Watchdog Group Follows New Leads In Clinton Cash Scandal

By Ethan Barton

A conservative watchdog group is demanding copies of official documents about the activities of key operatives linked to Hillary Clinton, some of whom have previously escaped attention in the continuing investigations of the former Secretary of State’s relations with her family’s foundation and her use of a private email and server for official business.

Citizens United filed seven new Freedom of information Act requests recently seeking communications among Clinton’s State Department aides and officials with the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, and Teneo, a global consulting firm whose principals are long-time Clinton associates.

“These latest FOIA requests by Citizens United are an extension of our investigation based on what we’ve gleaned from the documents we’ve received to date,” Citizens United President David N. Bossie told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “We are learning more about how the State Department, the Clinton Foundation, and Teneo operated and what it may mean.”

Citizens United seeks emails between Teneo founders Declan Kelly and Doug Band and Clinton’s long-time aides and former State Department officials Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills, Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin, and Deputy Chief of Staff Jake Sullivan, as well as Special Representative for Global Partnership Kris Balderston and Deputy Assistant Secretary Michael Fuchs.

Kelly was previously the U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland and Band was President Clinton’s long-time personal aide after leaving the White House. President Clinton was formerly a client and, briefly, a paid advisor to Teneo.

Citizens United previously uncovered an email from Abedin requesting Balderston to “de-loop” her from a conversation because it regarded Teneo, where Abedin was simultaneously employed. Abedin had received a rarely used federal employment classification that allowed her to draw full-time salaries for work in the government and the private sector.

Abedin was the principal Clinton aide who organized a controversial dinner in Ireland as part of an official State Department trip that brought together Hillary Clinton, Clinton Foundation donors and Teneo’s Kelly.

Fuchs was also included in the FOIA request because Clinton Foundation Foreign Policy Director Amitabh Desai informed him, Mills, Abedin, and Sullivan whenever President Clinton received overseas speaking offers, according to documents previously obtained by Citizens United.

Citizens United is also requesting communication between Desai, Mills, Abedin and Sullivan, as well as emails between Fuchs and officials of the Clinton Foundation and Teneo. The watchdog group previously found that Mills copied Desai on an email that was retroactively classified.

Another new Citizens United FOIA request requests emails between long-time President Clinton aide Justin Cooper and the five State Department officials. Cooper was also copied on an email regarding orders to set up a nonprofit called the “Friends of the Clinton Centre,” according to documents obtained by Citizens United.

Additionally, Cooper set up Hillary Clinton’s private server in 2008, the Daily Caller previously reported.

Citizens United also requested emails between former U.S. Ambassador-At-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verver, the Clinton Foundation and Teneo. She is the first person to hold that position and often appears in the Clinton emails that are being slowly released by the State Department.

Citizens United further seeks emails containing the term “ClintonGroup” or sent to the distribution list “Coordination” that were sent or received by Mills, Huma, Sullivan, Balderston, and Fuchs. Both terms were revealed through previous Citizens United FOIA requests.

One email sent to the “Coordination” list had the subject line “Fw: Second tranche transmittal letter” and included an attachment called “Benghazi22.pdf.”