Clinton donor benefited from legislation backed by Sen. Clinton (Pay-to-play?)

Seattle Times ^ | 1/04/09 | CHARLIE SAVAGE

[Libloather]

Clinton donor benefited from legislation backed by Sen. Clinton
An upstate New York developer donated $100,000 to former President Clinton's foundation in November 2004, about the same time Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton helped...
By CHARLIE SAVAGE
The New York Times
Originally published Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON — An upstate New York developer donated $100,000 to former President Clinton's foundation in November 2004, about the same time Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton helped secure millions of dollars in federal assistance for the businessman's mall project.

Sen. Clinton helped enact legislation allowing the developer, Robert Congel, to use tax-exempt bonds to help finance the construction of the Destiny USA entertainment and shopping complex, an expansion of the Carousel Center in Syracuse, N.Y.

She also helped secure an earmark in a highway bill that set aside $5 million for Destiny USA roadway construction.

The bill with the tax-free bonds provision became law in October 2004, weeks before the donation was made, and the highway bill with the earmark became law in August 2005, about nine months after the donation was made.

Congel and Philippe Reines, a spokesman for Sen. Clinton, said there was no connection between his donation and her legislative work on his project's behalf.

**SNIP**

Lower on the list was Congel's name, one of about 180 people who had donated $50,000 to $100,000. A Destiny USA spokesman said Congel made a $100,000 donation to Bill Clinton's foundation in November 2004.

"There was no connection with Bill Clinton and the 'green bonds' and the contribution," Congel said. "None at all."

**SNIP**

Reines said that Sen. Clinton did not solicit the donation from Congel and was unaware of the timing and amount of it until last month.

[Da Coyote]

“Pay to play?”

Clinton. Duh.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I’m surprised Hillary knows where Syracuse is.

[wny]

I’M SHOCKED!

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

I know a lot of democrats (I'm in Philadelphia, unfortunately). The majority are not only fully aware of how corrupt their party is, they're proud of it. Because they have it in their heads that republicans are thoroughly corrupt, too. They look at politics like a street fight, where the rules were discarded a long time ago.

Democrats do this sort of thing with impunity because they have the blessing of their voters. That goes double for Clintonistas.

[doug from upland]

Time for her to drop out like Richardson.

[oh8eleven]

Got your popcorn ready and a scorecard?
You can't tell one Dem crook from another without one.