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Clinton Family Loan Mystery

April 05, 2008 11:19 AM

Those of us old enough to recall the 1990s can remember presidential half-brother and pardon recipient Roger Clinton, as well as presidential brothers-in-law Tony and Hugh Rodham -- all of whom were caught up in the pardon-gate controversy.

None of them has been seen much (or at all) during Sen. Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, not without good reason. I don't want to be too harsh, but let's just say they all firmly seem to fall into the Bill Carter mold of presidential siblings.

The reason I bring them up is because according to Bill and Hillary's just-released tax returns from 2000-2006, the Clintons paid interest on loans to family members every year from 2001-2006. (The Clintons applied for an extension on their 2007 filing.)

Who were these loans to and how much are they for? Were Roger, Tony and Hugh among the recipients?

Clinton campaign spokesman Jay Carson politely says that's none of our bee's wax.

"The Clintons made interest-free loans to some of their family members," Carson says. "The amount reported is imputed interest on those loans.  The IRS requires that an amount of interest be assigned to interest-free loans; it then taxes the loan giver as if he or she actually received that 'imputed' interest.   Thus, imputed interest is not actually paid by the loan recipient nor received by the loan giver.  The loans to family members are personal; the Clintons are going to respect their family members’ privacy."

Roger Clinton received a presidential pardon from his brother; Tony and Hugh were involved in that pardon controversy. Is it really none of the public's business if Sen. Hillary Clinton and her husband "loaned" any of them money?

- jpt

April 5, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (186)

User Comments

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The media are working feverishly to drive Hillary out of this primary, but their machinations won't work. The seasoned, tested Hillary Clinton will will make a far better President than the inexperienced, unvetted Barak Obama. I don't want a President who has to ask everybody else what to do. I want a President who understands the issues and already knows what to do. That candidate is Hillary Clinton!

Hillary will win PA!

Posted by: Kerry | Apr 5, 2008 8:57:07 PM

William posted:

"This is nuts! I just loaded a family member 50k on Thursday to help save their home. Because the family member and their spouse lost their job. Their company was moved to India.

It's none of anyone damn business who loans whom what! Why are we not talking about what is happening to families in America. Before we are forced to speak Chinese! The stupidity here is outragous!"

Bravo!!! You are sooooo right!!

Posted by: countallthevotes | Apr 5, 2008 8:53:28 PM

julescator posted:

"that makes Obama smarter than Bush"

My God, I would hope so. LOL I will give you that one. LOL

Posted by: countallthevotes | Apr 5, 2008 8:50:47 PM

John,
I agree with you. Crist/McCain would be a formidable ticket. I used to live in Tallahassee. Crist is a VERY effective governor and had to undo all of Jeb Bushes missteps and did it quietly and effortlessly. He enjoys tremendous support among Dems and Repubs. He is the man to watch. Only thing is I don't know that Floridians would want to loose him so soon.

Posted by: countallthevotes | Apr 5, 2008 8:46:11 PM

ADAMS:


You're right.


You had a dream.

Posted by: questioner | Apr 5, 2008 8:26:52 PM

do that vanessa


ta ta

Posted by: questioner | Apr 5, 2008 8:12:19 PM

and Kerry has been everywhere that will give him a mic talking about his support for Obama.

I think Kerry should go away because he couldn't beat Bush in 04!

and every democratic supported him, he was the Obama of '04 , and Kerry couldn't seal the deal in the GENERAL!

Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 7:38:08 PM

@ HANK

Charlie Crist is going deliver Florida for McCain and Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas McCain is leading or tied with Obama in the polls.

Texas, the state which I live in, goes Republican in the GE.

and most of the states Obama has won in the primaries/caucuses have a history of leaning Republican.

and what about Michigan?

Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 7:29:33 PM

"Obama is toast."

So far only Hillary is toast, and in GE we'll see, won't we? My expectation is that McCain will be nowhere at the end of it, but we'll wait and see.

Posted by: hank | Apr 5, 2008 7:24:30 PM

@ HANK

Obama's Iraq adviser didn't publish the paper...it was discovered by the media.

Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 7:23:13 PM

@ HANK

How many times is his Iraq strategy going to change?

Republicans will call him a flip flopper and swiftboat him! John Kerry in '04 anyone? and Kerry didn't have a loony pastor in the wings like Obama does.

Obama is toast.


Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 7:21:22 PM

Actually I thought Hillary's use of the word "Hurled" was a bit telling... as she walked in from hearing about his assassination she 'hurled" her book bag...

really... you mean as a little girl she didn't toos, throw, or chuck her bookbag? No, she hurled it. Because hurl in that sense [not the sense of throwing up] is a word young girls fo that era often used.

She "hurled" it.

Riiiiiight. Can anyoen say... poor speech writer?

Posted by: James in Idaho | Apr 5, 2008 7:13:11 PM

@ herta

If Hillary Clinton cries she is weak, but if Hillary is emotionless she isn't human. Please makeup your mind and I don't see what MLK has to do with picking our next President unless you want to say MLK was truly post race, which he was, and Obama, who is biracial is not! He plays the race card at every opportunity even to defend a "pastor"(using that word loosely) who blames white americans for all the problems of african americans. i'm hispanic and i don't hear my people blaming white people for anything.

Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 7:04:21 PM

JOhn - look at the board! If Hillary is sooo good why is the rookie beating her?

Posted by: julescator | Apr 5, 2008 7:03:43 PM

John - that makes Obama smarter than Bush. Obama has to work with what's happening right now. He knows he can't walk away from the impossible situation Bush and Hillary put us in. He will end the war as resonably as possible. We will never win this war I dont' care if we stay they for 200 years and are flying the Chinese flag! Get a grip. If this war could be won, we would have won it already! We have the finest militay in the world - are you getting a clue yet?

Posted by: julescator | Apr 5, 2008 7:02:29 PM

@ Juliescator

His endorsement is very important because he's from North Carolina!

'nuff said.

I'm nineteen and sadly I know more than you about how politics works!

Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 7:00:07 PM

"Hillary had met and heard MLK"

That's why I compared her tearing up to Bobby Kennedy's speech. I hope I don't have to inform about Bobby's relation to Dr. King and his love for the african american people, many of whom were in his audience in Indianapolis, only to be totally devastated by Bobby's announcement. "These are my people," Bobby said with a sincere feeling of political responsability and love about black people struggling in America and fighting for their rights.

Bobby was a leader, Obama is a leader, Hillary is tearing up.

Which makes me realize that you and other idiots would slam Obama for saying something even remotely like Bobby Kennedy said.

Posted by: herta | Apr 5, 2008 6:58:15 PM

@ Juliescator

Obama Iraq strategist has plans to keep a residual force of 60,000 to 80,000 troops in Iraq until the END of 2010.

So what does that make Obama?

lol.

Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 6:58:08 PM

@ julescator

More disrespect from the Obama camp.

John Edwards, of N. Carolina, a Presidential wannabe? and his wife, Elizabeth Edwards, who has cancer and is supporting Hillary Clinton's healthcare plan because it cover people who have preexisting conditions such as cancer.

Keep that up so you'll cut Obama's lead in North Carolina!

Posted by: John | Apr 5, 2008 6:55:16 PM

JOhn - right back at ya - and just what exactly has Hillary done. Pick our China and steal furniture from the White House? Oh yea - she is a BIG LIAR. On i'm so sure those are ideal traits for a commander in chief. lol lol Only an idiot would think we need to be in Iraq.

Posted by: julescator | Apr 5, 2008 6:53:42 PM

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