CBS on Friday reversed course and covered the latest revelations on the growing scandal involving Bill and Hillary Clinton and suspicious, foreign donations to their foundation. CBS This Morning's Julianna Goldman offered a surprisingly thorough investigations of the latest charges arising out of a new book, Clinton Cash.
Anchor Charlie Rose began by hyping chiding from a prominent liberal outlet: "A New York Times editorial urges Hillary Clinton to be straightforward about the Clinton foundation's finances. The statement is part of the fallout from an upcoming book about the Clintons and their contributors around the world." Goldman insisted that the book, by Peter Schweizer, is "unnerving donors and creating a distraction for Hillary Clinton's campaign."
Goldman told viewers that CBS had "obtained a copy" of the book that "raises questions whether donors benefitted from their relations with the Clintons."
Breaking down the allegations Goldman described:
JULIANNA GOLDMAN: Former President Bill Clinton was paid $1.4 million by a Nigerian news media group to give two speeches there while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. Schweitzer says the group's founder had close ties to the country's president.It also raises new questions about long time friend and major benefactor Canadian billionaire Frank Giustra, including the implication that Secretary Clinton supported the Colombia free trade agreement because it helped Giustra's business interest.
In another example, the New York Times reported on a previously undisclosed donation of $2.35 million from the foundation to the owner of a Russian uranium mining company looking to operate in the U.S. That required approval by the State Department, among other agencies.
Perhaps this was CBS's attempt to make up for not covering the story on Thursday's Evening News. In contrast, ABC's World News and NBC's Nightly News both offered full reports.
A transcript of the April 24 CBS This Morning segment is below:
7:32
CBS GRAPHIC: Foundation Under Fire: Clintons on Defense Over Book's Donation Claims
CHARLIE ROSE: And a New York Times editorial urges Hillary Clinton to be straightforward about the Clinton foundation's finances. The statement is part of the fallout from an upcoming book about the Clintons and their contributors around the world. Julianna Goldman in Washington has a copy of the new book. Julianna, good morning.
JULIANNA GOLDMAN: Well, the book is unnerving donors and creating a distraction for Hillary Clinton's campaign in its earliest days, drawing new scrutiny of its Clinton Foundation and money it receives from foreign governments and foreign individuals while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. On Thursday, it was Chelsea Clinton's turn to defend her family's foundation.
CHELSEA CLINTON: We'll be even more transparent that, to, kind of, eliminate any questions while we're in this time.
GOLDMAN: To reduce the appearance of a conflict of interest, the Clinton Foundation last week announced it would only accept donations from six western countries and stop taking money from foreign governments like Saudi Arabia, whose human rights records have been internationally condemned. But this week, Hillary Clinton's campaign has had to defend itself in the wake of a series of articles tied to a book. Clinton Cash set to be released next month. Author Peter Schweizer raises questions whether donors benefitted from their relations with the Clintons. According to a copy obtained by the CBS News, Schweizer implies a potential quid pro quo regarding U.S. assistance to Nigeria.
Former President Bill Clinton was paid $1.4 million by a Nigerian news media group to give two speeches there while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State. Schweizer says the group's founder had close ties to the country's president. It also raises new questions about long time friend and major benefactor Canadian billionaire Frank Giustra, including the implication that Secretary Clinton supported the Colombia free trade agreement because it helped Giustra's business interests. In another example, the New York Times reported on a previously undisclosed donation of $2.35 million to the foundation from the owner of a Russian uranium mining company looking to operate in the U.S. That required approval by the State Department, among other agencies. On Thursday, campaign press secretary Brian Fallon pushed back. In one memo, he specifically targeted the New York Times story and he sent a three-page memo to Clinton supporters calling the book a "smear project." "The bottom line," Fallon writes, "remains that the book fails to produce a shred of evidence supporting the theory that Hillary Clinton ever took action as Secretary of State for the purposes of supporting the interests of donors to the Clinton Foundation. The author was a speech writing consultant of former president George W. Bush and also worked for a conservative think tank. But he says this summer he says he'll report on Jeb Bush's business dealings. Gayle, Bill Clinton is still giving paid speeches. Hillary Clinton stopped before she announced her candidacy.
KING: All right, Julianna, thank you.
