Hillary Clinton (D-Walmart) received in December $353,000 from the Waltons for her "Victory Fund."
Bill and Hillary Clinton have had a long association with the Waltons dating from their time in Arkansas. Sam Walton was feeling some pressure over his all white male board so he hired Hillary Clinton who subsequently did nothing to protect labor rights from the rapacious greed of Wal-Mart executives. Sam Walton and Wal-Mart supported the Clintons financially and organizationally in Arkansas, and for their federal political campaigns.
The Clintons have taken heat over the years for their closeness to Wal-Mart and other greedy corporations that rely on sweatshop labor in developing nations while paying below living wages for their “associates.” Hillary was criticized for her association with Wal-Mart in 2008, and returned a $5,000 donation from Wal-Mart to her campaign, but that did not stop her from accepting $25,000 from Alice Walton in 2014. Alice Walton is the 15th richest person in the world, and many rank and file members of labor unions have been dismayed by Hillary’s close relationship to anti labor forces and big money.
Even as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton promoted the Wal-Mart business model in India. The Walton have contributed millions to the Clinton Foundation, and in April 2012 Hillary met with Wal-Mart President and CEO Mike Duke to announce Wal-Mart’s $12 million donation to Hillary's International Fund For Women and Girls. Just a few weeks after meeting Mike Duke, Hillary took a slight detour during her visit to SE Asia to press Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal to drop her opposition to allowing retailers like Wal-Mart from entering the Indian market. Mamata Banerjee’s principled opposition to allowing foreign retailers like Wal-Mart from entering the Indian market are interesting in and of themselves, but what is known is that Hillary was doing the work of Wal-Mart even as Secretary of State when she went out of her way to get Mamata Banerjee to stop opposing FDI.
Perhaps due in part to Mamata Banerjee’s opposition to Wal-Mart’s presence in India, Wal-Mart set out to bribe Indian officials to circumvent and undermine laws intended forbid their business practices in India. Wal-Mart suspended the executives in November 2012. Clinton’s lobbying on behalf of the retailer in May 2012 likely occurred even while Wal-Mart executives were engaging in illegal bribery of Indian officials to gain entrance and advantages in the Indian retail market.
Clinton’s Wal-Mart problems don’t end there. I’m going to devote several more diary entries on this subject and I hope to hear what others think. Bill Clinton did more to increase trade with China even after her criticized George H.W. Bush in 1992 for his lack of response to Tiananmen Square in 1989. Jobs hemorrhaged as the capital class was empowered and emboldened by free trade and Wall Street deregulation; Wal-Mart has its cheap goods and labor so the Waltons can go around throwing money at dubious organizations and NGOs that produce dubious results. Its time to turn the page, create a real economy, and devote true dedication to the rights of workers everywhere.
Here is a link to a video of Hillary's "advocacy for workers" and her high praise for the Wal-Mart business model.