Following news that the FBI had charged three Kansas men for plotting to use a weapon of mass destruction against an apartment complex in Garden City, Kansas, that is home to many Somali immigrants, Hillary Clinton issues the following statement:
“I applaud law enforcement for detecting and disrupting a highly disturbing terror plot in Kansas, in which men were allegedly planning an elaborate attack directed at Muslim Americans, including directing four car bombs at an apartment complex housing more than 100 men, women, and children. This plot is an affront to all Americans. We all must stand firm in fighting terror and rejecting hateful and divisive rhetoric–and we must do it together. According to the FBI, their eight-month investigation uncovered ‘a hidden culture of hatred and violence.’ We should all be grateful to law enforcement for preventing this plot from being carried out, and as President, I will work with law enforcement at all levels and with our communities to make sure we have the tools we need to prevent both domestic and international terrorist threats.”
Donald Trump is eager to talk about the last 30 years and Hillary Clinton, too, is eager to discuss her three decades of experience and public service. Clinton has dedicated her life to serving others, while Trump has spent decades trying to get ahead at the expense of others. Today, Hillary for America is launcha new website offering a side-by-side comparison of what they were each doing at various times in their lives. Their records show that there’s only one candidate in this race who truly puts the American people first: Hillary Clinton.
In the 1970s and 80s:
Clinton’s first job out of law school was with the Children’s Defense Fund, and one of her first tasks was going door to door to figure out why so many children were missing school. The evidence she helped gather was presented to Congress to build the case for the passage of the law that ensures all children with disabilities have access quality education. Later, while a law professor at the University of Arkansas, Clinton founded a legal aid clinic to help low-income children and families in need of legal representation. And as First Lady of Arkansas, she chaired the state’s Education Standards Committee, working to improve the quality of schools and give every child a chance to succeed.
Trump was President of his dad’s real estate company and the family business when it was sued by the Justice Department for refusing to rent apartments to African Americans in New York City and Virginia. The lawsuit unearthed a disturbing pattern among employees of Trump’s real estate company, who appeared to systematically deny applications to aspiring black renters. Trump borrowed at least $14 million from his father for his real estate empire.
After 9/11, Clinton immediately got to work fighting for first responders and emergency workers. She introduced a bill to speed up the payment of benefits to families of public safety officers who died in the line of duty on 9/11 and it became law a few days later. In 2006, she introduced the Heroes at Home Act to aid veterans with post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injuries.
In the Senate, Clinton also worked on improving access to health care and making it more affordable. She fought for Medicare to be able to negotiate for fair drug prices, supported getting generic drugs to market faster, and consistently backed safe prescription drug importation from other countries. She co-authored and worked to pass the Pediatric Research Equity Act, which forced drug companies to conduct pediatric tests on products prescribed for kids. “She also worked on economic issues for New York State, co-founding the bipartisan Senate manufacturing caucus and fighting for New York’s strong manufacturing base and steel industry.
At the same time, Trumptook $150,000 from a program designed to help small businesses in the aftermath of 9/11 and spent years lying about both his personal attachment to 9/11 and his commitment to helping New York recover. Trump also spent his time cheating more than 5,000 students at his scam Trump University and running a sham charitable foundation that spent money on non-charitable expenses like a portrait of himself and personal legal fees, and failed to properly register to raise money in the State of New York. It was reported that Trump repeatedly demeaned a crew member working on The Apprentice and used misogynistic language about female contestants.
In the 2010s:
Clinton served as Secretary of State. She built the toughest sanctions regime in history on Iran, twisting arms in China, Russia, and dozens of other countries, to force Iran to the negotiating table. And when pressure started working, she sent her closest aides to explore a diplomatic opening that led to a deal cutting off Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon. She personally negotiated an end to Hamas rockets raining down on Israel in 2012 and worked to build stronger defense programs for Israel, including upgrading the Iron Dome rocket defense system. She worked to ensure ratification of the New START treaty, which will make the world safer by reducing the number of deployed U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons. She fought to make women’s rights a priority in international relations, stood up against sex trafficking of women and children, and led the fight for a UN Security Council resolution to combat sexual violence against women and children around the world that passed unanimously. She advised President Obama on the decision to bring Osama bin Laden to justice — and on May 1, 2011, she was in the Situation Room as the operation unfolded.
The same night as Clinton advised President Obama on the Osama bin Laden raid, Trump was busy appearing on an episode of The Celebrity Apprentice. Trump has spent this decade peddling shameful lies about President Obama’s nationality as the leader of the birther movement; making a deal with Gaddafi to set up a tent on Trump’s property; filing for bankruptcy at Trump Plaza; fighting fraud suits over Trump University; and doling out illegal campaign donations from his sham charitable foundation.
This morning, Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered a highly anticipated speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. After being introduced by Brookings president Strobe Talbott, she voiced her support for the agreement between the United States and Iran, and took a strong stance on enforcement of the oversight introduced by the agreement and ensuring that Iran does not break the agreement. The key to ensuring safety in the region is limiting Iran’s nuclear capabilities and ensuring oversight by the IAEA. Clinton’s primary focus was a continuing diplomatic approach to Iran, but she did not rule out a stronger response if Iran broke the agreement.
Clinton did not shy away from her skepticism of Iran and understands why many world leaders and politicians are skeptical as well. But a lot of work has gone in to getting Iran to the negotiating table and, while the agreement may not be perfect, it is a start. She addressed her success as Secretary of State of putting together a global sanctions package against Iran. As a result, many countries cut back its use of Iranian oil and cut off financial ties. This was successful because it was global, and the sanctions persuaded Iran to come to the negotiating table that ultimately led to this agreement.
Clinton admitted several times that the agreement isn’t perfect, and that continued work and strong enforcement are necessary to make it better over time. But it is better to have the oversight the agreement provides. It is up to the United States to ensure the deal is enforced by the global community. As president, she said that her strategy with Iran would be “distrust and verify,” and that if they cheated the deal, the United States and the world would respond swiftly and with strength.
She voiced her support for Israel and her understanding for the skepticism that has been voiced by Israeli leaders. As president, she would strongly support Israel, and ensuring the security of Israel is one of the primary pillars of Clinton’s foreign policy plan. She’s confident that Israel will be safer with this deal, and the oversight of Iran’s nuclear program, then without it.
Following her address, Clinton had a brief conversation with Martin Indyk, executive vice president of Brookings, in which she went in to more detail about the agreement and how to go about implementing it. The floor was then opened to the audience to ask questions. The full video from the event is above.
Clinton gives a speech in Ohio on August 27, 2015.
Tomorrow, Hillary Rodham Clinton will give a speech on the proposed agreement between the United States and Iran in regard to its nuclear capabilities. The agreement, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, must be approved by Congress before it can be enacted. Clinton supports the proposal as it calls for strict oversight of Iran’s enrichment capabilities and will prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon.
Clinton’s speech is being hosted by Brookings, and you can sign up to watch a live webcast of the event by CLICKING HERE.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during a campaign stop at Uncle Nancy’s Coffee House, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2015, in Newton, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
On Sunday, Hillary Rodham Clinton returned to Iowa where she addressed a group of supporters at Uncle Nancy’s Coffee in Newton, Iowa. She said she is prepared to take on Republicans in the general election and addressed a number of platform topics including immigration. This evening, Clinton attended a private event in Cedar Rapids where she addressed comments made this morning on Fox News by former Vice President Dick Cheney. He claimed that Iran did not start developing nuclear weapons until President Barack Obama took office in 2009 (Cheney was corrected by Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace). Clinton disagreed saying, “Iran was on a pretty fast track toward a nuclear weapon when Barack Obama became president.”
Clinton is will deliver a speech in Washington, DC on Wednesday supporting the President’s agreement with Iran. Until then, follow Clinton on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Clinton speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill on July 14
In a statement released late Tuesday, Hillary Rodham Clinton voiced her support of the deal announced today with Iran. The agreement will limit Iran’s use of nuclear materials and enforce strict oversight of its enrichment plants. Many are skeptical of the deal, but others say it is a step in the right direction. The full text of Clinton’s statement is below:
I am still studying the details, but based on the briefings I received and a review of the documents, I support the agreement because it can help us prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. With vigorous enforcement, unyielding verification, and swift consequences for any violations, this agreement can make the United States, Israel, and our Arab partners safer.
In light of the international community’s long history and experience with Iranian behavior, the highest priority must be given to effective enforcement of the agreement. Signing is just the beginning. As President, I would use every tool in our arsenal to compel rigorous Iranian compliance. At the outset, we must see the verified roll back of the Iranian nuclear program required by the agreement. We can never permit Iran to evade its obligations or to place any suspicious site off limits to inspectors. And the response to any cheating must be immediate and decisive – starting with the return of sanctions but taking no options off the table, including, if necessary, our military options.
The message to Iran should be loud and clear: We will never allow you to acquire a nuclear weapon; not just during the term of this agreement – never.
Today’s agreement is the culmination of a sustained strategy of pressure and engagement executed over many years. As Secretary of State, I logged tens of thousands of miles and twisted a lot of arms to build a global coalition to impose the most crippling sanctions in history. That unprecedented pressure delivered a blow to Iran’s economy and gave us leverage at the negotiating table, starting in Oman in 2012. I know from experience what it took to build a global effort to get this done; I know what it will take to rally our partners to enforce it.
Going forward, we have to be clear-eyed when it comes to the broader threat Iran represents. Even with a nuclear agreement, Iran poses a real challenge to the United States and our partners and a grave threat to our ally Israel. It continues to destabilize countries from Yemen to Lebanon, while exacerbating the conflict in Syria. It is developing missiles that can strike every country in the Middle East. And it fuels terrorism throughout the region and beyond, including through direct support to Hamas and Hizballah. We have to broadly confront and raise the costs for Iran’s destabilizing activities, insist on the return of U.S. citizens being held in Iranian prisons, and strengthen security cooperation with our allies and partners. Sanctions for terrorism, and other non-nuclear sanctions, must remain a key part of our strategy and must be vigorously enforced.
Israel has to be confident that the United States will always ensure its Qualitative Military Edge in the region and its capacity to defend itself by itself. As President, I would invite the senior Israeli leadership to Washington for early talks on further strengthening our alliance. We must also deepen our security relationship with our Arab partners threatened by Iran. This includes our continued presence and providing needed capabilities. Iran should have no doubt about our support for the security of our partners.
I know that there are people of good faith who oppose this deal – people I respect. They raise concerns that have to be taken seriously. They are right to call for extreme vigilance. I am as familiar with Iranian behavior and the need to confront it as anyone. I support this agreement because I believe it is the most effective path of all the alternatives available to the U.S. and our partners to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
So we should applaud President Obama, Secretary Kerry, and Secretary Moniz for getting this done, and proceed with wisdom and strength in enforcing this deal to the fullest and in meeting the broader Iranian challenge.
Hillary Clinton Speeches 