Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Set To Be Rattled By Book “Clinton Cash” Coming Up On May 5: Book Says Clintons Made Big Money And Donors Got State Department Favours

The Deomocratic Party's presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign may have started with all fanfare. But an upcoming bombshell book seems to rock Clinton's expectations of a smooth sail. The New York Times, which got an advance copy of the book, to be released on May 5, has published a report with some selective leaks, which said the book is hot and it has many claims that may rattle Clinton's eligibility to the high office. The book's main allegation is that donations that flowed to the Clinton Foundation by foreign donors were a quid pro quo trade off.

The book reportedly says foreign entities, which donated to the foundation and gave former President Bill Clinton high-dollar speaking fees, did receive favors from the Clinton's State Department. She was the state secretray during Mr Obama's first term as president.

The book named, "Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich," will be a second major political headache for Clinton's campaign. The first political barb that Clinton faced was her use of private e-mail for official business while serving as secretary of state to the Obama administration. The controversy had tried to put Clinton’s integrity as a public official under a cloud.

Season of Favours

In the book, author Peter Schweizer has reportedly traced a "pattern of financial transactions involving the Clintons that occurred contemporaneous with favorable U.S. policy decisions benefiting those providing the funds." The examples include a Colombia free-trade agreement that helped a major donor with projects in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

However, a spokesman of Clinton told the Times that the book is "twisting previously known facts into absurd conspiracy theories." It may be recaled that critics have been questioning Clinton foundation's history of foreign donations and whether donors were really getting any benefits. When asked about the book, Hillary Clinton dismissed it as part of "distractions and attacks" that come with an important political season.

According to a CNN report, the book is also a testimony of how the family trust went on to become a tool that made Clintons rich. The author Schweizer is a journalist and Senior Editor-at-Large for the conservative outlet "Breitbart News." He is also a fellow at the conservative Hoover Institution think tank. In the past, he has worked with the team of former President George W. Bush's speechwriters.

Fodder For Republicans

For Republicans, the book is a boon to sharpen their attacks on Clinton and they are eagerly anticipating the release of the book. Republican Senator Rand Paul, himself a 2016 White House candidate, claimed that some "big news" is coming on the Clinton foundation. "I think there are things that went on at the Clinton Foundation that are going to shock people," he told Fox News in New Hampshire. He said the book would make people question whether or not Clinton ought to run for president.

(For feedback/comments, contact the writer at k.kumar@ibtimes.com.au)