(Newswire.net — February 26, 2016) –Transcripts are surfacing thanks to whistle blowers, concerned citizens, and social transparency, regarding what Mrs. Clinton has said in “closed door” paid speeches. The video below clearly shows Mrs. Clinton blaming homeowners for the mortgage crisis and resulting recession of 2008, as opposed to her assertion that she “told the banks on Wall Street to stop.” Similarly, Clinton has claimed to not be supportive of GMOs, but another video of a paid speech clearly shows that to be untrue as well.
While Clinton expressly forbade reporters and tape recorders at her paid speeches, some of the attendees have actually started to come forward, reporting about how she came across to them. As reported by Politico, bankers at Goldman Sachs have indicated that she sounded very supportive of them and almost like a cheerleader of the banks. One attendee said her speech was in direct contrast than what she is now trying to claim her position to be as a presidential candidate. Her relationship with big banks and the transcripts could prove to be her Achilles’ heel.
Paid Speeches
At the debates and town halls, the issue of Hillary Clinton’s paid speeches to big banks on Wall Street have come into sharp focus. It was revealed that Mrs. Clinton was paid $675,000 to give three speeches to Goldman Sachs alone during 2013 after she left her position as Secretary of State. She has continually downplayed these speeches, and has insisted that she would be tough on Wall Street. She also has asserted that she acted to stop Wall Street and what they were doing in 2007. However, one video that has surfaced of Mrs. Clinton speaking to Prudential shows her squarely placing the blame for the mortgage crisis on homeowners themselves, rather than on the speculative and predatory practices that the banks themselves engaged in.
Calls for Transcripts
There have been calls asking for Mrs. Clinton to release the transcripts of these paid speeches, and thus far, she has refused to do so. Initially, she said she would need to “look into it” when pressed at a debate by debate co-moderator Chuck Todd at the MSNBC Democratic Debate. Then, she acted as if she might not be able to locate them, and then, she said she would release the transcripts if others released theirs as well. Interestingly, her remaining opponent for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders, has no transcripts he could release, given that he has never given a paid speech to Wall Street.
The Harry Walker Agency and the Contract Language
Mrs. Clinton’s speaking contracts, negotiated for her by the Harry Walker Agency, called for each speech to be transcribed. In at least some of the contracts, the language clearly states the transcripts were to be turned over to Clinton and she would retain all rights to the information. This means she not only has access to them, but she is actually in possession of them and could easily release them. It is likely that the same contractual language was used for her contracts to speak with every group, and not just the ones for whom contracts have been found.
Hillary’s Hollow Pledge to Release Transcripts… If Others Do
Most recently, Hillary said she would release her transcripts if the Republican candidates did. That is a hollow pledge, given that Marco Rubio only became a senator in 2011, and so also has no transcripts of paid speeches given to Wall Street after leaving office- he hasn’t left office, and there is a federal law prohibiting sitting senators from giving paid speeches. The same is true for Ted Cruz, who entered the Senate in 2013. While news reports have circulated in the past regarding Donald Trump giving paid speech, a search of newsites on Google reveals that he doesn’t appear to have given any in at least 12 years. This is much different than Clinton, who made millions in the last couple of years with her paid speeches to Wall Street. As already pointed out, Bernie Sanders has no transcripts he could possibly release, given that he never pandered to Wall Street banks or received money from them.
It is unlikely that Hillary Clinton will ever agree to release the transcripts of her speeches. If she did so, it would derail her candidacy as she drives towards the nomination. However, it is not implausible that the Republicans would potentially get their hands on them, saving them to use against her if she wins the nomination.