Hillary Clinton's $6.4 million loan to her campaign used joint funds with Bill who has brought in more than $40 million from engagements in 6 years since he left office. The loan effectively bypasses laws which bar corporate campaign donations. Bill Clinton has earned millions from speaking to companies in the financial industry which are deeply involved in the subprime mortgage and foreclosure crisis.
The sponsors have included investment banks that later suffered billions of dollars in losses in the sub-prime mortgage debacle and now have a big stake in any regulatory changes; an insurance group with an interest in any overhaul of the nation's health care system; a group that favors the reunification of Taiwan with mainland China; a Colombian business development group that backs a free-trade agreement and more than two dozen Jewish groups, synagogues and museums.
John McCain's has similar issues and conflicts of interest with his wife's millions in stock holdings in oil and pharmaceutical companies.
Hillary's $5 million dollar loan was from her own money, presumably from her lucrative book deal. However, she has apparently exhausted her personal funds because her latest loan was from joint funds. Those joint funds include millions Bill earned from speaking to corporations that are regulated by the federal government, especially the financial industry.
Companies deeply involved in the ongoing financial crisis gave large amounts to Bill.
Citigroup paid him $550,000 for three appearances in Paris and New York in 2004 and 2006, and Deutsche Bank paid $300,000 for two 2005 speeches. Both firms could be further hurt by proposed changes in federal regulations or laws now being considered amid waves of mortgage defaults that have stalled the economy.
The Mortgage Bankers Association, facing new regulatory threats amid from the sub-prime mess, paid Clinton $150,000 for a Chicago speech in 2006.
The health insurance industry, which is strongly resisting single payer health care and will strongly benefit from mandated health insurance gave large amounts to Bill.
America's Health Insurance Plans, whose 1,300-member group is one of that industry's strongest lobbying forces, shelled out $150,000 for a Clinton appearance in Las Vegas in 2005.
And a Colombian business group which strongly favors a free trade deal with the U.S. gave bill almost a million dollars.
Gold Service International, a business development group based in Bogota, Colombia, paid Clinton $800,000 in 2005 for four days of appearances in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. The group favors the Colombia Free Trade Agreement that Hillary Clinton has vociferously opposed.
Did Hillary send a private emissary to tell her Colombian friends not to worry, that her opposition now was merely election year pandering?
Hillary's campaign is now running on corporate money, laundered by her husband. She has dozens of apparent conflicts of interest involved with using that money. While the loan may be legal, the potential conflicts of interest would interfere with effective governance were Hillary to ever become president.