Greg Palast Article On Hillary Clinton

[EV_Ares]

by Greg Palast
Palast is the author of Armed Madhouse, released last week in a new, expanded edition, in paperback - the newest addition to the New York Times list of non-fiction bestsellers.

Before his untimely death in a plane crash, Commerce Secretary Ron Brown said, “I’m not Hillary’s mother-f****** tour guide!”

That wasn’t a nice thing for a member of the President’s cabinet to say about the First Lady, now my Senator, Hillary Clinton.

And it’s probably not polite for me to bring it up now. But if I don’t, surely the Karl Rovarians will - if Senator Mrs. Clinton nails the Presidential nomination.

Bill Clinton used to say that, once he became president, he finally earned more money than his wife. That was a carefully crafted bit of modesty to show Bill as an aw-shucks regular guy versus Richie Rich-kid George Bush.

But Bill’s cute remark raised a question in my mind: How did Hillary get that big ol’ salary? And another question arises: how has she stayed out of prison?

The story’s a little complicated, involving a New Orleans power company, Indonesian billionaires, a New York nuclear plant and plain old influence peddling. But if we follow the money, we’ll get the picture. And it ain’t pretty.

But first, let’s stop at Wal-Mart. Read an official biography of the Senator and you’ll find her six-month stint on a child-protection task force. Yet you won’t find her SIX YEARS on the board of directors of Wal-Mart Corporation. She may have earned a Grammy for “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child.” But it takes a Governor’s wife to provide cover for Wal-Mart’s profiteering off systematic wage-enslavement of children in its factories in South America.

http://www.gregpalast.com/hillarys-mother-fing-tour-business/

[papau]

1. I love Greg Palast and know his facts are true - but this connect the dots is bull

Because Hillary's Directors salary (I believe about $25,000) was small, but large compared to the little she made as a backwater lawyer, Palast http://www.gregpalast.com/hillarys-mother-fing-tour-business/ has to resort to not telling us the amount - and tries to scare everyone with a percentage of that backwater salary - 60% - number.

Buying low cost imports means Walton, and therefor Hillary as a director, causes low wages overseas, and indeed are the reason that Chinese culture has prisoners work (which we do also in the US, but this is about the Hillary evil).

Nothing about the Board Committee Hillary sat on and the improvements for the workers she helped happen, and poor treatment she helped prevent - guess those facts are too much work to find so we don't report on them.

In a screed so weak "he should have just called it in", he then moves on to GOP claims that Hillary charge cash for access, not explaining that every large doner to any party gets access, and that GOP high giver groups are all about access. We even get the cost of a night in the Lincoln bedroom, even though it has been shown that the vast majority of guests where not even givers of donations.

Then he tosses in a legal case that Hillary did not work on but her law firm did, plus a Tony Blair tried to help this Arkansas firm in Britain and had a "phone call from the office of Hillary" in support of that effort, and notes he obtained this information while working undercover from low ranking ("cronies") hallway conversations ("secret recordings") overheard by him.

Then the Senior partner at a law firm pads the bills and goes to prison (Webster Hubbell), gets fees from, gasp, Asians, proving they were paying for access to Hillary who as a partner in the law firm must have helped pad the bills (not like the special prosecutor had forgotten to check this out - and found nothing to pursue).

And those billing records that were missing and then popped up - no mention that they were duplicates or that Star knew they were missing, didn't need them as they were duplicates, and still caused a stink - or that when he got them, had to drop any and all accusations against Hillary regarding them. But it goes on - Bill said he couldn't remember the Asian firms payment to his wifes lawyer friend. And the Asian's firm lobbyist - John Huang - became a Commerce Department deputy, who was assigned to attend confidential CIA briefings on business conditions in Indonesia and China. Huang also made post appointment phone calls regarding a proposal by the firm that required approval by the Department of Commerce's Import/Export Bank, and then the firm was approved for the venture! And by the way, that foreign investment was in a country with a dictator that hurt folks under his control, and the President even met with that dictator (Indonesian dictator Suharto).

Hillary is so evil. Oh, you didn't see her name in the above? No matter, she is evil, trust me. Besides it is not me saying this, it is the "evidence" above.

[FloridaJudy]

2. I have my doubts as well

I'm no huge fan of Hillary Clinton, but I doubt she's The Great Satan. Considering all the time Ken Starr spent going through everyone's dirty laundry, if there had been a whiff of conflict of interest, let alone criminality, he would have gleefully presented it to a grand jury.

This administration, on the other hand, is obviously rotten to the core. Where is a special prosecutor when you need her?

[mod mom]

3. This is from a Village Voice article on her:

-snip

And the Clintons depended on Wal-Mart's largesse not only for Hillary's regular payments as a board member but for travel expenses on Wal-Mart planes and for heavy campaign contributions to Bill's campaigns there and nationally. According to reports in the early '90s, before Bill and Hillary moved to D.C., neither was raking in the big bucks, but prominent in their income were her holdings of between $50,000 and $100,000 worth of Wal-Mart stock.

A press report on the Clintons' finances during the early stages of Bill's 1992 run for the presidency showed that most of their income came from her $109,719 annual salary from the Rose Law Firm and tens of thousands of dollars in fees she received from serving on corporate boards. (She was on two others besides Wal-Mart's.) Her honoraria and director fees grew almost as fast as Wal-Mart's profits during the '80s—rising from $111 in 1980 to $6500 in 1986 to $64,700 in 1991, according to the same source.

-snip
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0021,harkavy,15052,5.html

DOESN'T LIST HER SALARY THERE BUT POINTS TO STOCK OPTIONS (? $50,000-$100,000 HOLDING OF WAL MART STOCK) HONORARIA, & DIRECTOR FEES. BTW THIS ARTICLE WILL PROBABLY IRK FOLKS AS WELL.

Here's more from an AP article:

The Clintons also benefited financially from Wal-Mart. Hillary Clinton was paid $18,000 each year she served on the board, plus $1,500 for each meeting she attended. By 1993 she had accumulated at least $100,000 in Wal-Mart stock, according to Bill Clinton's federal financial disclosure that year. The Clintons also flew for free on Wal-Mart corporate planes 14 times in 1990 and 1991 in preparation for Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential bid.

-snip

http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2006/Wal-Mart-Clinton10mar06.htm

LOOK, I'M NOT HERE TO BLAST HILLARY, BUT I DO RESPECT PALAST AND DO NOT BELIEVE HE PLAYS WITH THE TRUTH.

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. My cousin's son worked with Hillary in Arkansas...

and says not to trust her as far as you can throw her. That's enough for me.

[EV_Ares]

7. Same here, I always have respect for a Palast article and I have never

known him to pull away from the facts or truth. When he investigates or reports on something, however it comes out is how it gets reported, he does not whitewash it or anything. We need more investigative reporters like him here that will dig deep for the facts and report the facts only and not their slant.

[papau]

10. I thought the same until now - at the web site one responder notes a "glint" in Greg's eye - and I

suspect a bit of having fun with the left as well.

I thought it an onion piece but Greg doesn't write those, and as you and I both know, he does not make up facts.

The fact that he slants based on little info so as to "prove" a conjecture was not known to me until this article. Indeed at the end he appears to know he is on soft ice, and sets up an escape with his I am not saying anything or making any accusations - "don't blame me - blame the evidence" line. A bit late after he has tried to sell the accusations.

[papau]

9. He always tells the truth - but this was certainly playing with the truth - no stock options but

investments in the local Arkansas based company while a director - a required purchase for most companies directors made only because the company would not appoint you to the board if you were not "interested" in the company.

director fees that grew from $111 in 1980 to $6500 in 1986 to $64,700 in 1991 - big F'ing deal. The MetLife fees paid are 10 times that size - and other companies of like size are twice the Met's. Indeed in her big year of 1991 and $64,700 "Hillary Clinton was paid $18,000".."plus $1,500 for each meeting she attended" - implying she was on a Board committee that met regularly (a little more than once every 2 weeks - similar to the employee pensions committee at ING where my director member was a retired Joint Chiefs of staff person - and actual work as required by the bylaws was done in each meeting.

Don't worry about this being viewed as a blast at Hillary - anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together and either experience with Boards of Directors or who can ask someone with experience with Boards of Directors can find out how mundane this is. Indeed the surprise is how cheap Walton was to his directors. We were at the $25,000 per meeting quarterly ($100,000 per year) plus extra for extra meetings level 5 years before he got to $18,000 per year plus $1500 per extra meetings.

[The Magistrate]

20. An Excellent Analysis And Summary, Mr. Papau

[MadHound]

5. Oh you've stepped in it now!

Don't you know that publishing the truth about Hillary's corporate connections is verbotten amongst certain circles? Be prepared, for you are going to get slammed for posting this, and Palast, whom most people once trusted explicitly will now go on the list of boycotted, or forbidden authors:eyes:

[EV_Ares]

6. Yeah, I thought about that but aren't we the ones who want the truth out

there, I don't know much about this but love and respect Palast. He does great reporting and has always as I have known him, had his facts correct.

If I get slammed so be it, I just don't want to be like those reich-wingers and deny anything and everything about one of their own.

Thought someone might be aware of some of this, I am curious as I did not know about her being on the Wal-mart board all that time.

[mod mom]

8. We need to be aware of our candidates before we choose who will represent us.

Do you really think the rove machine isn't busy digging background info on our candidates? Better it come out now and we see how it is addressed, than to wait just before an election.

If someone has information contrary to what Mr Palast says here, please post it but to simply dismiss it and him without merit sounds vaguely like those who support * while ignoring the facts.

[papau]

11. The facts are correct - the conclusions are bogus - Palast is still a hero - but like Jack

Anderson long ago, he tries to sell a point of view on the thinest set of marginally connected facts . Jack sold the GOP line. and Greg sells the ideas of the left, but both do great work getting and remembering facts.

It annoyed me in the 50's and 60's to see Jack try to sell crap conjectures, and this does the same.

Plus the conflating of doner to a political cause with a person paying a bribe for access to a seller of access is a bit disgusting of Palast.

[cmkramer]

15. Palast isn't a journalist

He's a left-wing propagandist.

[Kurovski]

18. What propaganda might that be?

And he is indeed an investigative journalist, and a damn fine one. His style is referred to as "muck-raking", but this is the first I've heard of him spoken of as a propagandist.

Investigative journalism has died a rapid death in this country. Palast was hired by a British paper.

[cmkramer]

19. He's peddling Freeper bullshit that's already been discredited

by the likes of Gene Lyons.

How long before he starts in on the Mena nonsense?

[Kurovski]

22. Could you please help me here?

I did a search for Gene Lyons with five different relevant keywords and came up with nothing in regard to this. Do you have a column, or was it in a book?

And do you hold that Palast is both a left-wing AND a right-wing propagandist? It would appear here that this is the case.

[cmkramer]

25. Sigh

He's a leftwing propagandist. However, he's not above appropriating rightwing nonsense when it serves his purpose.

As for Gene Lyons, check out his books THE HUNTING OF THE PRESIDENT (co-written with Joe Conason) and FOOLS FOR SCANDAL which is about Whitewater.

[Kurovski]

27. Thank you.

Was the sigh absolutely necessary? :-)

I do disagree that he's a propagandist at all, although his point of view is clear.

[papau]

12. Which politician is without "corporate connections"? Obama, Edwards, McCain? Can we say none? Palast

still is a treasure - but this is a warning that one needs to make your own connections - decide how strong those connections are - and come to a conclusion, rather than let Palast sell his point of view and conclusion - or in this case his non-conclusion but implication - to you.

I would always trust Palast on the facts presented. I would always worry about the facts he chose not to present. And I would not accept his descriptions of the motivations of another person any more than I'd accept someone else's best guess as to motivation or causation.

It is perhaps fun for folks to run through the Star Report and pull facts, add in their own "undercover" work, and sell a smear of a Democrat on a slow day. But I'll leave that pleasure to the folks at FR.

Indeed, I find amusing the thought that they will be quoting the hated Palast, because his smear is more useful to them than their hatred of him. It won't last - but today Palast will be quoted on FR :-)

[MadHound]

13. Actually Kucinich has no corporate connections

One of the reasons that I whole heartedly support him, enough with the corporate whores in our government.

Obama has at least had the grace not to accept lobbyist or PAC money, which is better than many have done.

Frankly I think it is past time for publicly funded to be implemented, from dogcatcher to president. Take money out of the equation and we the people will have a lot more influence, as our founding fathers intended.

[papau]

16. Obama requires lobbyist/pac to be funneled through bundlers who are the lobbyists' ee's -not a major

change. Everyone knows who brought the money in and who expects access.

DK is interesting as I want to believe he has no corporate backers - he has taken in so little money it seems plausible.

Federal Financing of Federal primaries and elections is require to get the access auction out of politics.

[Snotcicles]

14. My thank you from Edwards campaign

Dear friend,

Thank you so much for your support.

I never accept any money from lobbyists or PACs, so our victory depends on people like you pitching in. And that's the way it should be.

Your contribution will enable us to reach out to voters in living rooms, town halls, and on the airwaves. You're helping us build support for transformational change in early primary states and across the country.

Everywhere I travel, Americans are ready to join you and me in the great work ahead. To bring our message of real change to voters, we need offices in cities, organizers on the ground, and outreach materials to send in the mail.

Yes, the work of a national campaign comes at a cost, but truly changing America offers a far greater reward.

Thank you again for making all of this possible.

[Adelante]

17. I never accept any money from lobbyists or PACs

Whenever any candidate says this, know it is a meaningless statement. There is no difference between lobbyists/PACs donating and corporate bundling, which they all engage in. No difference except it's a loop hole in the law that should be closed.

[NoPasaran]

21. What is this, the third go round for this flame fest?

Hillary caused crops to wither in the fields and the clouds to rain blood.

She made Bill Buckner miss that ground ball.

We get it, we get it. Hillary = Hitler in a pantsuit.

:sarcasm:

[Adelante]

23. I think five or six

Two of them locked.

[bbgrunt]

24. palast is right to point this out. The people squealing

are basically defending the DLC. Clintons are DLC. DLC is pro-corporation. DLC Clinton pushed through NAFTA and supports other "free-trade" agreements. DLC Clinton signed the media consolidation act. Hillary once a worker for Goldwater, is DLC. DLC is republican. Lieberman was DLC--before he became an "independent".

You need to KNOW what is behind the rhetoric of DLC politicians. THey are corporatists.

[paulk]

26. LOL

go here!


http://thenonsequitur.com/?page_id=167