So, that happened: This week, The Associated Press rocked the Clinton campaign’s world after releasing a report detailing new concerns about the Clinton Foundation. In that story, the AP alleges “[a]t least 85 of 154 people from private interests who met or had phone conversations scheduled with Clinton while she led the State Department donated to her family charity or pledged commitments to its international programs.”
Clinton’s defenders have responded to the story by pointing to the fact that the AP didn’t provide any evidence of quid pro quo ― a straight line of evidence connecting money offered to a deed performed.
But defining political corruption strictly along these lines has only been a recent legal innovation ― one that flies in the face of a century of case law that held that even the appearance of corruption was a de facto threat to good governance. That’s all changed because of the way the Supreme Court ruled in cases like 2010’s Citizens United v. FEC. On this week’s edition of the “So, That Happened” podcast, we mark the occasion where you can no longer differentiate between these two sets of apologists.
Elsewhere on the podcast: Over in the Trump campaign, they’re working hard at the pivot they’ve promised to make for months, and the most interesting thing that’s emerged is that on the reality TV host’s signature issue ― his draconian approach to immigration ― Donald Trump no longer seems to know what he either believes or says. Did Trump mean it when he said his Republican rivals were soft on immigration? And if so, why does he suddenly seem to prefer the immigration policies of low-energy Jeb Bush?
Meanwhile, a pharmaceutical company called Mylan is under fire this week after raising the prices of their epi-pens ― a device used by the severely allergic to prevent a fatal allergy attack ― by 400%. Consumers are angry, as are members of Congress, who are demanding that Mylan reverse course. If only that same Congress hadn’t continually made policy choices that allowed for these monopolistic practices in the first place.
Finally, for some third-party perspective on our presidential race, we welcome back our favorite Bernie Sanders supporter, the always effervescent Tim Black of “The Tim Black Show.” We’ll ask him if Clinton’s managed to close the deal with him, and whether or not folks like him are having an impact on Democratic Party policies at all.
“So, That Happened” is hosted by Jason Linkins, Zach Carter and Arthur Delaney. Joining them this week: Tim Black of “The Tim Black Show,” as well as Huffington Post reporter Elise Foley.
This podcast was produced, edited and engineered by Christine Conetta.
To listen to this podcast later, download our show on iTunes. While you’re there, please subscribe to, rate and review our show. You can check out other HuffPost podcasts here.
CORRECTION: This article initially misstated the AP’s report, switching the pool of donors for those who spoke to Clinton during her tenure at the State Department. It has been updated with a quote from the article.
