Photo above - "No Country for Old Men". Anton Chigur (Javier Bardem) gives advice to Woody Harrelson.
The story thus far: Trump and Musk are trying to defund the USAID agency. Democrats claim it's all aboveboard and legit. Now let's catch up on yesterday's developments.
There are competing narratives on the Clinton Foundation scandal. One is that Chelsea (personally) received $84 million from USAID. This is almost certainly false, but foundation records are opaque so it's uncertain. The other narrative is that the $84 million went directly to the Clinton Foundation. That story seems more promising. (see link below)
But it’s still a dumpster fire.
I generally buy into the notion that charitable foundations do more good than harm, on balance. They feed the hungry, heal the sick, teach people how to farm. Promote LBGTQ rights in Muslim countries. Well, the evidence is mixed on that last one. I deplore radical Islam's treatment of gays, women without face coverings, child brides, Christians, jews, adulterers, and helpless puppies (dogs are considered unclean in Islam. At one point the Taliban burned alive every dog they could find in Afghanistan). It seems counterproductive for the USA to declare defeat in Afghanistan, turn helpless Afghan civilians over to radical Islamists, but then try to sneak money into the country to help gays who are being oppressed.
The Clinton Foundation was established in 2001. At various times Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea have been chairpersons and board members. Chelsea still is. She claims – and this might be true – that she draws no salary for her duties at the Clinton foundation. Chelsea also has a net worth of $30 million, which seems impossible for someone who has never had a paying job. Just a series of internships, board memberships, and occasional speaking appearances. More information is needed,
Let’s focus on the $84 million USAID funding of the Clinton Foundaton. The foundation a political organization first, and charity second. If you have any doubt about this, scroll back to Hillary’s presidential campaign, when dozens of Bill’s and Hillary’s political camp followers, which had been “parked” at the foundation, broke cover to become Hillary's 2016 campaign staff and advisors. How the heck can anyone claim that funneling money to keep your political cronies on standby is a legitimate charity?
If you need further proof, explore the link (below) of Clinton Foundation finances in 2015. Income: $149 million. Charitable disbursements - $9 million. That means 94% of their “take” was spent on staff salaries, benefits, travel, etc.. 94 frickin' percent!
Okay, if Chelsea only phones it in at the foundaton, then who’s running the show? The president of the Clinton Foundation is Donna Shalala, longtime member of Bill Clinton's cabinet for the entire 8 years of his term.
Where is the foundation money going? Wikipedia can’t really say. Foundation records are sketchy and not updated in a timely fashion. We do know that in 2018 the foundation had an endowment of $300 million dollars. It’s now 7 years later. Who knows how much? Did the recent $84 million go straight into the endowment piggy bank, or was any given to legitimate charities? Check out the Wikipedia link below and let me know what you think.
Personally, I would be ashamed to set up a shady foundation. One which has had to refile tax returns multiple times, to correct “accounting errors”. And ashamed to use that foundation to employ spouses, children, and business cronies. And to give ridiculous awards to international pariahs like Mexican cellphone oligarch Carlos Slim; Rwandan president Paul Kagame – in power for 25 years, and a former terrorist/rebel; Dominican President Leonel Fernandez, president off and on for 12 years, and at the center of a $100 million embezzlement scandal. THIS is how the Clinton Foundation operates?
Personally, I’d never do these sorts of things. I’d be too embarrassed. Whether or not my -daughter drew an official salary there or not. The Clintons should just admit they’ve finally been caught. There would be more dignity in their situation. No wonder we now have 1,000 court challenges trying to keep Trump from looking at the books of all these agencies.
I’m just sayin’ . . .
Fact Check: Did Chelsea Clinton Take Home $84 Million From USAID?
Where Does Clinton Foundation Money Go? - FactCheck.org
Clinton Foundation - Wikipedia
I've seen a few articles claiming that Chelsea Clinton received $84 million from USAID for various reasons. A snopes article marks this claim as false, however reading through their article it seems like the original claim is wrong but she still benefited from USAID.
Here are a few examples from the snopes website.
Further, government data from fiscal years 2008-24 showed that USAID had not given more than $7.5 million to that (Clinton) foundation.
In short, Chelsea Clinton has not received $84 million from USAID. The graph shared purporting to show how money flows to "Bill Hillary & Chelsea Clinton" is a reference to the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, not Chelsea Clinton specifically.
A search of tax records and the U.S. government's spending tracker found that Chelsea Clinton has not personally received any money from USAID since 2008.
Chelsea Clinton had not received any compensation from the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation since at least fiscal year 2013.
From fiscal years 2008 to 2024, USAID has awarded money to only one Clinton organization: the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which was founded by the Clinton Foundation but is its own nonprofit group. The initiative received a grant for $7.49 million and spent $6,049,198.09 of that grant from 2019 to 2021.
(The) Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation has received only one financial award from the U.S. government in total: $49,998 in 2010 for AmeriCorps National, a federal initiative that provides Americans opportunities to do community service.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this issue, but it appears that even if she didn't get $84 million she was still a major recipient of money from USAID.
Source: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/chelsea-clinton-84-million-usaid/