Free Republic

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group the White House recently identified as a key surrogate in selling the Iran nuclear deal gave National Public Radio $100,000 last year to help it report on the pact and related issues, according to the group's annual report. It also funded reporters and partnerships with other news outlets. The Ploughshares Fund's mission is to "build a safe, secure world by developing and investing in initiatives to reduce and ultimately eliminate the world's nuclear stockpiles," one that dovetails with President Barack Obama's arms control efforts. But its behind-the-scenes role advocating for the Iran agreement got more...

Donor promised to make Clinton ‘look good’ if appointed to board Rajiv Fernando lobbied top Clinton aide for a seat on sensitive intelligence board He had little experience in the field and resigned after appointment was scrutinized The Chicago businessman donated to Clinton, Obama and the Clinton Foundation WASHINGTON A major Democratic donor personally lobbied then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s office for a seat on a sensitive government intelligence board, telling one of her closest aides that if appointed he would make Clinton “look good.” Rajiv Fernando acknowledged that he may not have the experience to sit on a board...

His only qualification was giving lots of money to the Clinton Foundation A few weeks ago, ABC broke the story of Raj Fernando, a big-money donor to the Clinton Foundation - as well as past campaigns of both Obama and Hillary - and how he managed to land a spot on the prestigious International Security Advisory Board. That’s a board generally populated by former generals, governors and top diplomats, who advise the Secretary of State on international security matters. Lots of eyebrows were raised when a securities trader with no background in any of this was introduced as a new...

Newly released State Department emails help reveal how a major Clinton Foundation donor was placed on a sensitive government intelligence advisory board even though he had no obvious experience in the field, a decision that appeared to baffle the department’s professional staff. The emails further reveal how, after inquiries from ABC News, the Clinton staff sought to “protect the name” of the Secretary, “stall” the ABC News reporter and ultimately accept the resignation of the donor just two days later. Copies of dozens of internal emails were provided to ABC News by the conservative political group Citizens United, which obtained...

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton is making her second fundraising visit to Chicago on Tuesday, attending an event at the home of securities trader Rajiv Fernando. In 2011, Obama appointed Fernando to serve on the International Security Advisory Board, a panel that was charged with advising then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on sensitive security matters. After the appointment, ABC News raised questions about Fernando’s qualifications for the panel. Days after the report, which also noted Fernando’s contributions to the Clinton Foundation, the trader stepped down from the board, saying he did not have time to serve. Clinton is asking...