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One Cabinet Job Would Put Focus On Two Clintons


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Since founding his global conference, Clinton says, he has facilitated charitable commitments valued at $46 billion that already have improved more than 200 million lives in 150 countries. And his personal wealth has ballooned as well: The Clintons earned a combined $109 million during the Bush administration.
The 63-page vetting document that Obama is using asks applicants whether there are "any categories of personal financial records . . . that you (or your spouse) will not release publicly if necessary. If so, please identify these records and state the reasons for withholding them."
Interestingly, in the margins of a copy of the application leaked from the transition team, the word "Clinton" is written next to that paragraph.
After earning $200,000 a year in the White House, the former president has raked in more than $40 million on the speaking circuit, often from foreign companies in countries where a Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would confront thorny issues in the next several years.
Even without a wife in Obama's Cabinet, Clinton has already raised eyebrows with his speeches. In February 2005, Clinton spoke about AIDS to a Swiss biotech firm whose American subsidiary eventually agreed to pay $704 million after pleading guilty to conspiracy. In 2001, he was paid $125,000 to speak to International Profit Associates, an Illinois company that was the focus of a federal investigation and a government lawsuit alleging widespread sexual harassment.
Clinton has also turned his friendships with wealthy businessmen into a source of personal income. Partnerships with billionaire California investor Ronald Burkle earned Clinton more than $5 million. The former president made more than $3 million as a consultant to InfoUSA, a consumer data business founded by his friend Vinod Gupta.
Clinton has also been linked to controversial foreign deals. A New York Times report suggested that the former president had played a key role in helping a Canadian mining executive, Frank Giustra, win a uranium-mining contract in Kazakhstan.
The paper reported that Giustra donated $31.3 million to Clinton's foundation shortly after the Kazakhstan mining deal was finalized.
Staff researcher Madonna Lebling contributed to this report.

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