Conflict of Interest?

Cal Thomas raises interesting questions about the unusually large income earned by former President Clinton since leaving office -- nearly $40 million, most of that from speaking fees.

Thomas suggests "It ought to be a concern, though, when so much money is paid to a former president by foreign governments, foreign entities and corporations with interests in U.S. foreign and domestic policies. While Bill Clinton is no longer in a position to determine such policies, his wife, the junior senator from New York and Democratic presidential candidate, is and she may soon be in an even more powerful position. Given the Clintons' history of questionable political, business and personal relationships, can anyone say with certainty that the providers of this largesse are uninterested in influencing a President Hillary Clinton through her husband?"

"While other ex-presidents have spoken for money, there has been nothing on this scale and none of their spouses served as elected officials."

More on the Clintons and money at Betsy's Page. Her post reminds me of something I mused about early in the Clinton Administration, when the Clintons were sailing on some new wealthy "friend's" yacht off Martha's Vineyard: Didn't the Clintons realize that their rich new friends only cared about them because he was President? Would the yacht owner be their friend if the Clintons were just lawyers in Arkansas?

According to the New Republic article Betsy links to, it doesn't seem that the Clintons care all that much about motivations, as long as their friends have money, and plenty of it.