HFA Statement on Trump’s Reported Violation of the US Embargo Against Cuba

Following revelations that Donald Trump may have illegally conducted business in Cuba during the embargo, Hillary for America  senior policy adviser Jake Sullivan released the following statement.

“Trump’s business with Cuba appears to have broken the law, flouted U.S. foreign policy, and is in complete contradiction to Trump’s own repeated, public statements that he had been offered opportunities to invest in Cuba but passed them up. This latest report shows once again that Trump will always put his own business interest ahead of the national interest – and has no trouble lying about it.”

The Trump campaign this morning:

Kellyanne Conway Was Asked Whether She Denied That Trump’s Company Spent Money In Cuba And Said “I Think They Paid Money, As I Understand From The Story, They Paid Money In 1998.” HOST: Are you denying that his company spent any money in Cuba? KELLYANNE CONWAY: I think they paid money, as I understand from the story, they paid money in 1998 – I know we’re not supposed to talk about years ago when it comes to the Clintons, but with Trump there is no statute of limitations.

Some of Trump’s comments on Cuba:

Trump Said European Investors “Have Asked Me To Take The ‘Trump Magic’ To Cuba.” “In a June 27 article in El Nuevo Herald (the Spanish-language version of the Miami Herald), New Jersey casino operator Trump revealed European investors ‘have asked me to take the “Trump Magic” to Cuba’ and build casino-hotels in Havana.” [New York Post, 7/11/99]

Trump Said He Would Earn Millions Of Dollars By Doing Business In Cuba But Would Lose His Self-Respect. “If he were to bypass the U.S. embargo this way, Trump said, ‘I could earn millions of dollars in Cuba. But I prefer to lose those millions than to lose my self-respect.’” [New York Post, 7/11/99]

1999: Trump Said He Would “Immediately Reverse The Move To Normalize Relations” With Fidel Castro And That “Normalization Is Pure Lunacy.” “I would also immediately reverse the move to normalize relations with the most abnormal political figure in our hemisphere: Fidel Castro. We have pushed him to the precipice with our embargo, helped of course by the withdrawal of Soviet backing. Now comes a movement, backed by State Department bureaucrats, to rescue Mr. Castro with U.S. dollars. The striped-pants set won’t like hearing this, but normalization is pure lunacy. If a right-wing dictator like Augusto Pinochet can be extradited and tried for his crimes against humanity, the same treatment is due Mr. Castro.” [Donald Trump, Wall Street Journal, 9/30/99]

2000: Trump On The Cuban Embargo: Cuba Will Be Freed By Ideas, Not By “Rapacious Businessmen Lining Castro’s Pockets And Propping Up His Oppressive Regime.” “Cuba will be freed by ideas, not by rapacious businessmen lining Castro’s pockets and propping up his oppressive regime.” [Donald Trump, The America We Deserve, 1/15/00]

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News Source: Newsweek, The Washington Post

HFA Response to Report that Trump Foundation Used Charity Money to Settle Legal Problems

Following a report that Donald Trump used money from the Trump Foundation to settle his legal issues, Hillary for America Deputy Communications Director Christina Reynolds responded with the following statement:

“Clearly the Trump Foundation is as much a charitable organization as Trump University is an institute of higher education. Trump’s version of charity is taking money from others to settle his own legal issues and buy at least two pictures of himself, which experts say is a clear violation of laws governing charitable organizations. Once again, Trump has proven himself a fraud who believes the rules don’t apply to him. It’s past time for him to release his tax returns to show whether his tax issues extend to his own personal finances.”

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News Source: The Washington Post

Hillary Clinton Writes Open Letter to Wells Fargo Customers

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton published an open letter to Wells Fargo customers following the discovery that the majority of bank branches across the country were involved in illegal activity. The Justice Department has responded, and the bank has fired thousands of its employees. In her letter, Clinton condemns Wells Fargo for their actions and outlines her plans to ensure that banks cannot gamble with customers’ money. A copy of Clinton’s letter is below.

Dear Wells Fargo Customers,

In America, we have faith that when we open up a checking account, we aren’t opening ourselves up to being scammed. Whether you use a local credit union or community bank or one of the big national chains, we take it for granted that those institutions are fulfilling this basic responsibility to their consumers.

That’s why I was deeply disturbed when, last week, we found out that Wells Fargo had engaged in widespread illegal practices over many years.  The bank secretly opened up millions of accounts for customers without their consent – betraying their customers, misusing their personal information and leading many to be slapped with unjust fees and other charges. Today, Wells Fargo’s CEO will appear before Congress. He owes all of you a clear explanation as to how this happened under his watch.

There is simply no place for this kind of outrageous behavior in America.

Our economy depends on a strong and safe banking system to help keep it moving. But even after Americans spent years working hard to recover from the Great Recession, the culture of misconduct and recklessness that preceded that crisis too often persists.

I have a plan to address it.

First, we need to defend the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  The unfair and abusive practices at Wells Fargo remind us that we need tough watchdogs looking out for customers.  The CFPB worked with local authorities and enforced the law – assessing its highest penalty ever, and bringing the bank’s illegal activity into the national spotlight.

Donald Trump, the Republican Party, and Wall Street lobbyists are desperate to dismantle this effective agency, which is dedicated solely to protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive practices.  I won’t let them put the CFPB under their thumb.  I’ll protect the CFPB and make sure it can continue its essential work on behalf of the American people.

Second, we need real consequences when firms on Wall Street break the law. This past week, we learned that one of the Wells Fargo executives that oversaw the division that ripped off its customers left the bank – not with a pink slip, but with a $125 million payout.  It’s hard to imagine that top executives were unaware of a problem that involved thousands of the firm’s employees.  After all, they imposed sales targets and compensation incentives in ways that led to this behavior.  And it’s frustrating that a bank can simply pay a fine and keep doing business as usual – with massive compensation for the executives responsible.  That compensation should be clawed back.

I’ve put forward an agenda to enhance accountability on Wall Street. Executives should be held individually accountable when rampant illegal activity happens on their watch.  Their compensation should take a hit if their companies pay major fines.  And they must face appropriate legal consequences if they break the law.

Third, we need to make sure that no financial institution is too big to manage.  I’ll put additional safeguards in place to address the risks that the big banks continue to pose to our system.  And if any bank can’t be managed effectively, it should be broken up.

I’ll appoint regulators who will stand with taxpayers and consumers, not with big banks and their friends in Congress.  I’ll fight hard to make sure that Wall Street is working for Main Street – not the other way around.

We need to keep pushing to make the financial system safer and fairer. Let’s do it together.

Sincerely,

Hillary Clinton

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News Source: The Briefing

Bill and Chelsea Clinton Campaign for Hillary/Kaine

On Wednesday, Bill and Chelsea Clinton were on the campaign trail for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. At a rally in Orlando, Florida, Bill spoke about a number of Hillary’s plans including creating new jobs, improving the economy, and passing immigration reform. He also spoke about something important to him, the Clinton Foundation. The foundation has come under fire recently for claims that donors were given special access to Hillary when she was Secretary of State. While there is not evidence to support his claim, Donald Trump’s Trump Foundation has been fined for an illegal donation to Florida state Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bill took the attacks on the Clinton Foundation personally saying that Trump “attacked my foundation. I think that’s because he knew they [the news media] were about to report that he used his foundation to give money to your attorney general.” A video from the rally is below.

In Pennsylvania, Chelsea attended two events. The first was an organizing event in Carlisle where she spoke about a number of Hillary’s key platform proposals including her plans to ensure women receive equal pay, improvement to the health care system, and introducing common sense gun control. Chelsea then traveled to State College where she spoke with supporters at the local Democratic National Committee office. Chelsea was there to help launch a local phone bank initiative, and she spoke about the importance of voting in November. “I hope you’ll keep having conversations about why it’s so important to register to vote,” she told the group. A video of Chelsea’s remarks in Carlisle are below.

Meanwhile, two fundraisers were held on behalf of Hillary for America. The first was in Miami, Florida where Bill Clinton and Hall of Fame Star Alonzo Mourning spoke with supporters at The Fillmore. Then, Melanne Verveer attended a fundraiser for American citizens living in Taipei, Taiwan.

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News Source: Orlando Sentinel, Fox 43, Daily Collegian

HFA Responds to Trump Foundation’s Involvement in Actual Pay-To-Play Scandal

In response to a new Washington Post report revealing that the Internal Revenue Service has fined Donald Trump for using funds from his charitable foundation to make a campaign donation to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Hillary for America Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri released the following statement:

“Donald Trump has been falsely attacking the charity run by President Clinton when it is Trump’s own Foundation that has been caught in an actual pay-to-play scandal.

While the Clinton Foundation has received the highest ratings from independent charitable watchdogs, Donald Trump’s use of foundation money to donate to the Florida Attorney General actually broke the law. Worst of all, it appears the payment may have been intended to stave off an investigation into the sham Trump University that has ripped off unsuspecting students.

Donald Trump has no standing whatsoever to question the Clinton Foundation, which works to make AIDS and malaria drugs more accessible, when it’s been proven he uses his own foundation to launder illegal campaign donations.”

Below is a key excerpt from the Washington Post bombshell:

Trump pays IRS a penalty for his foundation violating rules with gift to aid Florida attorney general

By David A. Fahrenthold

Donald Trump paid the IRS a $2,500 penalty this year, an official at Trump’s company said, after it was revealed that Trump’s charitable foundation had violated tax laws by giving a political contribution to a campaign group connected to Florida’s attorney general.

The improper donation, a $25,000 gift from the Donald J. Trump Foundation, was made in 2013. At the time, Attorney General Pam Bondi was considering whether to investigate fraud allegations against Trump University. She decided not to pursue the case.

Read the full article here.

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Clinton Statement on Anniversary of Marriage Equality Court Decision

One year ago today, the Supreme Court ruled that it is illegal for states to block LGBT citizens from getting married. The decision came out of two cases (United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges), and the rulings proved to be a historic moment in the United States. Hillary Clinton released a statement praising the progress that has been made, and she vowed to continue to fight for equal rights for LGBT Americans under federal law. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below:

“One year ago today, we celebrated a watershed moment for equality in America. Thanks to the bravery of LGBT Americans like Jim Obergefell and Edie Windsor, and the determination and tireless organizing of the LGBT community and their allies, marriage equality became the law of the land in all 50 states.

Over the last year, more barriers to equality have fallen – including, finally, the last state law banning same-sex couples from adopting. Just this month, President Obama designated Stonewall as the first national monument commemorating LGBT history in America.

We’ve also seen how much work is still unfinished.  The attack in Orlando broke our hearts, and reminded us that LGBT people – particularly people of color – are still targets for harassment and violence.  Discriminatory laws in states like North Carolina highlight the need for full federal equality under the law for LGBT Americans. And Donald Trump’s pledge to consider appointing Supreme Court justices who would overturn marriage equality underscores the fact that so much of the progress we’ve made is at stake in November.

But even when the road ahead seems daunting, never forget: on this day in history, love triumphed in the highest court in the land.  Today, our march toward a more perfect union continues—toward equality, dignity, and justice for all.”

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Clinton Participates in Telemundo Facebook Q&A

On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton participated in a Facebook Q&A event hosted by Telemundo. The primary topic of the questions asked of Clinton were about immigration, but she was asked about several other topics including Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and her use of the term “illegal immigrant”. Read the full Q&A session by CLICKING HERE.

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News Source: Latin Post