Clinton, Madeline Albright and Wendy Sherman

Submitted by Alex Ocana on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 12:08pm

Over the past six months I have, from time to time, followed the Clinton money, influence peddling and quid pro quo on different issues. Its a very tangled web, but just type in the name of some top advisor and follow the strings... Boring enough where the American public goes to sleep.

Who is Wendy Sherman???

Ambassador Sherman previously served as Counselor for the State Department (1997-2001), as well as Special Advisor to President Clinton and Policy Coordinator on North Korea. In that role, she worked as a close advisor to then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on every major foreign policy and national security issue, and also managed numerous special assignments including negotiations on nuclear non-proliferation.

Prior to her most recent service at the State Department, Ambassador Sherman was Vice Chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group, having helped to found and grow the firm for a decade. Source: http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/10/247844.htm

Do we need a list of Allbright's foreign policy failures and war crimes? Here is one we all remember: Dedicated to Madeleine Albright, on Behalf of the Children of Iraq, whose Lives were a “Price Worth It.” (“60 Minutes”, 12th May 1996.)

Just one year in to the embargo: “baseline mortality for the under five population rose from 43.2 to 128.5 per 1,000, reflecting a three fold increase in child mortality.” Source: http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2016/03/corruption-works-hillary-clinton-...

What does Albright's group do? From their website:

STRATEGIES FOR GROWTH

We understand the challenges of operating in international markets. With insights into government policy, and on the ground experience in a range of business and political environments, ASG helps inform and guide strategic planning, assessing risks and evaluating opportunities. ASG works with our clients to:

Analyze investment climates and develop market entry strategies
Identify and evaluate partners and conduct political due diligence
Achieve your goals in commercial negotiations
Successfully navigate regulatory approval proceedings
Resolve complex disputes. Source: http://www.albrightstonebridge.com

Investment climates, market development, political startegies...

Who does Albright and her group donate to. A rhetorical question I know. But we need a source.

"The liberal Center for American Progress (CAP) this year promised corporate donors a chance to meet Hillary Rodham Clinton in return for a $250,000 donation, documents obtained by The Hill show... The documents ask prospective donors to contribute to CAP’s “Progressive Party,” which was held Oct. 24 to honor the group’s 10th anniversary. Donors who gave at least $250,000 — earning “patron” status — were told they would have a chance to meet Clinton. "Patrons will also have the opportunity to meet the special guest speaker,” the document says, referring to the former secretary of State.

"K Street firms that have contributed to CAP include the Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG) and Downey McGrath Group, and both told The Hill they were proud to make a donation" Source: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/193467-group-...

Hillary Clinton lobbied for Wendy Sherman to be nominated for Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. Here is the email:

What did Wendy Sherman do at the State Department?

At one time or another, she was fully engaged in the Central American refugee situation, the Ukraine crisis, the Syrian civil war, the struggle for stability in Libya and Yemen, the restoration of diplomatic ties with Somalia, the fight against Boko Haram in Nigeria, the confrontation with ISIL, the rebalance to Asia, the elections in Sri Lanka, and on and on. Whatever, the issue, Wendy could be counted on for advice and diplomacy that was smart, realistic and sure to advance America’s interests and values. Source: http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2015/10/247844.htm

In other words every mass murdering, imperialistic failure of the last 8 years! Not to mention quid pro quo. As we can see:

This Is How Corruption Works: A Hillary Clinton Example. Posted on March 8, 2016 by Eric Zuesse.

"Hillary Clinton approved the construction in South Africa of the world’s two largest coal-fired power-plants, and helped them get Export-Import Bank financing (U.S. taxpayer backing); then, some of her friends received construction contracts to build them."

Black and Veatch get the loans with State Department Approval.

One of Black & Veatch’s directors, Harold (‘H.P.’) Goldfield, wears several other important hats. A veteran Washington insider, Goldfield is a former Reagan-era administrator and ex-director at the Ex-Im Bank. He is currently the vice chair of Albright Stonebridge, the lobbying and advising firm of longtime Clintonite and former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. Source: http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2016/03/corruption-works-hillary-clinton-...

Tags:

Clinton

Madeline Albright

Wendy Sherman

influence peddling

Foreign Policy

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Comments

Submitted by Alex Ocana on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 12:21pm

Could it be worse?

Genocidal politics and failed foreign policies spilling the blood of Black and Brown brothers and sisters around the world, all run by corporate donors and pay to play think tanks, revolving doors of officials and pay to play appointments, not to mention taxpayers paying for coal fired plants in South Africa... how could this be any more horrifying?

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From the Light House.

Submitted by neoconned on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 1:12pm

How could this be any more horrifying?

Look at Iraq. War destroyed the entire infrastructure, and war prevents its restoration. Lastly, war there made Halliburton VERY profitable, and made war criminal Dick Cheney VERY wealthy.

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Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.

Submitted by elmo on Tue, 06/21/2016 - 10:45am

Yes, unfortunately

Obama was a restraining influence on Clinton. He at least required her to appear to avoid conflicts of interest.

Without his supervision, she'll be selling nights in the Lincoln Bedroom on Airbnb. Anything to make a buck. Remember, these are folks who took a tax write off for donating used underwear.

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Even the smallest person can change the course of the future

Submitted by Caerus on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 12:29pm

It could get worse

Cinton could get elected POTUS, and with NO further elections to worry about, no pretense, it could be much worse.
Up to now, Clintons have had to try to "protect" themselves, or at least pretend in public to be telling the truth.
All bets off if Clintons get back into the White House.

Fear their election more than anyone the Republicans could nominate.

Julian Assange, FBI Comey, Loretta Lynch - let's hear the truth, NOW, please.

Submitted by Alex Ocana on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 1:23pm

Yes, I think its a coup in the making

I hate to sound like I dug up a tin foil hat from a dumpster, but this stuff goes much deeper than most people think, or have the time for. We have different authors working on different aspects so we get these dribbles of information from, usually fairly obscure sources. Mass media never reports any of it, or if they do its pure spin about sweet abuela Hillary and poor old Bill. But the corruption, fraud, and horror goes very deep and needs like a team of investigators to correlate the information and make up a clear universal flow chart...

I have posted a bunch of these connections... but its scattered all over the map and all over time frames. Puerto Rico! Honduras! Haiti! Brasil! The Clintons are part of a machine that seems to be hell bent on destroying the people of the Earth and the Earth itself. I don't think its a conspiracy (so to speak)... like some "Illuminato -Blunderberger- Mossad - Rothschild" secret cabal of evil euthanasia pedophile vampires from Arcturus. I think its a bunch of sociopaths convinced that their way is the way the Earth will be saved through unfettered predatory capitalism. I am sure we can find out their self-justifications easily enough.

I am tired....

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From the Light House.

Submitted by Roy Blakeley on Tue, 06/21/2016 - 5:55pm

I am not sure if they really think the Earth will be saved

through unfettered predatory capitalism. I suppose their belief in unfettered capitalism could be real, although it would be self-deception on a grand scale. They may also know that it is pure BS, and they are simply empowering a system that has made them extremely rich and will make them even richer. In the end motive may not make much difference. The results are what matter. HRC giving an income inequality speech in an Armani jacket sums up what they are about.

Submitted by terriertribe on Tue, 06/21/2016 - 11:55am

She's making 1952 Nixon look good

Pat Nixon, anyway.

I should say this, that Pat doesn't have a mink coat. But she does have a respectable Republican cloth coat, and I always tell her she would look good in anything.

One other thing I should probably tell you, because if I don't they will probably be saying this about me, too. We did get something, a gift, after the election.

A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention that our two youngsters would like to have a dog, and, believe it or not, the day we left before this campaign trip we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore, saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was?

It was a little cocker spaniel dog, in a crate that he had sent all the way from Texas, black and white, spotted, and our little girl Tricia, the six year old, named it Checkers.

And you know, the kids, like all kids, loved the dog, and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they say about it, we are going to keep it.

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Now interviewing signature candidates. Apply within.

Submitted by Alex Ocana on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 1:09pm

Coalition For Fiscal And National Security Boasts Deep Financial

"And there was the star of the day, Bill Clinton, a loyal attendee at Peterson’s events..." Source: https://newrepublic.com/article/117760/pete-petersons-fiscal-summit-end-...

WASHINGTON — The multi-million dollar lobbying campaign to fix the national debt opened a new front this week, when a group of retired foreign policy experts — many with longstanding ties to private equity billionaire Peter G. Peterson — launched an effort to influence the debate over defense spending and debt reduction.

The Coalition for Fiscal and National Security is chaired by retired Adm. Michael Mullen, and includes 14 other former high-ranking government officials. Four former secretaries of state — Henry Kissinger, Madeleine Albright, George Shultz, and James A. Baker — are in the group, with three former defense secretaries and three former secretaries of the treasury.

The Coalition for Fiscal and National Security advocates increasing government spending on cutting-edge military technology, boosting funding of non-military diplomatic outreach projects and lowering overall defense spending. Although short on specifics, the group identified potential sources of spending cuts as Defense Department employee health care and retirement benefits...,

At least nine of the 15 members of the Coalition for Fiscal and National Security are deeply invested in companies with huge Pentagon contracts to build, in many cases, precisely the types of high-tech weapons that coalition members support. Two-thirds of the group, or 10 members, have lucrative consulting practices, advising companies how to do business with domestic and foreign government officials.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/coalition-for-fiscal-and-nation...

Campaign to Fix the Debt is the latest incarnation of a decades-long effort by former Nixon man turned Wall Street billionaire Pete Peterson to slash earned benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare under the guise of fixing the nation's "debt problem

Peter G. Peterson, born June 5, 1926, is a controversial Wall Street billionaire who uses his wealth to underwrite numerous organizations and PR campaigns to generate public support for slashing Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, citing concerns over "unsustainable" federal budget deficits. In 2007, he made a fortune from the public offering of the private equity firm he co-founded, Blackstone Group, and pledged to spend $1 billion of this money to "fix America's key fiscal-sustainability problems."

In January 2013, the Peterson Foundation, along with the Clinton Global Initiative University (a younger version of the Clinton Global Initiative, with an annual meeting of "students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities " to "develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges" Sources: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Peter_Peterson and https://newrepublic.com/article/113141/pete-petersons-plans-turn-college...

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From the Light House.

Submitted by Ken in MN on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 3:03pm

I guess we now know who President Clinton will...

...nominate to be the next Secretary of the Treasury...

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I want my two dollars!

Submitted by elmo on Tue, 06/21/2016 - 10:50am

My husband doesn't believe me

when I tell him cutting SS will be in Clinton's sights if she's elected. Oh, it will be marketed as "strengthening" the program but it will gut it.

The "truly wealthy," those folks that the Clintons aspire to join, consider SS a waste of money that might better be allocated to doing something that benefits them personally.

I will be sorry to have to say "I told you so" again to my spouse (he got the Iraq war/WMD thing wrong, also).

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Even the smallest person can change the course of the future

Submitted by Alex Ocana on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 12:58pm

Former Blackstone Exec Arrested on Criminal Fraud Charges

So now we can add fraud and bankrupting Puerto Rico to Clinton's foreign policy circle:

MARCH 29, 2016

In news from the financial world, a former top official at the massive private equity firm Blackstone Group has been arrested on criminal fraud charges for what U.S. prosecutors called a "brazen" scheme to defraud investors of up to $95 million. Andrew Caspersen was a partner at the Park Hill Group, which until recently was part of the Blackstone Group. His father, Finn M.W. Caspersen, committed suicide in 2009 while under federal investigation for allegedly concealing millions of dollars in a tax shelter.

Source: http://www.democracynow.org/2016/3/29/headlines/former_blackstone_exec_a...

Insurers Tap Blackstone, Houlihan for Puerto Rico Restructuring
July 8, 2014

Reuters reported MBIA is working with The Blackstone Group, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter, and Assured Guaranty hired professionals from Houlihan Lokey, Assured’s spokeswoman, Ashweeta Durani, confirmed.

Source: http://www.abfjournal.com/dailynews/insurers-tap-blackstone-houlihan-for...

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From the Light House.

Submitted by riverlover on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 1:34pm

oh great, father passes crook genes to son.

And what has happened since his arrest? The usual nothing?

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Submitted by elmo on Tue, 06/21/2016 - 10:53am

A future profit opportunity for Hillary!

Bill got away with pardoning Marc Rich. See, as long as they don't catch you on video taking a bag of cash in exchange for the explicit words "you give me this cash and I pardon you!" it's all good.

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Even the smallest person can change the course of the future

Submitted by k9disc on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 1:34pm

Where Are These People's Econ Cred Coming From?

What does Albright know about economics and business?

Wasn't she a government bureaucrat?

There is something wrong when government officials wind up with hundreds of billions of dollars and a cushy job advising Wall St.

Reading your piece, I was struck by the idea that the war is between money and people. Wish we were able to converse live instead of trading written comments.

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“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

Submitted by Raggedy Ann on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 1:57pm

Any possible way to make real money

is the name of the game, folks. Follow the money and the usual suspects are all lined up with their hands out or in your pocket snatching your wallet. E-money? That's their dream so they can know where every cent resides, which makes it easier to take from us. Resist.

They are all about money. Period. Nothing else matters. Period.

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Submitted by Lookout on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 2:01pm

The depth...

of corruption and manipulation is staggering. If only there was an honest media, but alas they are all complicit. Thank you for all your research.

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by Amanda Matthews on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 2:12pm

Let's just be more honest and efficient and cut through the crap

Make these people wear a sign indicating the lowest 'contribution' they will accept for selling the 99% out. That way the uber rich will automatically know how much to pony up and we'll be able to see the dollar value these slugs put on our rights, our livelihood, our families, and this country. Maybe they could issue a weekly flyer like local grocery stores do.

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I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Submitted by Alex Ocana on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 3:16pm

Vital Voices

Often when digging through this stuff I feel like I am in some sort of alternative universe. For example, I wanted to see what else Clinton and Albright have done as a team and ran into "Vital Voices" which they co-founded.

Ok, I watched an admittedly uplifting video on empowerment of women and then switched to their touted awards program and clicked on a Hafsat Abiola's Global Leadership Award video. Once again, uplifting. I mean I can find one slough of things I agree with her about.

But then my suspicions were perked up by this: "When Hafsat Abiola was studying at Harvard University in 1994, she was approached by a group of students on campus..." Harvard? WTF is a Nigerian social justice activist going to Harvard for and with what money??? Damn, give me Berta Caceres any day...

Her father was elected President in 1993 on a platform of forming ethnic unity... at least according to what I can find, it was a valid election. Tragically, he was arrested before he could take office, and died in jail. Hafsat's mother was assassinated.

What interested me most though was this:

"Abiola was considered to be a genial businessman who amassed a fortune through his association with various enterprises, including publishing, communications, and oil...

... comptroller of Pfizer Products, Ltd. between 1967 and 1969. In 1969, he became the comptroller of International Telephone and Telegraph (ITT), Nigeria, Ltd., and rapidly rose to become vice president for ITT's Africa and Middle East branch. He was also chairman and chief executive officer of ITT Nigeria, Ltd. from 1972 through 1988...

...Much of Abiola's fortune, which was estimated at close to $2 billion, he freely distributed to others. He is said to have sent over 2,500 students through the university system as well as donating money to charities and championing sporting events. His generosity earned Abiola the nickname "Father Christmas" among the citizens of Nigeria." Source: http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Moshood_Abiola.aspx

Reminds me of the Suarez family in Bolivia who amassed a huge fortune using narco-trafico as a base and was sort of like the Godfather to one region of Bolivia... maybe not a good comparison since Pfizer makes legal drugs...

Then following up I see that the Bill Clinton threw Abiola under the bus.

"In November 1993, Abacha seized power and annulled that year's presidential elections, won by conservative [read neoliberal] civilian politician Moshood Abiola. Abiola was charged with treason in 1994 after he declared himself the rightful president. He remains in jail.

On October 1, 1995, Abacha [During Abacha's regime, he and his family reportedly stole a total of £5 billion from the country's coffers. In 2004, Abacha was listed as the fourth most corrupt leader in history] announced a three-year timetable for a "transition to democracy". The plan was described as a sham by the Nigerian democracy movement.

At every step, the west — most importantly the US and Britain — has been prepared to give the dictatorship the benefit of the doubt. While making criticisms and imposing token sanctions — due to pressure from domestic public opinion, especially following the execution of Ogoni leader Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1995 — Washington and London have steadfastly refused to introduce the one measure that would hurt the Nigerian military, oil sanctions.

The Nigerian democracy movement, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka, Greenpeace, US churches, the Sierra Club environment group, the anti-apartheid group TransAfrica, the US National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the US Conference of Mayors have all demanded oil sanctions against Nigeria." Source: https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/17793

Then, of course is the Nigerian donation list to the Clinton Foundation. This is the tip of the iceberg; "Procter & Gamble's Nigeria operation won a prestigious State Department award in 2011. The company donated between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation." Source http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/hillary-clintons-nigeria-record-once-a...

I feel like us working people are clods of dirt ground into grains of dust on a billionaire's global playground. Billionaire corrupt generals vs. billionaire presidential candidate, billionaire corporations moving money around to ther billionaires... and all their puppy dogs convincing us that the billionaire playground is the proper way to run the world, as we watch our children go to dilapidated schools, and have only as little food as possible to keep them barely alive.

I have saved Hafsat Abiola's puppy dog video for last.

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From the Light House.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 6:46pm

Many members of congress and Obama are complicit

In the corruption of the Clinton foundation.
In your link, a congressman asked why Hillary wouldn't declare Boko Haram a terrorist group. He even asked if the reason why she didn't was because of her ties to the people who donated to her foundation.
And as always, Bill was in the thick of it.
It was always a three some between Bill giving a speech, Hillary's state department either doing favors or selling weapons, and then the foundation was given millions of dollars in donations.
Obama told her not to hire Sidney Bluementhal at the state department, so she hired him to work for her foundation. And he sent classified emails without having the proper security clearance.
And anyone want to believe that Obama wasn't awar of any of this? Or congress?
Both told her to keep her foundation separate from her duties as SOS, yet she didn't. So why the hell didn't anyone do anything about it?
Are the Clintons that powerful to be able to get away with anything?

The Clinton Foundation's acceptance of donations from Nigerian companies has raised red flags in the past. Red flags to members of congress

For example, the First Bank of Nigeria, one of the country's largest financial institutions, gave as much as $25,000 to the Clinton Foundation.

Submitted by dancingrabbit on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 10:37pm

The Clinton family is mafia. Period.

That's how they get away with all they do. Cross them and . . .

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Only connect. - E.M. Forster

Submitted by Caerus on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 9:46pm

They co-opted, not founded, Vital Voices

Vital Voices was founded by Ambassador Swanee Hunt, US ambassador in Clinton admin.
Her husband, a concert conductor, was traveling in Europe, and as an Ambassador, Hunt needed permission to enter a country. SO, she asked to have "interesting women" gather, to meet with her, so she could learn more about the role of women in each country.
Voila, Vital Voices. She kept the network connected.

When she left office, went to Kennedy School of Gov in MA, Hillary, and her sycophants took it over, and Hillary made her BFF Melanne Verveer in charge - and loaded it up with rich women, keeping all her contacts in tact. Giving credit to herself, first and foremost, per ususal. Swanee Hunt didn't need any of that, she of the Hunt of Texas, silver money, and well established with Clintons. A Kerry supporter, who BTW, funded the negative ads against Dean in Iowa What tangled webs we weave....that money connection to Kerry was VERY LATE in disclosure....until New York Times picked up on it.

Submitted by lizzyh7 on Tue, 06/21/2016 - 4:06pm

And there's good old ITT

another in a long line of neo-liberal Corporations wreaking havoc all over the world. Maybe Abiolo developed a conscience late in life and had to be restrained by attack dog Bill Clinton? We'll never truly know. And you point out so well all the connections one has to be able to trace to get anywhere near the truth.

Thanks much for writing this whole diary and adding this extra "context" to such an ugly crooked game.

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

Submitted by mimi on Mon, 06/20/2016 - 10:22pm