly $2 Billion — And Some Key Questions,’ The Washington Post, 2/18/15)” [Trump Campaign press release, 8/21/16] |
There is No Evidence Whatsoever That Donations to the Clinton Foundation Affected Any Decisions Made by Hillary Clinton at the State DepartmentState Department spokeswoman: “The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation.” “MS TRUDEAU: The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation. QUESTION: Any action at all over the course of Secretary Clinton’s tenure? MS TRUDEAU: Correct.” [State Department Daily Press Briefing, 8/11/16] The State Dept. said it had no evidence that donations to The Clinton Foundation or Bill Clinton’s speaking fees affected Hillary Clinton’s actions at the State Department. “The State Department said Monday it has no evidence that any actions taken by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton when she was secretary of state were influenced by donations to the Clinton Foundation or former President Bill Clinton’s speaking fees. Spokesman Jeff Rathke said the department received requests to review potential conflicts primarily for proposed speech hosts or consulting deals for Bill Clinton and found no conflicts.” [Associated Press, 5/4/15] Clinton Foundation Uses Its Funds to Improve Lives and Create a Better World for MillionsThe Clinton Foundation holds an A rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy and made their “Top Rated” list.“Groups included on the CharityWatch Top-Rated list generally spend 75% or more of their budgets on programs [The Clinton Foundation is at 88%], spend $25 or less to raise $100 in public support [the Foundation spends $2 for every $100 raised], do not hold excessive assets in reserve, have met CharityWatch’s governance benchmarks, and receive “open-book” status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to CharityWatch.” [charitywatch.org, April 2016] The Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program supports more than 18 million students by improving physical education, health education, child nutrition, and staff wellness policies and programs. “The Healthy Schools Program supports more than 18 million students by improving physical education, health education, child nutrition, and staff wellness policies and programs in more than 31,000 schools. The Healthy Schools Program receives the majority of its funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support schools in states with the highest rates of obesity.” [Clinton Foundation, accessed8/22/16] The Clinton Health Access Initiative has allowed over 11.5 million patients to get treatment for HIV/AIDS. “From 2002 to 2010, as an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, 4 million patients were able to access CHAI-negotiated ARV drugs and as of today, CHAI’s work, as a separate 501(c)(3), has over 11.5 million patients accessing treatment.” [Clinton Foundation, accessed 8/22/16] The Clinton Global Initiative has secured nearly 3,200 commitments that have improved the lives of over 430 million people. “To date, members of the CGI community have made nearly 3,200 commitments which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.” [Clinton Global Initiative, accessed 8/22/16] Contributors to the Clinton Foundation are Only Public because of the Foundation’s Voluntary Disclosure of its Donor List and Unprecedented TransparencyNBC News: “The Clinton Foundation agreed to voluntarily disclose names and donation ranges of its contributors.” “In late 2008, after Obama nominated Clinton to be secretary of state, the Clinton Foundation agreed to voluntarily disclose names and donation ranges of its contributors.” [NBC News, 4/25/13] Foundation Continued Unrequired Practice after Hillary Clinton left the State DepartmentMcClatchy: “The foundation is not required to publicly release its donors.” “The foundation is not required to publicly release its donors. A foundation spokesman said that the organization continued to release donor information after Clinton left the State Department to be transparent.” [McClatchy, 2/18/15] Foundation Voluntarily Pledged to Refuse Foreign or Corporate Donations during a Clinton Presidency in Further Effort to Avoid Appearance of ConflictsBill Clinton said the Foundation would only accept contributions from U.S. citizens and independent charities if Hillary Clinton wins the White House. “Bill Clinton said if Hillary Clinton wins the White House, the family’s foundation would only accept contributions from U.S. citizens and independent charities. He added the foundation will continue its work, but plans to refocus its efforts in a process that will take up to a year to complete.” [AP, 8/18/16] Donald Trump’s Own Charitable Foundation May have Violated Laws Separating Exempt Nonprofits from Political ActivityDonald Trump’s “campaign work and his foundation work have overlapped—putting himself at risk for penalties and his charity at risk of being shut down.” “On numerous occasions this year, Trump’s campaign work and his foundation work have overlapped—putting himself at risk for penalties and his charity at risk of being shut down…In key early primary states this year, Trump handed out Foundation checks to charities at campaign rallies. This also calls into question ‘whether the foundation provided the campaign with an illegal in-kind contribution by providing services for what was a campaign event. Under the campaign finance laws… providing anything of value to a campaign for free or at less than fair market value is a contribution to the campaign,’ said Larry Noble, the general counsel at the Campaign Legal Center.” [Daily Beast, 6/16/16] In 2013, the Trump Foundation donated $25,000 to a political organization supporting Florida AG Pam Bondi at the same time Bondi was reviewing complaints surrounding Trump University, raising concerns for legal experts. “And in 2013, the Trump Foundation donated $25,000 to a political organization supporting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi—an action the foundation is prohibited from taking, and which it failed to report on its disclosures. The Trump campaign blamed this failure on clerical mistakes, but legal experts are sounding the alarm because at the time Bondi was reviewing complaints surrounding the businessman’s controversial Trump University project.” [Daily Beast, 6/16/16] In a number of instances, the Trump campaign contacted charitable organizations to arrange for them to be presented with a Trump Foundation check at Trump campaign rallies.“On Jan. 30, with Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. by his side at a campaign rally in Davenport, Iowa, Trump presented a $100,000 Trump Foundation check to Puppy Jake, a charity which supports veterans by providing service dogs. Puppy Jake’s executive director, Becky Beach, told The Daily Beast that the Trump campaign had been in touch with her about the Trump Foundation’s contribution…The next day, the day before the Iowa caucuses, the founder of Support Siouxland Soldiers, another vets charity, appeared on stage with Trump at a Sioux City campaign rally to accept a $100,000 Trump Foundation check. Support Siouxland Soldiers executive director Sarah Petersen told The Daily Beast that she had been in touch with a Trump staffer named Hope, and provided the phone number they used in order to discuss the donation. The phone number matches up with the campaign’s listed number for Hope Hicks, the Trump campaign’s spokeswoman.” [Daily Beast, 6/16/16] |
| Trump campaign implied Clinton Foundation donations from companies lobbying the Federal Government led to favoritism by the State Department.“Trump Campaign Press Release: ‘Several Major Clinton Foundation Donations Came From Companies Lobbying The Federal Government.’” [Trump Campaign press release, 8/21/16] |
There is No Evidence Whatsoever That Donations to the Clinton Foundation Affected Any Decisions Made by Hillary Clinton at the State DepartmentState Department spokeswoman: “The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation.” “MS TRUDEAU: The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation. QUESTION: Any action at all over the course of Secretary Clinton’s tenure? MS TRUDEAU: Correct.” [State Department Daily Press Briefing, 8/11/16] The State Dept. said it had no evidence that donations to The Clinton Foundation or Bill Clinton’s speaking fees affected Hillary Clinton’s actions at the State Department. “The State Department said Monday it has no evidence that any actions taken by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton when she was secretary of state were influenced by donations to the Clinton Foundation or former President Bill Clinton’s speaking fees. Spokesman Jeff Rathke said the department received requests to review potential conflicts primarily for proposed speech hosts or consulting deals for Bill Clinton and found no conflicts.” [Associated Press, 5/4/15] Author of widely panned book accusing the Clinton Foundation of pay to play was forced to admit he had no evidence of any impropriety. “With the controversy around donations to her family’s charitable foundation growing, Democrats are bracing for more attacks on the former secretary of State — just the beginning of what they expect to be an 18-month assault on their party’s front-runner. […] Those attacks for now revolve around the upcoming book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer of the conservative Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Even Schweizer admits he has no smoking gun proving that either Hillary Clinton or former President Bill Clinton sought to further the interests of donors to the Clinton Foundation in improper ways.” [The Hill, 4/28/15] Foundation Voluntarily Pledged to Refuse Foreign or Corporate Donations during a Clinton Presidency in Further Effort to Avoid Appearance of ConflictsBill Clinton said the Foundation would only accept contributions from U.S. citizens and independent charities if Hillary Clinton wins the White House. “Bill Clinton said if Hillary Clinton wins the White House, the family’s foundation would only accept contributions from U.S. citizens and independent charities. He added the foundation will continue its work, but plans to refocus its efforts in a process that will take up to a year to complete.” [AP, 8/18/16] |
| Trump Campaign made note of foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation by governments and individuals, again implying a nonexistent ethical problem and providing no evidence. “Trump Campaign press release: ‘FACT THREE – The Clinton Foundation Accepted Millions From Foreign Governments… FACT FOUR – The Clinton Foundation Accepted Millions From Other Foreign Sources While Clinton Served As Secretary Of State: ‘More Than 40 Percent Of The Top Donors To The Clinton Foundation Are Based In Foreign Countries.’ ‘More than 40 percent of the top donors to the Clinton Foundation are based in foreign countries, according to an analysis by McClatchy.’ (Anita Kumar, ‘Clinton Foundation Limits Foreign Donations,’ McClatchy, 4/15/15).” [Trump Campaign press release, 8/21/16] |
Once Again, There is No Evidence Whatsoever That Donations to the Clinton Foundation Affected Any Decisions Made by Hillary Clinton at the State DepartmentFactCheck.org: Nearly all contributions to the Clinton Foundation are used for its charitable activities. “Fiorina and others are referring only to the amount donated by the Clinton Foundation to outside charities, ignoring the fact that most of the Clinton Foundation’s charitable work is performed in-house. One independent philanthropy watchdog did an analysis of Clinton Foundation funding and concluded that about 89 percent of its funding went to charity. Simply put, despite its name, the Clinton Foundation is not a private foundation — which typically acts as a pass-through for private donations to other charitable organizations. Rather, it is a public charity. It conducts most of its charitable activities directly.” [FactCheck.org, 6/19/15] State Department spokeswoman: “The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation.” “MS TRUDEAU: The State Department is not aware of any actions that were influenced by the Clinton Foundation. QUESTION: Any action at all over the course of Secretary Clinton’s tenure? MS TRUDEAU: Correct.” [State Department Daily Press Briefing, 8/11/16] |
| Trump campaign claimed a potential FBI investigation was “scuttled by the Obama Administration.” “FACT SIX – The FBI Wanted To Open An Investigation Into The Clinton Foundation, But The Effort Was Scuttled By The Obama Administration.” [Trump Campaign press release, 8/21/16] |
FBI Officials Previously Looked into Allegations and Determined Claims Not Worthy of a Case, and Requests for an Investigation Politically-MotivatedFBI Officials had looked into allegations surrounding the Clinton Foundation following the release of “Clinton Cash” and determined claims were unsubstantiated and not worthy of a case. “FBI officials wanted to investigate whether there was a criminal conflict of interest with the State Department and the Clinton Foundation during Clinton’s tenure. The Department of Justice had looked into allegations surrounding the foundation a year earlier after the release of the controversial book ‘Clinton Cash,’ but found them to be unsubstantiated and there was insufficient evidence to open a case.” [CNN, 8/11/16] Justice Department officials said the request “seemed more political than substantive.” “As a result, DOJ officials pushed back against opening a case during the meeting earlier this year. Some also expressed concern the request seemed more political than substantive, especially given the timing of it coinciding with the investigation into the private email server and Clinton’s presidential campaign.” [CNN, 8/11/16] Legal and Ethics Experts Sought Investigation of Overlaps Between the Trump Foundation and Donald Trump’s CampaignSunlight Foundation’s Richard Skinner on the Trump Foundation and Trump campaign conflicts: “‘This should be investigated…There is definitely [use of] a charitable foundation in an inappropriate way.’” “Both the contribution to Bondi and the overlap between the Trump campaign and his charity should be publicly examined, government watchdogs said. ‘This should be investigated. There are troubling legal issues posed in both circumstances,’ said Richard Skinner, a money-in-politics policy analyst at the Sunlight Foundation. ‘There is definitely [use of] a charitable foundation in an inappropriate way.’” [Daily Beast,6/16/16] In 2013, the Trump Foundation donated $25,000 to a political organization supporting Florida AG Pam Bondi at the same time Bondi was reviewing complaints surrounding Trump University, raising concerns for legal experts. “And in 2013, the Trump Foundation donated $25,000 to a political organization supporting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi—an action the foundation is prohibited from taking, and which it failed to report on its disclosures. The Trump campaign blamed this failure on clerical mistakes, but legal experts are sounding the alarm because at the time Bondi was reviewing complaints surrounding the businessman’s controversial Trump University project.” [Daily Beast, 6/16/16] |
| Trump campaign claimed Clinton’s State Department Chief of Staff, Cheryl Mills, had “deep and simultaneous involvement in the Clinton Foundation.” “FACT SEVEN – Clinton’s Chief Of Staff At State Had A Deep And Simultaneous Involvement In The Clinton Foundation.” [Trump Campaign press release, 8/21/16] |
Mills Spent a Day Volunteering Her Time to the Clinton Foundation to Help Review Candidates for a Top Position and the work was Completely Separate from her Role at StateMills was performing as a volunteer for the Clinton Foundation to help review candidates, was not paid, and used no government funds for the trip. “According to Mills’ attorney, her work for the Clinton Foundation while she was employed at the State Department was strictly voluntary. She received no pay and no government funds were used to finance the short trip. Clinton’s presidential campaign re-iterated that Mills was working as a volunteer on the trip.” [CNN, 8/11/16] Mills paid for her trip to help the Foundation and made “crystal clear to all involved that this had nothing to do with her official duties.” “‘Cheryl volunteered her personal time to a charitable organization, as she has to other charities,’ said campaign spokesman Brian Fallon. ‘Cheryl paid for her travel to New York City personally, and it was crystal clear to all involved that this had nothing to do with her official duties. The idea that this poses a conflict of interest is absurd.’” [CNN, 8/11/16] |
| Trump campaign attempted to make a connection between Sidney Blumenthal’s employment at the Clinton Foundation and “Libyan intelligence” he provided to Clinton. “FACT EIGHT – Sidney Blumenthal Collected $10,000 A Month From The Clinton Foundation While Providing Libyan Intelligence To Clinton…Blumenthal ‘Earned About $10,000 A Month As A Full-Time Employee Of The Clinton Foundation’ While At The Same Time He Provided Intelligence On Libya To Then-Secretary Clinton. ‘Sidney Blumenthal, a longtime confidant of Bill and Hillary Clinton, earned about $10,000 a month as a full-time employee of the Clinton Foundation while he was providing unsolicited intelligence on Libya to then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to multiple sources familiar with the arrangement.’ (Kenneth P. Vogel, ‘Clinton Foundation paid Blumenthal $10K per month while he advised on Libya,’ Politico, 5/28/15).” [Trump Campaign press release,8/21/16] |
Blumenthal Occasionally Sent Unsolicited Emails to Hillary ClintonHillary Clinton made clear to committee members that Blumenthal was not “‘an advisor’ on matters pertaining to Libya.” “Clinton also spoke in more detail about her relationship with Blumenthal. She told committee members that she would not characterize him as an ‘adviser’ on matters pertaining to Libya. Clinton said she did not know who provided Blumenthal with the intelligence Blumenthal frequently sent in emails and memos. Clinton sometimes forwarded that information to staffers at the State Department.” [BuzzFeed, 10/23/15] During his deposition Blumenthal swore “under oath that Clinton never asked him to send the correspondence.” ‘‘It is clear from these emails Secretary Clinton encouraged Mr. Blumenthal to send them in some instances calling into question her previous characterization of them as ‘unsolicited,’ Gowdy said in a statement. Blumenthal during a closed-door deposition last week said under oath that Clinton never asked him to send the correspondence. Democrats say Gowdy’s definition of unsolicited is off base because Blumenthal was sending his memo on his own accord.’ [Politico, 6/22/15] Sec. Clinton explained Blumenthal sent her “unsolicited emails, which I passed on in some instances.” “The newly minted presidential candidate also told reporters that she won’t distance herself from allies if she’s elected president, even as some of those allies pose political problems. ‘I’m going to keep talking to my old friends, whoever they are,’ Clinton said. The comment came after a question about Clinton’s relationship with Sidney Blumenthal, a long-time ally who was the subject of a New York Times report documenting the emails the two had exchanged about Libya while Clinton was secretary of state and Blumenthal worked for clients with business interests in the country. ‘He’s been a friend of mine for a long time. He sent me unsolicited emails, which I passed on in some instances, and that’s just part of the give-and-take,’ she said. ‘When you’re in the public eye, when you’re in an official position, I think you do have to work to make sure you’re not caught in a bubble and you only hear from a certain small group of people.’” [CNN, 5/19/15] |
| Trump campaign claimed the Clinton Foundation failed to disclose $26.4 million in speaking fees while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state. “FACT NINE– The Clinton Foundation Failed To Disclose $26.4 Million In Speaking Honoraria While Clinton Was Secretary Of State.” [Trump Campaign press release,8/21/16] |
Unlike the Clintons, Charitable Funds Promised by Donald Trump Were Rarely DeliveredNBC News Headline: “Trump Foundation Has Given Little To Vets Groups” [NBC News, 1/28/16] Washington Post: Trump had a habit of promising to give to charity, but rarely following through. “In recent weeks, The Post tried to answer the question by digging up records going back to the late 1980s and canvassing a wide swath of nonprofits with some connection to Trump. That research showed that Trump has a long-standing habit of promising to give to charity. But Trump’s follow-through on those promises was middling — even at the beginning, in his early days as a national celebrity.” [Washington Post, 6/28/16] Trump indicated to Howard Stern that he donated his millions in proceeds from “The Apprentice” to charity, but records did not reflect donations of millions of dollars. “By the early 2000s, Trump had recovered from his financial troubles, returning to the public eye as a different kind of mogul. More than ever, Trump himself was the product: He was selling his name on products from TV shows to steaks to high-rise condominiums around the country. Again, Trump needed an explanation for why he needed the money. ‘You’re getting paid over a million for your show,’ radio host Howard Stern said to Trump in 2004, when Trump was first hosting ‘The Apprentice.’ ‘Oh, a lot more than that,’ Trump said. ‘You’re getting paid over two-and-a-half-million dollars!’ Stern said. ‘Yeah, I don’t do it for that,’ Trump said. ‘I’m giving the money to charity.’ He named AIDS research and the Police Athletic League. That year, Trump’s foundation appears to have given $1,000 to AIDS research and $106,000 to the Police Athletic League.” [Washington Post, 6/28/16] Trump promoted Trump Vodka by promising to donate the proceeds to charity, however only “a few hundred dollars” have been donated in connection with the venture. “Promoting Trump Vodka in 2006, Trump told Larry King, ‘I’m giving the money to charity.’ But the only apparent donation related to Trump Vodka is a ‘few hundred dollars’ given to a group supporting Walter Reed Hospital in connection with a specific promotion, as reported by CNN last month.” [Politico, 6/20/16] Donald Trump’s campaign released a list of his claimed charitable donations, but not one of them was actually a personal gift of his own money. “Since the first day of his presidential campaign, Donald Trump has said that he gave more than $102 million to charity in the past five years. To back up that claim, Trump’s campaign compiled a list of his contributions — 4,844 of them, filling 93 pages. But, in that massive list, one thing was missing. Not a single one of those donations was actually a personal gift of Trump’s own money. Instead, according to a Washington Post analysis, many of the gifts that Trump cited to prove his generosity were free rounds of golf, given away by his courses for charity auctions and raffles.” [Washington Post, 4/10/16] Speeches Dated back to 2002 and Earned Funds for the Foundation’s workBill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton gave speeches dating back to 2002 that earned funding for the Clinton Foundation’s initiatives. “The Clinton Foundation on Thursday released a list of nearly 100 paid speeches given by Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton for which the foundation accepted the fees, shedding light on talks that brought in as much as $26 million for the family philanthropy. The Clinton Foundation has been under scrutiny as Mrs. Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign has ramped up. Critics have warned that donations from foreign sources could be attempts to curry favor with a former secretary of state and possible future president. While donors to the foundation have been disclosed previously, the data released Thursday, which goes back to 2002, marks the first time a comprehensive list of speech fees has been released.” [Wall Street Journal, 5/21/15] All of Secretary Clinton’s speaking fees from appearances at colleges and universities are donated to the Clinton Foundation. “Facing criticism from some quarters about her expensive speeches, Hillary Clinton said Friday that every dollar she’s earned speaking at universities since stepping down as secretary of state last year has gone into the philanthropic work of her family’s foundation. ‘All of the fees have been donated to the Clinton Foundation for it to continue its life-changing and life-saving work,’ she told ABC News. ‘So it goes from a foundation at a university to another foundation.’” [CBS News, 7/4/14] Information Made Public Due to Unprecedented Transparency of Clinton FoundationInformation about funding for the Foundation earned through speeches was made public due to the Foundation’s unprecedented transparency for a charitable organization. “The foundation touts the disclosure as an example of its commitment to transparency. ‘In addition to the more than 300,000 donors who are all listed on our website, posting these speeches is just another example of how our disclosure policies go above and beyond what’s required of charities,’ said Foundation spokesperson Craig Minassian. Charities are not required by law to disclose donors, but the Clinton Foundation has done so since 2008, when Hillary mounted her first presidential run. ‘This funding allows the Foundation to effectively and efficiently use our resources to implement programs that are fighting HIV/AIDS and childhood obesity, increasing opportunity for women and girls, lifting people out of poverty and combating climate change,’ Minassian added.” [MSNBC, 5/21/15] |
| Trump Campaign highlighted Clinton Foundation spending on travel. “FACT TEN – Since 2003, The Clinton Foundation Has Spent More Than $50 Million On Travel.” [Trump Campaign press release,8/21/16] |
Clinton Foundation Uses Its Funds to Improve Lives and Create a Better World for MillionsThe Clinton Foundation holds an A rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy and made their “Top Rated” list.“Groups included on the CharityWatch Top-Rated list generally spend 75% or more of their budgets on programs [The Clinton Foundation is at 88%], spend $25 or less to raise $100 in public support [the Foundation spends $2 for every $100 raised], do not hold excessive assets in reserve, have met CharityWatch’s governance benchmarks, and receive “open-book” status for disclosure of basic financial information and documents to CharityWatch.” [charitywatch.org, April 2016] The Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program supports more than 18 million students by improving physical education, health education, child nutrition, and staff wellness policies and programs. “The Healthy Schools Program supports more than 18 million students by improving physical education, health education, child nutrition, and staff wellness policies and programs in more than 31,000 schools. The Healthy Schools Program receives the majority of its funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to support schools in states with the highest rates of obesity.” [Clinton Foundation, accessed8/22/16] The Clinton Health Access Initiative has allowed over 11.5 million patients to get treatment for HIV/AIDS. “From 2002 to 2010, as an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, 4 million patients were able to access CHAI-negotiated ARV drugs and as of today, CHAI’s work, as a separate 501(c)(3), has over 11.5 million patients accessing treatment.” [Clinton Foundation, accessed 8/22/16] The Clinton Global Initiative has secured nearly 3,200 commitments that have improved the lives of over 430 million people. “To date, members of the CGI community have made nearly 3,200 commitments which have improved the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.” [Clinton Global Initiative, accessed 8/22/16] Donald Trump Used Trump Foundation Money to Bid on a $120,000 Luxury TripBuzzFeed Headline: “Trump Bought $120,000 Luxury Trip With Trump Foundation Money At 2008 Charity Auction”[BuzzFeed, 7/8/16] |
Five days later, he’s right back to where he started.
Tonight in Pennsylvania, Trump claimed that he could lose the election because of “cheating” and seemed to suggest that his supporters patrol the state looking for signs of voter fraud. He accused Hillary Clinton of being ISIS’ “most improved player.” He said his comments calling President Obama the founder of ISIS were only “somewhat sarcastic.” And for the second time today, he told a protester to “go back to mommy.”
He even told attendees he was rushing his speech because “I want to get the hell out of here. “
It was a fitting end to an unhinged week in which Trump told more than 58 lies to the American people, accused the president of founding ISIS and seemed to suggest his supporters take violent action if he is not elected.
TRUMP ON PRESIDENT OBAMA:
So I’ve been saying, and I’ll keep saying because it’s true, but somewhat sarcastically I’ve been saying he’s [President Obama] the founder of ISIS, and I say she’s a close second. [Altoona, PA, 8/12/16]
TRUMP ON HILLARY CLINTON:
Trump just said Hillary Clinton is going to be “Most Improved Player” for ISIS, said MVP last time. She’s going to be 6th man before long.
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) August 12, 2016
TRUMP ON CHEATING IN THE ELECTION:
The only way we can lose, in my opinion, I really mean this, Pennsylvania, is if cheating goes on. I really believe it. [Altoona, PA, 8/12/16]
TRUMP ON PROTESTERS:
Go home to mommy. Go home. And do you know the nice part, her mother is voting for Donald Trump. [Altoona, PA, 8/12/16]
TRUMP ON BEING IN PENNSYLVANIA:
I want to get the hell out of here, I want to go home. [Altoona, PA, 8/12/16]
Not!
Just three days after his latest campaign “reset,” Trump delivered another low-energy, meandering, off-message speech (complete with charts and graphs) in which he accused President Obama and Hillary Clinton of founding ISIS and claimed that Clinton is ISIS’ “most valuable player.” The speech went downhill from there. Trump went on to lie about this past support for the Iraq War, his positive poll numbers and the unemployment rate (according to Trump it is over 20 percent.)
The crowd’s reaction? Very little applause and lots of very awkward silences.
]]>No really, it’s Thursday. pic.twitter.com/UJ8BdPYNdu
— Correct The Record (@CorrectRecord) August 11, 2016
Trump lies so much at his rallies that he even lies about the day of the week. But what day it is was the least of the many lies he told today. He lied about the nation’s unemployment rate, about ads attacking him, and about his support for the Iraq War.
ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
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